Monday, October 22, 2012

Reviews: What I Can't Stand.

I enjoy reading reviews of the books I've read. It's quite interesting to read the difference perspectives people hold on one piece of work. Some reviewers get their point across very well, giving specifics as to why or why no they like a book, others just like to plain old bash it. As a writer (did I just say that out loud?) I respect anyone willing to put themselves out there and have their work be judged so harshly. You put so much of yourself into your work. You agonize over the plot, on how to make your characters stronger, how to make the story jump out of the pages. It's a hard job, and not everyone can (or should) do it. We all have a right to orn opinions, it's ours and no one should be able to take it away or keep us from sharing it. However, what I absolutely can't stand reading in a negative review is "I can't believe the love interest actually fell for the MC, she's so annoying" or "what's so great about her?" And "she's nothing special, why are two guys interested in her?"  Ummm...because that's who the story is about. I don't care how much you can't stand the MC, it's their story, that's why everything happening in the book centers around him/her, if he/she weren't there, none of the plot would take place. The story is about them, and at times it is them. Seriously, people, if you're going to write a review about how much you hate a character or book, at least give reasons that make sense. Then there's this "i figured out the plot within the first ten pages, why didn't the characters?" Because then the book would end after ten pages. I guess I'm just simply not as smart as you since I didn't solve the mystery. The point is the author wrote a story he/she loves about characters he/she cares about. We can't write to please everyone out there, or even one specific person. Criticism is a part of the biz, as they say, and it's going to happen. Haters gonna hate. (How many more cliches can I write?). But if you're going to write a review, be thoughtful and give examples of what you did or didn't like. Okay, so you hate the MC, what is it that gets to you? Honestly, as a writer I want to know so I don't make the same mistakes. And saying she's boring and stupid aren't reasons, what's so boring about her and how is she stupid? Anyway, that was my little tangent. I'm done. What about you guys, do you ever read review for books you liked or hated? What irks you about certain types of reviewers?

14 comments:

  1. OK, the only thing that really irks me is when they correct grammar but they are wrong. That actually happens. And so I wish they would spend more time on content. That's pretty much it.

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    1. ha! I don't think I've come across a review with grammar correction before...maybe I just don't pay attention to those.

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  2. I firmly believe that even the worst books have something good about them. You don't have to gush about how good it is if it isn't, but give it a low star ranking and move on then! So yes, I agree with you.

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    1. yes, move on! And you're right, there are books i hate out there that other people adore so obviously those people got something out of it i didn't an vice versa.

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  3. I love reviewers who are passionate about the books they read on both sides of the spectrum. Not only is it entertaining, but it proves to me that these are real critics who are really reading and are really becoming invested in a story, and just want to express how much they liked (or didn't like) a story in a coherent way. I learn more from these types of reviews than from the reviews that do nothing more than restate the plot, prod at imperfections, and leave little to the imagination.

    So the types of reviews that irk me are those. The ones that are mainly a recap of what the book is about to the point of spoilers or worse--- to the point where it's basically the jacket cover on repeat. I don't like it when a negative review fails to incorporate the elements of the book that actually made the reviewer keep reading, and I detest snarky reviews that don't acknowledge that a lot of work went into the creation of the novel and begin to attack the author rather than the words on the page. So courteous, passionate reviews are my kinda darlings. If I can skim a review to get the gist, it's not quite critical (or passionate!) enough for my tastes.

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    1. I love reading passionate reviews one way or another...sometimes they even give me a good laugh, but you are SO right about the recap reviews. I already know what the story is about, now tell me what you REALLY thought. ANd you can do it without spoilers.

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  4. I have an obsession with reading book reviews. It's actually gotten really pathetic. That being said, I hate it when people don't give me reasons as to why they felt a certain way about a book. I think people are entitled to say whatever they want about a book, as long as they back it up. If you thought the MC was stupid and boring, give me examples to support why! If you thought the book was a ridiculous waste of paper, give me some concrete reasons. If you thought the love interest was the Eros reincarnated, support your opinion! Don't just state it all as fact.

    So yeah, that's mainly what bothers me: people stating their opinions without giving any sort of reasoning behind it.

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  5. So true. I try to avoid visiting those types of blogs/ review sites, but I have stumbled upon this kind of thing, and about books I like. It's always sad.

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    1. It is kind of sad if the person giving the bad review thrives on doing so ALL the time. And there are reviewers like that out there who have nothing better to do than put others down.

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  6. On the reviewer end of the spectrum, I think these reviewers are trying to get across their experience with the novel. I have, honestly, read books that I am baffled have even been published because of these very things that you mentioned. It doesn't matter that the story had to go on even though the reader knew what would happen, or the MC has to be the MC because these events happened to her, because if it's that easy to guess or the MC is that unlikeable, then the writer hasn't produced a quality book. There are definitely differences of opinion, but if I scrawl through reviews and see one or two stars on every review, then the author probably hasn't quite come to grips with writing yet.
    But there are two kinds of reviewers that annoy me (oftentimes they become one). The first that drag the author into it and mock them personally. Just because someone produced a book you don't like doesn't mean they're a bad person, or that they were lazy or didn't try to write a great book. They did try, they put a lot of work into it, and disregarding that is plain ignorant. Also, when I see a reviewer who obviously doesn't like, say, paranormal romance and yet all they review is paranormal romance, I get ticked. There are certain genres that aren't my cup of tea, and I'll try them to get more experience, but if I can tell I won't like the book or everyone else says it's bad and I'm not a fan of that genre in particular, I'm not going to read it and then write a super negative review.

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    1. i appreciate reading anyone's experience with a book, which is why i read reviews in the first place. And it is ridiculous when people try to make things personal, the author doesn't have it out for you or anyone else, they wrote something they believed in. And you're right, why read a genre you can't stand? It's like people who say YA has no depth and mock it but then go on to read it. Why? You just said it has no depth so what's the point?

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  7. I agree with that. I mean, are they jealous of the women in the book? It's just a book. Enjoy the story! If I give a negative review (I really try not to) I also point out the good things, and the negative will only be about major mistakes in the novel. Geeze people are mean.

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  8. I 100% agree and have had similar questions before. No matter how the book is, every author has put a lot of work into his or her work. You're so right that as an author, constructive criticism is what's valuable so mistakes aren't repeated. I also can't stand the ones that make judgments on the author! Evaluate their work and move on.

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