Book reviews, especially professional ones, influence buying decisions and business outcomes. This article outlines key aspects to consider when writing a book review, particularly for fiction, highlighting the responsibility of guiding readers to make informed choices.
But before we start talking about how and what to do, let us understand: What is a Book Review?
A Book Review is an objective and unbiased assessment of the outcome of the reading process viz-a-viz the content, based on a combination of facts, a reviewer’s perspective, and the author’s objective.
There are a few parts to this definition that need explanation.
- Objective and Unbiased Assessment – The reviewer’s preconceived notions and biases about the book’s subject, its author, or its characters should not cloud the outcome of the review.
- Outcome of the Reading Process – The reading process leads to entertainment, information, or perspectives. It also makes the reader emote. The review should evaluate the book's ability to entertain, inform, evoke emotions, and offer new perspectives.
- Facts, Perspective, and Author’s intent – A review should be based on facts from the book or reliable sources, the reviewer’s perspective on the content, and the author’s intent. Understanding the author's intent can be challenging, but reviewers can ask the author directly or assess if the book aligns with their purpose
Now that we have understood what is a Book Review, let us see what is an ideal structure for a book review.
- Write a short SUMMARY of the book, capturing the WHO did WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW, without copying the blurb or revealing spoilers or the climax.
- Your overall OPINION of the book around three important aspects—Conflict, Characters, and Plot. You may want to study these elements in detail to understand the nuances. This helps in a better assessment of the author’s work.
- What WORKED and Why—Talk about things that enhanced the reading experience—like language, writing style, plot surprises, characters you could relate to, description of the setting, etc. Here is your chance to talk about how the book echoed your thoughts, gave you an emotional high, or did wonders to your mood.
- What could be BETTER and Why—Highlight areas that affected the reading experience, like writing style, plot holes, incoherent narration or weak characters. A balanced review should address both strengths and weaknesses, offering constructive criticism where needed.
- Do not nitpick to find faults – If there are none, so be it. Highlight only those issues which are large and glaring—especially around plot, characters, conflict, setting. Avoid mentioning smaller errors like grammar issues, typos, cover design, or layouts. For grammar, you could make a passing reference if it is very poor.
- Do not confuse your preference with the quality of the book. If you like slow pace and the book is fast, that is not the book’s fault. It is a case of your preference not matching with the book. Don’t blame the author or the book for this.
- Evaluate the ENDING: Without giving away spoilers, reflect on the ending of the book. Was it satisfying or predictable? Did it tie up loose ends, or were there unresolved questions? Did all the main characters get a proper arc? A great ending can elevate the entire book, while a weak or abrupt conclusion can detract from the experience. As a reviewer, you can say:
"The ending was both heart-wrenching and satisfying, offering closure to the main conflict."
OR
"The twist at the end felt forced and undermined the emotional investment I had built up throughout the book."
- FINAL Thoughts – Summarise your review crisply and provide a personalised recommendation. A star rating is optional but recommended.
Some Dos & Don’ts
- Take notes while reading – these notes are some of the facts that go into the review.
- Add quotes/excerpts from the book – ones that you like or the ones that substantiate your claim in the review.
- Compare with similar works, if you have read and are in a position to compare.
- Remember to entertain – Add humour, emotion, and intrigue to keep the review engaging. Keep it concise, avoiding both excessive length and brevity.
- Do not read other reviews before you put down yours.
- Avoid a clinical tone – Share the emotions the book evoked and connect it to personal experiences, like memories or beliefs it reinforced.
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