Hiya! I'm new to the site and just have to say I am LOVING it!! I'd like to start writing book reviews and was hoping for some tips. Important things to include or just general review writing advice would be great! :)
Thanks!

If you include a synopsis in your review (I usually do), try to avoid revealing things about the plot or characters that a reader wouldn't find by reading the back of a book cover. Some folks hate finding a spoiler in a review.

Mensagem editada pelo seu autor, Jul 3, 2009, 1:19am.

#2 - If you want to take that into consideration! There is a continuous debate between the spoiler haters, and the 'buyer beware' factions here at LT. I personally make a minimal effort to avoid the 'the butler did it' type of spoilers, but I am not going to shape my reviews based on some peoples fear of being spoiled.

I vastly prefer reviews with a synopsis, and which contains an indication of genre and quality of writing.
Some of the reviews that receive most accolades (or thumps up:-) seems to be those that are
a) humorous
b) highly critical of the book
c) almost essays - writing about the book in the context of other works, or the reading experience.

3: I agree - I don't want to know who dies, how the battle gets won, or who kills who and why. However, I am interested to hear the reviewer's opinion or interpretation of the end part of the book, if it's relevant. For example:
- the ending pulls disconnected storylines together, giving them far greater significance in subsequent readings
- the ending is a deux ex machina that lets the whole book down
- there is nothing but boring angsty romance until the last few chapters, when a few villains arrive and threaten the heroin's life.

What I look for in reviews
- What themes the writer uses, what they're commenting on, etc.
- an interpretation of the plot, characters (eg. Zenia is a villain but can also be read as a guardian angel), as well as anything the writer may not have intended eg. if a supposedly feminist work is actually sexist towards women.
- comparisons with other works
- writing quality and style, especially if the writing is bad
- if it's a difficult or easy read

I disregard a review that gushes or criticises without explaining why. I don't know the reviewer personally, so I have no idea if I'd feel the same way about something they love or hate. If they give reasons for their opinion, I can at least get a better idea of how I'd feel about the same thing.

Including things like quotes or small incidents from the book in order to strengthen a point would also be a good idea.

Welcome to LT, it is indeed a marvelous site.

There's a group Book Reviewers where people discuss how they review, you might like to look there and maybe join. There's discussion of some particular reviews at Reviews reviewed.

It does very much depend on the type of book you are reviewing but I'd say key features (and I'm guilty of not always following this myself) are:

Your opinion - did you like it or not, and why

Grevious errors - factual inaccuracies, major contrived and unlikely co-incidences, plain discrepancies in age/distance/relation etc

Notable highlights - anything you really found good, innovative magic systems, wonderfully belivable characters, lists of referances etc

Comments on style - fast reading or complex convoluted purple prose

I always include a synopsis of plot/genre touching on the key plots upto maybe 1/2way through the book.

Would you re-read it and or recommend it to others.

For books with numerous reviews (say, over 200), I might just want to put in certain salient ideas that struck me in reading the book, rather than doing a full review.

I try a three theme approach to my reviews. I look at story, for if it is not a good story, why read it? I want to answer that question in the review. Then I look at a more technical side of things. Such as can the writer write? Are there inconsistencies in the writing. Last I give my impression of a keeper, or lousy, would I reread it, or never again.

Thanks so much for all the info! I couldn't believe there were so many responses overnight. This seems like a really great community and I'm excited to get more involved!!
Keeep the tips coming! :)

Welcome aboard, jaychel. Lovely kitty!

I always include a summary - giving an idea of the set-up of the plot, who the major characters are, and trying not to give away too much beyond about the first 1/3 of the book.

My review itself depends on what I have to say about the book; I try to hit on what the experience of reading the book was like for me (fast or slow, enjoyable, absorbing, boring, angry-making, etc.), as well as some high points, some points where I found fault, character development, writing style, plot pacing, etc. Most books I don't hit all of those points - just the ones that seem relevant. For instance, if the writing is serviceable - nothing terrible, but nothing special either - I probably won't make a point of mentioning it, and will focus on some other aspect.

I also include a short one-line summary of whether or not I recommend the book overall, and who I think will like it.

Although, all of that is what works for me. My general advice is: Write reviews like the ones you'd like to read.

OK, this explains a lot! That's why there are so many summaries of books floating around. I personally don't like plot summaries--spoilers or no spoilers--so couldn't figure why I kept running into them. Guess most people like them. Thanks for the clarification.

Linda

edited for typos

Mensagem editada pelo seu autor, Jul 3, 2009, 2:16pm.

>12 I include plot summaries for two reasons; one is because the same review that goes here also goes on my blog, where there aren't two hundred other summary-plus-reviews floating around. Two is because I frequently want to say something about how I didn't like Character X, or didn't care for how Plot Point Y was resolved, and so I want my review to already have given a reader some idea who/what Character X or Plot Point Y was.

Personally, I write my book reviews mostly for myself. I want to be able to remember what I loved or hated about the book. I figure there are plenty of places online where one could find a summary if needed. If other people find my reviews helpful, that's awesome. I leave the plot summaries for those who like to write them!

I think vpfluke's point in Message 7 is important - on LT your review isn't necessarily sitting there all by itself. If you're writing reviews purely for yourself, it doesn't matter, but if you expect others to read your reviews then you will probably want to say something quite different for a book that already has 1000 reviews (preferably: nothing at all) from what you would say for a book that has never been reviewed yet.

Certainly that's the way I tend to work. If there weren't any other reviews yet (or only very sketchy ones), I'd generally try to write something that would be useful to a potential reader who knows little or nothing about the book. Why should you/shouldn't you read this? What does it cover? Is it any good?

If there are stacks of reviews, I would generally say nothing, or make a brief comment about my personal reaction to the book: Why did I read it? Was it what I expected? Did it live up to the hype? Is there something important that none of the other reviewers has said yet?

But in the end, it's your review. If you can think of something amusing or original to say and it's a book that others are interested in, so much the better. If not, never mind, you'll know you tried! :-)

Mensagem editada pelo seu autor, Jul 3, 2009, 3:33pm.

So, Jaychel, our OP, when are you putting up your thoughtful and thought provoking review? What book did you read tht spurred you to ask about reviews?

While we're waiting for jaychel, I will add that I often say something about the plot to remind myself which book this was. ("Oh yeah, this is the one about the dropped candy floss.")

I find that if I want to remember the plot I can go to the LT book page where the Amazon description 90% of the time can be found.

Well I actually just scored my first Early Reviewers Book!! The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim. Being new here, I'm super excited to jump in and participate but I've never written a review before. I've read through a bunch and some reviews are just so insightful, interesting and funny. I'd like to fall in one of those categories one day!! :) I know after time my writing will get stronger, but I really appreciate all the people who have taken the time to help get me started!!

The 'Reviews reviewed' group is a terrific idea.

I wish LT had some sort of comments section for reviews the way Amazon does. Since it doesn't, the Reviews reviewed group is a nice little stop=gap.