How do you write your book reviews?

[[deleted user]]

I've been meaning to ask. How do you write your book review for this particular genre. Do you have a different criteria when you review a Cozy mystery type of book, as opposed to say a fantasy or a young adult contemporary novel? How do you approach your book review? Please feel free to share your comments here.

[Susan]

This is an excellent question and one that is not discussed often enough. First, I rarely review books I dislike simply because I know that my personal tastes are not the issue; I am reviewing a book to let others know what this particular one is like so that people who like, for example, a thriller, a traditional mystery, or noir will find know what to expect from the book being reviewed. Second, I feel that the purpose of a review is to tell the prospective reader what the book is about and whether or not the book meets the basic standards. If this is a traditional mystery in the style of Agatha Christie, the reader can assume that there are no gory scenes and no animals or children injured. I like to let the reader know if the writer meets the basic standards and requirements of the genre. Third, I follow the basic assumption that the reader is reading my review, not because the reader likes me, but because the reader trusts me to focus on the book. Some years ago I read two reviews and not until the end of the second review did I realize that it was about the same book as in the first review. Fourth, when I review I try to point out something the writer does especially well, so the reader can get a sense of what I value as a writer/reader/reviewer. Some readers don't care about the quality of the writing, but I do. And some readers don't care about holes and mistakes in a plot line, but I do--if I recognize them. I avoid picking apart a book and try to write the review so the book will capture the attention of readers who will appreciate it.

That's a long way of saying I try to be fair to the writer because writing a book is work, and the better the book, the greater my respect for the writer. And I try to be fair to the reader, because this is the person who is spending money on the book.

[AngryGreyCat]

I just noticed this thread and it is an important question, especially when you think about the star system. I struggle with stars on Goodreads, I always feel like I can't give a cozy 5 stars when I also rate a work like Wuthering Heights 5 stars. They are not really comparable. I'm trying to come to some terms with this in my ratings. This may not be an issue for people who primarily read one genre. They are comparing like to like, but readers like me who read across multiple genres - non-fiction, classic, scifi, romance, mystery, cozy mystery, etc, it is a struggle.

As to writing reviews, I try to not reiterate the blurb or the plot and just speak about the quality of the plot construction, the writing, and character development. I usually will not have spoilers - unless there is some significant item I am pointing out and then they are clearly marked.

[Melodie]

I don't have any trouble rating a cozy 5-stars if I really like it a lot. I read all kinds of things, and to me, just because a book isn't classic literature doesn't mean it can't be a 5-star book. Besides, a lot of classic literature I've read I really didn't like much. Hard to give a book 5-stars that you didn't want to read in the first place! LOL

[❂ Murder by Death]

I rate within the genre I'm reviewing - so a 5 star cozy, for me, is a book that excels within it's genre, and a 5 star book on science, is a book that excels within it's own genre.

Just speaking for myself, of course, but I don't think I'd ever look at anyone's ratings, see a 5-star cozy (for example) and a 5-star literary classic and think they are rating them by the same standards.

Hope that makes sense...

[AngryGreyCat]

❂ Jennifer wrote: "I rate within the genre I'm reviewing - so a 5 star cozy, for me, is a book that excels within it's genre, and a 5 star book on science, is a book that excels within it's own genre.

Just speaking ..."

It does make sense and I have been thinking about that lately. I was at first looking at all books and thinking what is 5 star, 4, 3,etc. and I know from reading book bloggers that some others don't give cozies or other "lighter" reading more than a 3 unless it is exceptional - due to the comparison to classics, etc. But the more that I have been rating, the more that kind of system has bothered me and I have been wobbling back and forth with the star ratings.

I am now leaning towards saying it does make sense to separate the genres - what makes a 5 star cozy is different from a 5 star non fiction or a 5 star police procedural.

hmmmmm, I guess it will have to be from this date forward because I don't want to have to go through all my read books and change anything.

[❂ Murder by Death]

Fanficfan44 wrote: "hmmmmm, I guess it will have to be from this date forward because I don't want to have to go through all my read books and change anything..."

Can't blame you a bit there - I shudder at the thought of going back through all my rated books... no one should have to do that. :)

[Connie N.]

Susan, it sounds as though you take great care when writing reviews, and that's what I value the most. Most annoying to me are the people who simply copy the book blurb into their review word-for-word. That doesn't help.
I personally try to provide a thoughtful insight, especially right after I finish the book and have it on my mind. I guess I tend to lean more toward telling my feelings and reaction to a book, and I suppose that's more subjective than it possibly should be. I often write about the characters and their interaction because that's important to me. I also may include favorite quotes from the book because that tells a little about the author's manner of writing as well as providing a sense of what the book is about.
All that being said, there are some of my friends who write great reviews, and I enjoy it when they share their reactions.

[Melodie]

Connie N. wrote: "Susan, it sounds as though you take great care when writing reviews, and that's what I value the most. Most annoying to me are the people who simply copy the book blurb into their review word-for-..."

I tend to say more about my feelings and reactions, too. And I have no trouble at all about going on a rant when a book really pisses me off and saying exactly why it did so!

[Mark]

I try really hard to only discuss enough plot to give you a feel for the story. And I try not to discuss anything beyond the first quarter/third of the book if I can help it. Sometimes, the book blurb gives more than that, and it ruins the book for me waiting for what I already know will happen to happen.

I try to keep that to two paragraphs and then devote the rest to character and plot and whether I enjoyed them or not. The plot teaser part does help you get some context for what I'm saying, but this is what really matters in a review, right?

As to star rating, I'm fairly easy. If I love a book, it gets 5 stars. I don't care about genre. That's for two reasons. One, I'm expecting different things when I sit down to read a cozy or a kids book than I am when I read non-fiction or a classic. (Actually, can't remember the last time I read a classic.) So if the book meets my expectations for the genre and I enjoy it, then I have no hesitation to give it 5 stars. I feel the same when I review movies, too.

[Zana]

Susan wrote: "This is an excellent question and one that is not discussed often enough. First, I rarely review books I dislike simply because I know that my personal tastes are not the issue; I am reviewing a bo..."
Susan, your comments inspire me to do better reviews!

[Susan]

Thank you for the compliment, Zana. I learned some years back how much a negative review can hurt and how unnecessary it is. I want my reviews to be useful and valid for all readers (hard to do, but at least it's a fair goal).

[Alana]

I hadn't really thought about it, but yes, if I genuinely enjoy a book, I give it a high rating, though I rarely give out five stars unless a book struck me across multiple levels. I hadn't really thought about it as being compared to others within a genre, but I have been known to give five stars to even children's books that are only a few pages long, just because I think they are great books (and one could argue Dr. Suess is a classic anyway).

[Karen]

Jennifer wrote: "I rate within the genre I'm reviewing - so a 5 star cozy, for me, is a book that excels within it's genre, and a 5 star book on science, is a book that excels within it's own genre.

I can't say I think about genre as much when reviewing, but I agree with your process. I rate books on my enjoyment of that book for whatever criteria I have when reading or utilizing it. If I think it's well plotted and well written, involving, and it held my interest from beginning to end, I don't have problems giving 5-star ratings to any book in any genre.

Susan wrote: "I rarely review books I dislike simply because I know that my personal tastes are not the issue..." -AND- Melodie wrote: "I tend to say more about my feelings and reactions, too. And I have no trouble at all about going on a rant when a book really pisses me off and saying exactly why it did so!"

I think personal tastes always affect reviews. Really, that's what a review is, someone's personal reaction to a book, movie, event, etc. No book will please every reader. However, like Melodie, if I don't like something, I will share my feelings with others, especially if I have a strong reaction. Negative comments/reviews are just as valid as positive. The value of the review is with the constructive information provided, the arguments and supports, good or bad. I don't let poor reviews stop me from reading something I want to read. Nor do I let them color my enjoyment of the book while reading it.

When I post reviews, I try to back up/clarify my likes and dislikes or disappointments rather than just saying "it was good" or "it was bad" so people will have more information when forming their own judgments about reading it themselves---as I do when reading the reviews of others. When reading reviews, I start with the four-, three-, and two-star reviews. I'll read ones and fives if they catch my eye, but don't put a lot of stock in them unless I know the reviewer (read/follow their reviews, know them from boards, etc.). Though I have read ones and fives that have been quite helpful, I find many of them are written by haters or adorers and don't seem to be as constructive---no less valid, just not as useful to me.

As for plot points, I try to give only an overview of the story. I like GoodReads spoiler-hiding capabilities for those times when I need to reference something specific to illustrate a point I'm trying to make.

[Penny]

I just found this thread and its food for thought. I think I agree with some of what fanfic said as I rarely give something like a cosy a 5 star as it wouldnt compare with Wuthering Heights or some such but I really like the idea of rating within a genre and that way others would know if a particular book was a great example of that genre. I may change what I do now!!

[Stef]

First of all - I'm writing this all for the third time tonight, as my tablet has been playing up and throwing me out just when I was about to send this. Now I've gone up to the den to post this the traditional way!

Susan, I don't like writing negative or not-quite-so-good reviews, either. But publishing only reviews of the books you like distorts the picture somehow - because if we all did that, the number of reviews would be all that counted, and that can't be true.
You seem to be a nice person though, so the perfect person to write a review of a book that didn't come up to your expectations! I'd think you'd be gentle, but very decisive in which aspects didn't come up to what you expected, thus giving your followers/readers of your review trusting your opinion a way to distiguish the books you do not like so much from the ones you have no opinion upon.
Now some of you might be looking at my reviews at Goodreads - I've only been here for a short while, I haven't published many reviews and definitely nothing negative, as least as I recall right now. I have posted not-so-good reviews on other sites though, some of them German sites, since this is where I was born and raised.

Here are my very personal rules for reviews:
1) When reviewing the book, I have to be in the same mood as I was when I bought this. I wanted an Agatha-style, but with a modern twist, no magic or vampires, wasn't in the mood for psychic or talking animals even. Let the readers of your review know what you were looking for.
2) I feel whether I want to review a book about 1/3rd through - with the Kindle I start creating markups when I feel that urge. I can go back to these after finishing the book so I know what I liked/disliked.
3) When you do a 1* review, type it into your text processor first, sleep over it, and if you still think this is what you need to tell the world, copy and paste to the appropriate window. You will nearly always find the need to edit, just to be more considerate of the effort and courage somebody pulled up to publish a book.

Now, a little detour on genres: Dear lovers of Jane Austen & Co., do you really think that we need to take these classics into account when rating today's books?? I must admit I am surprised by the number of reviews on classics bringing up opinions like "good read, characters a bit dreary" to " totally unblievable, nobody would ever have worked under these conditions". I do not think the classics are under discussion here, ever, and should therefore be counted out at a virtual 6*.

Happy reading, Stef

[AngryGreyCat]

Stef wrote: "First of all - I'm writing this all for the third time tonight, as my tablet has been playing up and throwing me out just when I was about to send this. Now I've gone up to the den to post this the..."

That is how I feel as well. I think when I go to blogs and there are only positive reviews I don't get a well rounded picture of the the reviewer as a reader. I do think it is important when you have to give a negative review that you explain it exactly..."this book sucks" is not a review it is just an attack. Sometimes I really struggle with negative reviews and will even say that "this book didn't work for me because x,y,z but others might enjoy it because a,b,c"

[Iamabibliophile]

I rate using the goodreads categories because why complicate things. The ratings on here are how you personally liked it.

⋆I did not like it
⋆⋆It was ok.
⋆⋆⋆I liked it.
⋆⋆⋆⋆I really liked it.
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆It was amazing.

Reviews, professional or amateur are personal opinion. I only post a review if I have something to say and it drives me nuts when a review is simply a regurgitation of the synopsis. It also drives me crazy when a person gives it a low rating and bad review simply because they did not like the outcome of the book--------------case in point

[❂ Murder by Death]

Iamabibliophile wrote: "Reviews, professional or amateur are personal opinion. I only post a review if I have something to say and it drives me nuts when a review is simply a regurgitation of the synopsis. It also drives me crazy when a person gives it a low rating and bad review simply because they did not like the outcome of the book--------------case in point

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15... ..."

I can't even read that book yet b/c I know how it ends and I'm unhappy about it. I'll let the book sit on my TBR until I get over it and then I'll be able to read it more objectively, and hopefully my rating will reflect that.

[Iamabibliophile]

❂ Jennifer wrote: "Iamabibliophile wrote: "Reviews, professional or amateur are personal opinion. I only post a review if I have something to say and it drives me nuts when a review is simply a regurgitation of the s..."

:) Apparently you're not alone, lol. The outcome was what I wanted from book 1 (view spoiler)[(although I adore the one everyone wants her to be with) (hide spoiler)]

[Melodie]

Iamabibliophile wrote: "❂ Jennifer wrote: "Iamabibliophile wrote: "Reviews, professional or amateur are personal opinion. I only post a review if I have something to say and it drives me nuts when a review is simply a re..."

I read it straightway. I always knew I wouldn't get the ending I wanted, but on the whole I loved the series anyway. I pretty much said that in my review, too.

[Susan]

I think it's interesting that how we review books inspires so much discussion, and yet I expect we treat books pretty much the same.

Stef, in my comment, I mention telling the reader if the book meets or fails to meet expectations of the genre. This sounds mild, but it is the one place where I tend to say things that upset people because they somehow interpret it as a negative review. Odd, at least to me. But I think this is important, If a book is a thriller/crime novel, it begins with an implicit promise to the reader, that the guilty party will be caught and the treatment will conform to a sense of justice. If that doesn't happen, the reader will feel cheated.

If the writing is bad, I tend to be more careful because (and I learned this very early) few readers actually think about this. Everybody thinks he or she can recognize good writing, and people defend their views on style. Before you rush to your keypad, did you read The Bridges of Madison County? How many people complained about the writing in that book? White Oleander is a brilliant book with passages that are incandescent and metaphors that knocked my socks off, but some of Fitch's sentences would have been red-lined by my editor.

One last note, my reviewing now is strictly of books I choose. In past years I reviewed for The Drood Review of Mystery (I loved writing for them), Mystery Scene (ditto), and some other magazines and journals. I reviewed what I got in the mail from the editors, which meant I sometimes reviewed things I disliked. I learned to be fair. In one instance, which others may disagree with, I gave a mostly negative review to a book and later talked to the editor about it. I told her exactly what I thought of the book, which was far more negative than what I wrote, and she wanted me to change the review. I said no because my reaction to the book was more visceral than thoughtful, and I wanted to separate my personal view from a more objective one. If I wrote only how I felt, there would be very little in there about the book.

[Ovidia]

Hi Susan, you sound like a professional book reviewer (both in your approach and your getting sent books to review for magazines). I'm impressed how much care you take not to hurt people with negative reviews especially the visceral vs reasoned response. It was a lightbulb moment for me (yes I'm pretty backward here) because I'd not separated the two and as a result I've been giving everything I read *** because I didn't feel qualified to say more.
The 5***** within genre was another eye opener, thanks Jennifer!
And Stef, I'm going to try to apply your 'very personal rules for reviews' especially the 'let your readers know what you were looking for' because I have subgenre moods too and totally want to Read reviews that tell me what I'm going to find. Thank you.

[Nancy]

When writing a book review, I'll write a blurb on what the book is about and then add a line or two with my personal opinion.

[AlegnaB †]

I don't write many reviews. I've rated 297 books but have only written 19 reviews. I figure that most of the time I'd just be saying the same things as so many other readers.

I don't write what the book is about, since that's in the description. When reading reviews, I skip over that type. I hate spoilers, although sometimes I appreciate them if they highlight things that would highly irritate me and cause me to wish I hadn't read the book. I even wrote one review like that myself.

I use a different rating system than what GR stars are supposed to mean. I use the following:

5 stars -- I thoroughly enjoyed it.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot.
3 stars -- It was okay.
2 stars -- I didn't like it.
1 star -- I greatly disliked it.

I was using this star system for years on my handwritten reading record before joining GR. I was here many months before I even knew that GR uses a different system. I read about it in a group discussion, and then after reading what to look for, I noticed the little notes popping up when hovering over a star (I can easily miss things right in front of my eyes). I wasn't about to go back and change all my ratings.

I would want a 10-star rating system if I were to give the highest rating to classics only. I don't expect the same quality from a mystery as I do from a Jane Austen novel. That doesn't mean I wouldn't give five starts to a mystery. If I thoroughly enjoyed it and would enjoy reading it again, I would give it five stars.

[[deleted user]]

There's a lot of interesting criteria for individual book reviewing here. Thanks for the time sharing your thoughts everyone.