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How To Write A Book Review
By Alan Leach
There are many reasons for wanting to know how to write a book review. It might be a school project you've been set, a book club assignment, or even a commission for a newspaper or magazine. While each book review is different in many ways, each shares a similar format. For those of you unsure how to write a book review, help is at hand.
Like all authors, how to start is a common problem. To begin with, the first paragraph should mention the name of the book and the author. Imagine reading a book review which makes you want to get up and go buy the book immediately, except for the small problem that either the author's name or the name of the book is omitted! The first paragraph should also include any other key background information you deem necessary. This should almost certainly include the genre of writing, as a lover of horror is unlikely to be interested in reading a romance novel. It could also include a brief mention of other works by the same author, so that enjoyers of previous books by the same writer are more likely to be interested in this one. Furthermore, those people new to a certain author have a ready reference list of other works for future reading.
The second paragraph of the book review should give brief details about the plot, telling just enough so that the reader gets a taste of the book. Obviously you should avoid giving away too much information, as the reader is unlikely to want to rush out and get the book if you give away a crucial plot twist!
Style is very important, so think about your reader. Avoid stuffy formal writing and instead try to use interesting words and expressions to describe both the book and your feelings towards it. Make the description interesting, by various techniques such as varying the length of sentences, and think carefully about how to use interesting vocabulary.
Of course, any book review needs to have opinion. In fact, the major portion of the review should be opinion, rather than merely descriptive. If your overall view is positive, mention the good points first. Always justify your opinions though, as others may disagree with your conclusions. Be moderate in your approach, as extreme views on either side will make your opinion seem less reliable.
Even if your overall opinion was positive, no book is perfect, so also mention some of the things you didn't like. This will give the reader a broader view of the book, and your opinion is likely to be respected more. Perhaps the book was too long, or the characters were not described adequately or even the plot was a little far-fetched at times. Whatever the bad points, explain what they were and why they detracted from the overall view of the book.
Finally, close with a recommendation. Obviously this depends on whether you yourself enjoyed the book. Naturally, if your opinion was positive, the recommendation would simply be to advise the reader to read the book. Try not to be too negative, even if you hated the book. Don't forget someone has put their heart and soul into penning the work you are reviewing! You could at least end by suggesting you the reader tries another work by the same author first.
While knowing how to write a book review is of course not as difficult as writing the book itself, care must be put into ensuring an interesting and balanced representation, both for your own credibility and to allow the reader to form an opinion for themselves, rather than being unduly influenced by you.
See Also:
more info on how to write a book review
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