A book review is an extensive valuation of a book.
It involves a synopsis of a book’s themes, purpose, content and authority. A review contains the following;
• A description of what the book is about
• Your opinion on the book; what you liked or disliked about it
• Summarize your thoughts, suggest the kind of audience that should read the book
• Sometimes a rating is necessary e.g. a 5 out of 10
To broadly and succinctly cover all the above, you will need to ask yourself a number of questions to guide you in writing a review. These questions are as follows;
a) What is the title of the book? Does the title agree with the content of the book?
b) What category of literature does the book claim to be? Has the book embraced the genre as it should?
c) What is the author’s point of view? Do you agree with them or not?
d) What is the author’s general theme? Are you able to follow this theme?
e) Is the author’s language and style formal or informal? Is it appropriate for the target audience or not?
f) Is the author’s language convincing? Have they spoken with clarity?
g) Do you think the author provides accurate information? Have they left out any particular area uncovered?
h) What do you think of the conclusion? Has the author met the expectations and satisfied the audience?
i) Has the book generally accomplished anything? Is there a need for further work on the topic covered?
j) Take note of the sources the author used. What else has the book included? E.g. maps what is the book’s layout?
k) In comparison to books by different authors on the said topic, what’s your opinion?
It is important to note the books publications and also the author's background, reputation and qualifications. Lastly, it is important to take notes of the main points you gather and intend to use in your review. A good review must contain passages or quotes from the book itself.
To write an august review, consider the following;
1. Know the limits of what to talk about
A review should not give away the ending, that is left for the reader to discover on their own. This is necessitated if the book is a fiction or a novel. Additionally, a good review should not give away the major twists and surprises in the book. They are used in order to ascertain the reader’s constant interest in the book. When you relay information that you shouldn’t, you might encourage the reader to give up on reading the book. This is because the book no longer has anything interesting to offer. However, when the book is a non-fiction, the facts are already known. In this case, the point is to avoid giving away major arguments or developments of the book.
2. Research the writer and the genre of the book.
As earlier mentioned, you need to provide the reader with background information on the author. To do this, you need to conduct extensive research on both the book and its author. It makes it possible to relay reliable information on the genre, the books in competition with the one you currently review, and the qualifications of the author.
3. Be more optimistic and constructive
Even when the work is poorly done, do not focus on saying what the author did not do. Suggest better approaches the author should have used instead. Avoid criticism and focus on reviewing. Please note that you are reviewing the book and therefore should not comment on the author’s personality or life.
4. Write to the audience
The review is for the audience, not the publishers. State facts; do not use words that give the impression that you are advertising the book. The point is to give them a reason to care about the book. It is also to convince them why to read the said book and not another that’s in the market
5. Seek help when you need it
A book review is not easy to write. It is therefore understandable and relatable if you would seek the help of a professional or choose to study further on writing book reviews.
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