Not so very long ago Kelly over at the YAnnabe blog posted an article titled, “3 Ways to Get Me to Read Your Book Review.” She recommends: 1) Have a rating system; 2) Give a succinct summary at the beginning; and 3) Keep your review relatively short.I’ve got #1 handled—note the literary grading scale. To date, the highest ever given was an A+ (some of which deserved an A++) and the lowest was a D+.
I’ve got #3 handled (most of the time). Sometimes I get a little wordy, especially when I’m trying to justify a low grade (because I feel bad doing that to a fellow writer and don’t want to just come off as a blow-hard loser, but as an intelligent reader with thoughts and meaningful opinions).
Where I’ve been falling short is #2. My summaries are usually from the back jacket or BarnesAndNoble.com, a couple of paragraphs, all of which is too long. I vow to change. Don’t believe me? Check out the review below for Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. I’ll prove that I can evolve.
Addition: I'm also going to start including the first line of the book... I think that can tell you a lot. (Check it out below and let me know what you think of how Lynch started out. Should I have been able to predict my eventual feelings?_
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4 comments:
I don't do ratings, but maybe I should.
Re: Fun Home, my review is here: http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2009/03/graphic-novel-monday-fun-home-by-alison.html. I loved it. In fact I'd say it's essential reading! :-)
Aw, I'm so honored! ;-) Your reviews look great to me...totally, 100% readable! I really like the grading system because it's more universally understood than the number system, y'know? Maybe I'll switch one of these days...
@Marie,
Thanks for the recommendation... you've put me over the top.
I love putting in the first sentence of a book in my reviews and like reading it in others' reviews--good choice! Number 2 is also hard for me--I almost always use a summary from amazon---I just plain have a hard time summarizing a plot succinctly!
I enjoy seeing ratings on blogs and that is something that I keep thinking I should incorporate in my reviews.
*smiles*
Kim
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