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Reading reviews first?
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Aglaea
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Nov 21, 2015 12:34PM
Do you read reviews of a book before deciding to read it or not? After having joined here last year, I find myself curiously perusing comments, and in a few cases have actually decided against spending time/energy on a particular volume thanks to stars and reviews by others. Other times I've 'considered myself warned', but have wanted to form my own opinion regardless. Does this matter to you at all?
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Yes, very much so. Too many books, too little time to waste on one I would not like. I also suck at picking a book randomly. This year's challenge had a category to pick based on cover only, and I made two horrible picks before settling on picking a cover from my to-read list, all of which have been researched :)
Yes, I can't buy a book without having look first at the ratings or reviews. I like reading what my GR friends thought about the book (even when we have different tastes) and I usually have a look at 2-3 reviews from GR or Amazon members before adding a book to my shelves. Some books didn't pass this point, other did fine :)
I also look at the reviews, but not a lot (usually less than 5) and not ultra-long reviews. I prefer when people say straight away what they thought of the book.
I agree with Sophie! I like to read a few reviews before I read a book but often skim them if they are long or skip the middle entirely, as to avoid spoilers, to see what they thought of the material alone. Rather than a short recap of the book in addition to what they liked and disliked.
Some books have very short summaries, so one or two reviews that say what's happening in the book is useful. But you don't need to go through everything in your review.
I read the reviews and they sometimes play a role in how quickly I will get to a book over others, but if I am determined to read a book I will read it.
It depends on the book. There are some books that I will read, no matter what - eg. those on the standard literature canon. Other books (especially newer books) that I'm on the fence about, I'll definitely check out some reviews before I add them to my TBR list. I have a few GR friends here with quite similar taste, so I'll also definitely take their reviews into consideration. I also really dislike long reviews - I don't need a recap of the plot, I want to know how the book made you feel.
Same for me, I don't read long reviews, except after when I disliked the book (it's fun to see other people ranting and raving about the faults).
I usually read only 2-3 reviews before I start a book. I tend to read books that other people have been talking about so they turn out pretty good. And I agree with Zaz on reading reviews for books I dislike. So much fun to read the rants!
Ooh yes, me too. Especially when I'm in the middle of reading something and it's really bugging me - I love going to the reviews to see if anyone else feels the same!
Hmm, I'm in good company :)I don't care too much for reviews that only focus on the events of a story, but like to get an idea of what the reader thought of writing style, plot development, characters and their evolution, etc.
I mostly look at the rating and perhaps read a few reviews. I just think people tend to write a long recap of the book, and I really don't need that. I just want to know if they like or dislike the book and why.I read more reviews after reading the book. It can be interesting to find out what others think of the book, and some people can really write some fun and entertaining reviews.
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I like that it separates my friends out since I can see those ratings quickly. But I usually skim the first few community reviews also.
Speaking of reviews, what is up with lecturing and chiding other users for not reviewing in a correct way?I have yet to find an author with the letter Y and was reading about the Tree novel by Yanagihara. More than one negative review has people practically shouting at the writer how she has failed to review the right way. Boggles my mind how rude they are.
Isn't a review allowed to be subjective? And if you don't agree, perhaps just move on rather than start attacking (usually on a very primitive, personal level) the writer? Maybe I'm getting old, but I feel like they lack completely in manners.
I totally agree with you, people on the internet sometimes are so rude! Just respect other people's opinion, it is the point of this kind of websites to hear what people think. If you don't agree, move on!
I tend to read reviews. I will read the first few that show up on the page and see what consistencies there are between them. I also like to search out bad reviews for books I'm interested in to see what people didn't like.@Aglaea - if you're looking for an author with Y in their last name, check out Rick Yancey. He wrote the 5th Wave which is a dystopia I've heard is really good. Not sure what he has written outside that series, but hopefully that helps.
I completely agree Aglaea. The worst I have come across are the Tolkien fanboys if someone dares to admit that they found LotR - *gasp* - dull. The vitriol that spews forth from these people is frightening.
Lol, fundamentalist fanboys. It is a bit scary, though. *shakes her head in wonder*Peter wrote: "@Aglaea - if you're looking for an author with Y in their last name, check out Rick Yancey. He wrote the 5th Wave which is a dystopia I've heard is really good. Not sure what he has written outside that series, but hopefully that helps."
Hey thanks, will check it out!
I try to avoid it until I'm at least halfway through the book or at the end. I hate the idea of turning away a book because it has negative reviews. I typically go into the book with a really positive or really negative outlook after reading the the reviews. At least if I wait until I'm already a good ways into it I see it more as a comparison of my current feelings.
Manda wrote: "I try to avoid it until I'm at least halfway through the book or at the end. I hate the idea of turning away a book because it has negative reviews. I typically go into the book with a really posit..."I have two kinds of reactions on review. Either I notice a whole bunch of one- or two-star, eloquently written reviews, and conclude it could be a waste of my time, or I see a mix of positive and negative reviews, which often causes me to want to form my own opinion.
In both cases, it seems like I use them as a useful tool rather than a rule of sort, which to follow mindlessly. If I start reading a book with a ratio of many negatives over positives, I still try to keep an open mind.
Yes I have to read reviews on here and on Amazon before buying a book. I will purposely click on the one star reviews to see who doesn't like a book and why. I also like to look at a reviewers profile to see what books they do enjoy and what they don't.
I usually look at the plot summary before anything else. If that catches my interest, I'll look at the average rating and maybe browse the reviews. I partly want to avoid them because I don't want spoilers. I know for the most part people don't post spoilers with their reviews, but there's always the chance.
I usually take note of the stars and read the first reviews displayed to have a feeling of what i might find in the book. After that it depends on the subject and if the summary got me interested or not. It's a subtle mix of all those parameters that make me read a book.But i don't do any of that for all the books that were recommended to me or that are part of a bookclub.
I tend to find negative reviews more edifying. If people complain of slow plots, unlikable protagonists, or dense writing styles, that's not a concern for me. However, mentions of things like sexist portrayals of women, cliches, shallow stereotypes, or unnatural dialogue will have an influence on me. Reviews won't keep me from starting a book, but if I realize that I agree with negative reviews, I'll probably abandon it.
I agree with you E, sometimes reading a negative review of a book make you less guilty of not liking them. Sadly, they can also steer you off books you would have loved. That's why if the rating is high I tend to not read them not to spoil the book, but if it's average, I read them to see if I would dislike the same elements.
I don't usually look at reviews until after the book is in my hand. Then, if I have 8 or 9 books to read, I take a look at the ratings, just to get a feel for how well-liked it is. However...there are some books with great numbers because it seems like the only reviewers are people that got the book free. If that's the case, I don't really believe the number unless I scroll through and see reviews that suggest real opinions.I usually won't read the reviews until I'm done, though. Either to see if I am in the majority or minority ...or, in the case of really bad books, to find a spoiler warning that I can read instead of finishing the book. :p
