WEEK FIVE PROMPT
I think book reviews have changed a lot over the last few years. In the past, most people did not read or even have access to book reviews. Unless you were a librarian, you weren't looking to see what the experts had to say about a book. You grabbed a book from the shelf at your favorite book store, read the back or judged the cover, maybe asked the store clerk, and bought it. You didn't need to know anything else. Reviews were written by the untouchable elite, and the average person didn't have much in common with them.
That is no longer the case. With the ability to blog and review online, as well as the demise of the book store, the average person can easily learn more about a book using the internet. In a lot of cases, we no longer have the ability to touch a book before we buy it. I order most of my books through Amazon, either as an ebook or to be delivered. As a result, I am dependent on other people's reviews. I can't flip through the book or read the back. I can't ask the book store worker. What do I do? I scroll down to the reviews or go to my favorite book blog. I really like Goodreads. It gives me a chance to see book reviews and other shelf lists. I even use it to help find books to order for my library.
To be honest, I get the Kirkus Review, but I can't bring myself to read it. It's boring and doesn't keep my attention. I much prefer the reviews of School Library Journal or Library Media Connection. With my short attention span, I like that their reviews are shorter and have pictures. Above everything, I use my ordering service to review books. There's something about the ease of reading a good review and being able to add it directly to my shopping cart. Reading reviews online eliminates a step in my ordering process. I'm always looking to save time! Books not being in professional review publications doesn't affect my buying at all.
The two reviews of Wallace's book are very different. The first shorter entry isn't really a review. It merely summarizes the story. The second review is much better and actually gives the reader an idea of what to expect from the author. We learn about the author's style of writing and how this affects the story. A review like this gives us many of the "buzz" words we can search for. We don't always make purchases based on plot. A lot of times we are looking for literary style or story pacing. Dr. Rosmarin's review is definitely more clear on these aspects. They do not follow the guidelines of Erin's presentation, but I'm glad. Her review guidelines had no personality! I don't want long excerpts. If I want to read excerpts, I will read the book. I don't mind a quotation here or there, but please don't bog down a review with too much information. I'm a "short and sweet" kind of person.
Another honest answer: I couldn't get through those reviews over Angela's Ashes. At first I thought I opened the wrong document. I couldn't believe how long they were! Each one felt like its own book! I couldn't believe the tone of the last review. It seemed like it was against the book, but he recommends it at the end. So confusing. I probably would buy the book, but not because of those reviews. I read it and liked it.
As for the content of reviews, I don't think it's fair to limit reviews to only the good. It's okay for people to express their opinions about a book. I know it might seem unfair because people's opinions are a lot louder now that they can post on the internet, but that should only inspire writer's to write better. There are always going to be negative people, but if the reviews for something are overwhelming negative, it gives me (the buyer) a better idea of what to expect. If I only see good reviews, I might get the wrong idea and be disappointed with my purchase. I think most books get reviewed in today's world. It may not be by a professional publication, but someone, somewhere will write about it. Because of the availability of reviews, I never struggle with what to buy.
Speaking of length...this is getting crazy. I think I've answered everything and am stepping off my soap box :)
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