Tag: Book Review Writing

Book Review Writing

 If you love to read, at some point you will want to share a book you love with others. You may already do this by talking about books with friends. If you want to share your ideas with more people than your circle of friends, the way you do that is by writing a review. By publishing the reviews you write, you can share your ideas about books with other readers around the world.

It’s natural for young readers to confuse book reviews with book reports, yet writing a book review is a very different process from writing a book report. Book reports focus on the plot of the book. Frequently, the purpose of book reports is to demonstrate that the books were read, and they are often done for an assignment.

A book review is a totally different task. A book review’s purpose is to help people decide whether or not the book would interest them enough to read it. Reviews are a sneak peek at a book, not a summary. Like wonderful smells wafting from a kitchen, book reviews lure readers to want to taste the book themselves.

This guide is designed to help you become a strong book reviewer, a reader who can read a book and then cook up a review designed to whet the reading appetites of other book lovers.

Form: What should the review look like?

How Long Should It Be?

The first question we usually ask when writing something is “How long should it be?” The best answer is “As long as it takes,” but that’s a frustrating answer. A general guideline is that the longer the book, the longer the review, and a review shouldn’t be fewer than 100 words or so. For a long book, the review may be 500 words or even more.

If a review is too short, the review may not be able to fulfill its purpose. Too long, and the review may stray into too much plot summary or lose the reader’s interest.

The best guide is to focus less on how long to write and more on fulfilling the purpose of the review.

How Do You Create A Title?

The title of the review should convey your overall impression and not be overly general. Strong titles include these examples:

  • “Full of action and complex characters”
  • “A nail-biter that will keep you up all night”
  • “Beautiful illustrations with a story to match”
  • “Perfect for animal lovers”

Weak titles may look like this:

  • “Really good book”
  • “Three stars”
  • “Pretty good”
  • “Quick read”

The Storm Whale cover

How Should It Begin?

Although many reviews begin with a short summary of the book (This book is about…), there are other options as well, so feel free to vary the way you begin your reviews.

In an introductory summary, be careful not to tell too much. If you retell the entire story, the reader won’t feel the need to read it him/herself, and no one appreciates a spoiler (telling the end). Here are some examples of summaries reviewers from The New York Times have written:

“A new picture book tells a magically simple tale of a lonely boy, a stranded whale and a dad who rises to the occasion.”

“In this middle-grade novel, a girl finds a way forward after the loss of her mother.”

“Reared by ghosts, werewolves and other residents of the hillside cemetery he calls home, an orphan named Nobody Owens wonders how he will manage to survive among the living having learned all his lessons from the dead. And the man Jack — who killed the rest of Nobody’s family — is itching to finish the job.”

“In vivid poems that reflect the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, an award-winning author shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in both the North and the South.” Other ways to begin a review include:

  • Quote: A striking quote from the book (“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”) can make for a powerful beginning. This quote begins George Orwell’s novel 1984.
  • Background: What makes this book important or interesting? Is the author famous? Is it a series? This is This is how Amazon introduces Divergent: “This first book in Veronica Roth’s New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy is the novel the inspired the major motion picture.”
  • Interesting Fact: For nonfiction books in particular, an interesting fact from the book may create a powerful opening for a review. In this review of The Middle East by Philip Steele, Zander H. of Mid-America Mensa asks, “Did you know that the Saudi Arabia’s Rub’ al-Khali desert reaches temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and plummets to the freezing point at night?”
  • Explanation of a term: If a word or phrase in the book or title is confusing or vitally important to understand, you may wish to begin the review explaining that term.

Process: What should I write about?

Deciding what to say about the book can be challenging. Use the following ideas as a guide, but remember that you should not put all of this into a single review — that would make for a very long review! Choose the things that fit this particular book best.

General Information
What the reader ought to know

  • What kind of book is it? (Picture book? Historical fiction? Nonfiction? Fantasy? Adventure?)
  • Does the book belong to a series?
  • How long is the book? Is it an easy or a challenging read?
  • Is there anything that would be helpful for the reader to know about the author? For instance, is the author an expert in the field, the author of other popular books, or a first-time author?
  • How does the book compare to other books on the same topic or in the same genre?
  • Is the book written in a formal or informal style? Is the language remarkable in any way?
  • What ages is the book geared to?
  • Is the book written in normal prose? If it is written in poetic form, does it rhyme?

Plot
What happens?

Writing about the plot is the trickiest part of a review because you want to give the reader a feel for what the book is about without spoiling the book for future readers. The most important thing to remember is that you must never give away the ending. No one likes a spoiler.

One possibility for doing this is to set up the premise (A brother and a sister find themselves lost in the woods at the mercy of an evil witch. Will they be able to outsmart her and escape?). Another possibility is to set up the major conflict in the book and leave it unresolved (Sometimes the waiting is the hardest part or He didn’t know what he stood to lose or Finding your purpose in life can be as easy as finding a true friend.)

Try to avoid using the tired phrase “This book is about…” Instead, just jump right in (The stuffed rabbit wanted more than anything to live in the big old house with the wild oak trees.)

The Storm Whale cover

Characters
Who lives in the book?

Reviews should answer questions about the characters in fiction books or non-fiction books about people. Some possible questions to answer include:

  • Who are the main characters? Include the protagonist and antagonist.
  • What makes them interesting?
  • Do they act like real people act or are they too good or too evil to be believable?
  • Are they human?
  • What conflicts do they face?
  • Are they likeable or understandable?
  • How do they connect with each other?
  • Do they appear in other books?
  • Could you relate to any of the characters in the story?
  • What problems did the main characters face?
  • Who was your favorite character, and why?
  • We learn about characters from things they do and say, as well as things other characters say about them. You may wish to include examples of these things.

Theme
What is the book about at its heart?

What is the book really about? This isn’t the plot, but rather the ideas behind the story. Is it about the triumph of good over evil or friendship or love or hope? Some common themes include: change, desire to escape, facing a challenge, heroism, the quest for power, and human weaknesses.

Sometimes a book will have a moral — a lesson to learn. If so, the theme is usually connected to that moral. As you write about the theme, try to identify what makes the book worth reading. What will the reader think about long after the book is finished? Ask yourself if there any particular lines in the book that strike you as meaningful.

Setting
Where are we?

The setting is the time and place the story occurs. When you write about the setting in a review, include more than just the location. Some things to consider:

  • Is the book set in the past, present or future?
  • Is it set in the world we know or is it a fantastical world?
  • Is it mostly realistic with elements of fantasy (animals that can talk, for example)?
  • Is the setting unclear and fuzzy, or can you easily make the movie in your mind?
  • How much does the author draw you into the setting and how does s/he accomplish that?

The Storm Whale cover

Opinion & Analysis
What do you really think?

This is where the reviewer shares his/her reactions to the book that go beyond the essential points described above. You may spend half of the review on this section. Some possible questions to address include:

  • Why do you think other readers would enjoy it? Why did you enjoy it (if you did) or why didn’t you (if you didn’t).
  • What ages or types of readers do you think would like the book?
  • How does it compare with other books that are in the same genre or by the same author?
  • Does the book engage your emotions? If a book made you laugh or cry or think about it for days, be sure to include that.
  • What do you like or dislike about the author’s writing style? Is it funny? Is it hard to follow? Is it engaging and conversational in tone?
  • How well do you think the author achieved what s/he was going for in the writing of the book? Do you think you felt what the author was hoping you would feel?
  • Did the book feel complete, or did it feel as though key elements were left out?
  • How does the book compare to other books like it you’ve read?

Are there parts that are simply not believable, even allowing for the reader’s understanding that it is fiction or even fantasy?

  • Are there mistakes?
  • Would you describe the book as for entertainment, self-improvement, or information?
  • What was your favorite part of the book?
  • Would you have done anything differently had you been the author?
  • Would any reader enjoy this book? If not, to what ages or type of reader would it appeal?

Special situations: Nonfiction and young reviewers

Some of the tips and ideas above work best for fiction, and some of it is a little too complicated for very young reviewers.

Nonfiction
What to do if it’s real

When reviewing a book of nonfiction, you will want to consider these questions:

  • What was the author’s purpose in writing the book? Did the author accomplish that purpose?
  • Who is the target audience for the book?
  • What do you think is the book’s greatest value? What makes it special or worthwhile?
  • Are the facts shared accurate?
  • Is the book interesting and hold your attention?
  • Would it be a useful addition to a school or public library?
  • If the book is a biography or autobiography, how sympathetic is the subject?
  • Is it easy to understand the ideas?
  • Are there extra features that add to the enjoyment of the book, such as maps, indexes, glossaries, or other materials?
  • Are the illustrations helpful?

Young Reviewers
Keeping it simple

Reviewing a book can be fun, and it’s not hard at all. Just ask yourself these questions:

  • What is the book about? You don’t need to tell the whole story over — just give an idea of what it’s about.
  • Do you think other people would like it?
  • Did you think it was funny or sad?
  • Did you learn something from the book?
  • l Did you think it was interesting?
  • Would you want to read it again?
  • Would you want to read other books by the same author or about the same subject?
  • What was your favorite part?
  • Did you like the pictures?

Remember! Don’t give away the ending. Let’s keep that a surprise.

General Tips & Ideas

Use a few quotes or phrases (keep them short) from the book to illustrate the points you make about the book. If there are illustrations, be sure to comment on those. Are they well done? Has the illustrator done other well-known books?

Make sure you include a conclusion to the review — don’t leave it hanging. The conclusion can be just one sentence (Overall, this book is a terrific choice for those who…).

You can use the transition word handout at the end of the Writer’s Toolbox to find ideas for words to connect the ideas in your review. If you would like to read some well-written reviews, look for reviews of books for young people at The New York Times or National Public Radio.

Rating Books
How to award stars?

Most places you post reviews ask you to rate the book using a star system, typically in a range of from one to five stars. In your rating, you should consider how the book compares to other books like it. Don’t compare a long novel to a short poetry book — that’s not a valid comparison.

It’s important to remember that it’s not asking you to only give five stars to the very best books ever written.

  • 5 Stars: I’m glad I read it or I loved it (this doesn’t mean it was your favorite book ever).
  • 4 Stars: I like it. It’s worth reading.
  • 3 Stars: It wasn’t very good.
  • 2 Stars: I don’t like it at all.
  • 1 Star: I hate it.

What is Book Review

 A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described or analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a primary source, opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review.

Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books you’ve read. Whether you’ve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.

If you’re stuck on what to say in a review, it can help to imagine you’re talking to someone who’s asking you whether they should read the book.

1. Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about

But without giving any spoilers or revealing plot twists! As a general rule, try to avoid writing in detail about anything that happens from about the middle of the book onwards. If the book is part of a series, it can be useful to mention this, and whether you think you’d need to have read other books in the series to enjoy this one.

2. Discuss what you particularly liked about the book

Focus on your thoughts and feelings about the story and the way it was told. You could try answering a couple of the following questions:

  • Who was your favourite character, and why?
  • Did the characters feel real to you?
  • Did the story keep you guessing?
  • What was your favourite part of the book, and why?
  • Were certain types of scene written particularly well – for example sad scenes, tense scenes, mysterious ones…?
  • Did the book make you laugh or cry?
  • Did the story grip you and keep you turning the pages?

3. Mention anything you disliked about the book

Talk about why you think it didn’t work for you. For example:

  • Did you wish the ending hadn’t been a cliffhanger because you found it frustrating?
  • Did you find it difficult to care about a main character, and could you work out why?
  • Was the story too scary for your liking, or did it focus on a theme you didn’t find interesting?

4. Round up your review

Summarise some of your thoughts on the book by suggesting the type of reader you’d recommend the book to. For example: younger readers, older readers, fans of relationship drama/mystery stories/comedy. Are there any books or series you would compare it to?

Write Book Review and Suggest your Book

How to write a review of a book

Step 1. Provide a summary

Have you ever watched a movie only to realize that all the good bits were already in the trailer? Well, you don’t want the review to do that. What you do want the summary to do is reveal the genre, theme, main conflict, and main characters in the story — without giving away spoilers or revealing how the story ends.

A good rule of thumb is not to mention anything that happens beyond the midpoint. Set the stage and give readers a sense of the book without explaining how the central issue is resolved.


Emily W. Thompson’s review of The Crossing:

In [Michael] Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl. Read more…

Non-fiction summary tip: The primary goal of a non-fiction summary is to provide context: what problems or issues has the book spotted, and how does it go about addressing them? Be sure to mention the authors of the title and what experience or expertise they bring to the title. Check Stefan Kløvning’s review of Creativity Cycling for an example of a summary that establishes the framework of the book within the context of its field.

Step 2. Present your evaluation

While you should absolutely weave your own personal take of a book into the review, your evaluation shouldn’t only be based on your subjective opinion. Along with presenting how you reacted to the story and how it affected you, you should also try to objectively critique the stronger and weaker elements of the story, and provide examples from the text to back up your points.

To help you write your evaluation, you should record your reactions and thoughts as you work your way through a novel you’re planning on reviewing. Here are some aspects of the book to keep in mind as you do.

Your evaluation might focus heartily on the book’s prose:

Donald Barker’s review of Mercenary: 

Such are the bones of the story. But, of course, it is the manner in which Mr Gaughran puts the bones back together and fills them with life that makes “Mercenary” such a great read. The author’s style seems plain; it seems straightforward and even simple. But an attempt at imitation or emulation quickly proves that simple it is not. He employs short, punchy sentences that generate excellent dialogue dripping with irony, deadpan humour and wit. This, mixed with good descriptive prose, draws the characters – and what characters they are – along with the tumultuous events in which they participated amidst the stinking, steaming heat of the South American jungle, out from the past to the present; alive, scheming, drinking, womanising and fighting, onto the written page.

You can give readers a sense of the book by drawing comparisons to other well-known titles or authors:

Laura Hartman’s review of The Mystery of Ruby’s Mistletoe:

Reading Ms. Donovan’s book is reminiscent to one of my favorite authors, Dame Agatha Christie. Setting up the suspects in a snowbound house, asking them to meet in the drawing room and the cleverly satisfying conclusion was extremely gratifying. I can picture Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot nodding at Ms. Donovan saying “Well done!”

Not everyone’s tastes are the same, and you can always acknowledge this by calling out specific story elements in your evaluation: 

Kevin R. Dickinson’s review of The Heart of Stone:

Whether you enjoy Galley’s worldbuilding will depend heavily on preference. Galley delivers information piecemeal, letting the characters, not the author, navigate the reader through Hartlund. A notable example is the magic system, an enigmatic force that lacks the ridge structures of, say, a Brandon Sanderson novel. While the world’s magical workings are explained, you only learn what the characters know and many mysteries remain by the end. Similar choices throughout make the world feel expansive and authentic.

Non-fiction evaluation tip: A book’s topic is only as compelling as its supporting arguments. Your evaluation of a nonfiction book should address that: how clearly and effectively are the points communicated? Turn back to Stefan’s critique for an example of a non-fiction critique that covers key takeaways and readability, without giving away any “big reveals.”

Step 3. Give your recommendation 

At the end of the day, your critique needs to answer this question: is this a book you would (or wouldn’t) recommend to other readers? You might wrap up by comparing it to other books in the same genre, or authors with similar styles, such as: “Fans of so-and-so will enjoy this book.” 

Let’s take a look at a few more tips:

You don’t need to write, “I recommend this book” — you can make it clear by highlighting your favorable opinion:

Emily W. Thompson’s review of The Crossing:

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

Add more punch to your rating by mentioning what kind of audience will or won’t enjoy the book:

Charleigh Aleyna Reid’s review of The King of FU:

I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up in the 90’s and would like to reminisce about the time, someone who is interested to see what it was like to be a 90’s kid, or perhaps anyone who is looking for a unique, funny story about someone’s life.

Unless you found the title absolutely abhorrent, a good way to balance out a less favorable book review it to share what you did like about the book — before ultimately stating why you wouldn’t recommend the novel:

Nicola O’s review of Secrets of the Sea Lord:

Overall, there are plenty of enjoyable elements in this story and fans of Atlantis and mer mythology should give it a try. Despite this, it does not rise above a three-star rating, and while I had some difficulty pinning down why this is, I concluded that it comes from a surprisingly unsophisticated vocabulary. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes, which is absolutely fine in a paranormal romance, but if they were removed, I could easily imagine this as an appealing story for middle-schoolers.

Non-fiction recommendation tip: As with fiction book reviews, share why you did or didn’t enjoy the title. However, in one of the starkest divergences from fiction book reviews it’s more important than ever that you mention your expectations coming into the non-fiction book. For instance, if you’re a cow farmer who’s reading a book on the benefits of becoming a vegetarian, you’re coming in with a large and inherent bias that the book will struggle to alter. So your recommendation should cover your thoughts about the book, while clearly taking account your perspective before you started reading. Let’s look once more at Stefan’s review for an example of a rating that includes an explanation of the reviewer’s own bias.

Bonus tips for writing a book review

Let’s wrap up with a few final tips for writing a compelling review.

  • Remember, this isn’t a book report.If someone wants the summary of a book, they can read the synopsis. People turn to book reviews for a fellow reader’s take on the book. And for that reason…
  • Have an opinion. Even if your opinion is totally middle-of-the-line — you didn’t hate the book but you didn’t love it either — state that clearly, and explain why.
  • Make your stance clear from the outset. Don’t save your opinion just for the evaluation/recommendation. Weave your thoughts about the book into your summary as well, so that readers have an idea of your opinion from the outset.
  • Back up your points. Instead of just saying, “the prose was evocative” — show readers by providing an actual passage that displays this. Same goes for negative points — don’t simply tell readers you found a character unbelievable, reference a certain (non-spoiler) scene that backs this up.
  • Provide the details. Don’t forget to weave the book’s information into the review: is this a debut author? Is this one installment of a series? What types of books has the author written before? What is their background? How many pages does the book have? Who published the book? What is the book’s price?
  • Follow guidelines. Is the review you’re writing for Goodreads? For The New York Times? The content and tone of your review will vary a good deal from publication to publication.
  • Learn from others. One of the best ways to learn how to write a great review is to read other reviews! To help you out with that, we’ve published a post all about book review examples.

Writing book reviews can be a rewarding experience! As a book-lover yourself, it’s a great opportunity to help guide readers to their next favorite title. If you’re just getting started as a reviewer and could use a couple more tips and nudges in the right direction, check out our comprehensive blog post on how to become a book reviewer. And if you want to find out which review community is the right fit for you, we recommend taking this quick quiz:

Write your Book Review and Get Published on this portal for free. Send mail to editor@eindex.org