A book review is a description, critical analysis, and an evaluation on the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, not a retelling. It should focus on the book's purpose, content, and authority. A critical book review is not a book report or a summary. It is a reaction paper in which strengths and weaknesses of the material are analyzed. It should include a statement of what the author has tried to do, evaluate how well (in the opinion of the reviewer) the author has succeeded, and presents evidence to support this evaluation.
Pay attention. That isn't a disciplinary command like, "Don't let your mind wander!" Instead, pay attention to your reading experience. This is the first real challenge for most people. What caught your attention, and when were you bored? When was the book suspenseful? Which characters did you like, and why?
There is no definitive method to writing a review, although some critical thinking about the work at hand is necessary before you actually begin writing. Thus, writing a review is a two-step process: developing an argument about the work under consideration, and making that argument as you write an organized and well-supported draft.
What follows is a series of questions to focus your thinking as you dig into the work at hand. While the questions specifically consider book reviews, you can easily transpose them to an analysis of performances, exhibitions, and other review subjects. Don't feel obligated to address each of the questions; some will be more relevant than others to the book in question.
Is this book good or bad? This is the time for you to say so. Put the book in context. You might have been able to get this information from looking at the book's cover and introduction. Check your aim. You've written your review. Now's the time to step back and apply this sort of reasoning to your own review.
Pay attention. That isn't a disciplinary command like, "Don't let your mind wander!" Instead, pay attention to your reading experience. This is the first real challenge for most people. What caught your attention, and when were you bored? When was the book suspenseful? Which characters did you like, and why?
There is no definitive method to writing a review, although some critical thinking about the work at hand is necessary before you actually begin writing. Thus, writing a review is a two-step process: developing an argument about the work under consideration, and making that argument as you write an organized and well-supported draft.
What follows is a series of questions to focus your thinking as you dig into the work at hand. While the questions specifically consider book reviews, you can easily transpose them to an analysis of performances, exhibitions, and other review subjects. Don't feel obligated to address each of the questions; some will be more relevant than others to the book in question.
Is this book good or bad? This is the time for you to say so. Put the book in context. You might have been able to get this information from looking at the book's cover and introduction. Check your aim. You've written your review. Now's the time to step back and apply this sort of reasoning to your own review.
About the Author:
Nancy Howard is an avid online merchant advocate and pushes for responsible habits in online consumerism. She has a team of chargeback specialists who help her run her site as well as manage the many blogs that she contributes to. If you're interested in Nancy's chargeback initiatives or you would like to find out more on how to fight chargebacks, visit her website: chargeback chargebacks
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