I was almost afraid to read this today because I have a negative review coming out on Thursday for a book that's getting a lot of praise. But I think I’ve followed your framework—which I wholeheartedly agree with. I don’t like reading reviews that could have been written exactly the same whether or not the reviewer actually read the book. At the same time, I believe it's important to trust your own experience and judgment. There’s no single true reading we’re all trying to uncover, and the best books are the ones that make space for multiple interpretations.
I quote Anaïs Nin all the time, but I think she’s exactly right when she says, "We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." When I write about books, I try to make my perspective clear—my state of mind, the proverbial baggage I bring to a book—so that my response makes sense in context. And I’m also working on not letting my fear of getting it wrong keep me from running my mouth all over the internet. 🫣
I'm so excited to read your Thursday review! I completely agree with everything you say here. I think (perhaps unfortunately) many book reviewers fall into the extreme ends of the spectrum when it comes to negative reviews. Some reviewers shy away from negative reviews for fear of hurting feelings or getting it wrong while others are sweepingly dismissive in a way that's not entirely helpful to the presumed audience. What your describing here is a sort of sweet spot between trusting one's gut and embracing a certain humility. I think that positioning makes the very best reviews, whether they're raves or pans!
I recently read Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie, which I didn’t love, and after finishing it I was looking for reviews (both positive and negative) that might help me think through my thoughts. The NYT review for this book (which was mostly negative) had a lot of points I agreed with, but I was so frustrated to find that over half the review was spent in comparing the book to My Brilliant Friend. Why?? I don’t think Shamsie was trying to write a book like that at all. It also felt vaguely sexist to me - comparing the two books just because they both highlight women’s friendships. I think this really falls into your category of “wanting this book to be a different book”
I feel like I often find much more fair/good quality reviews on Substack, rather than large publications!
I know the review you’re talking about and it made me so mad too!! I think comparing two books can potentially be a useful way to review (it’s what I love about Tournament of Books) but in that case it was all wrong for exactly the reasons you pointed out!
Please write about the difference between discussion and debate more! We all need an English teacher to provide some helpful reminders of this in our current times :)
I have a tendency to judge a book by The Emotions I felt either towards the character or the story. I will give a high rating to books in which I connected with the characters or felt something about the plot. It does not mean that I think a book is bad if I did not connect. It just means I did not enjoy the story or found it fell flat. I think judging a book by this method is subjective and therefore there are no bad books. There are just books that I do not connect with. When I hear a book that I really connected with was rated poorly, I have a tendency to think that I really don’t care to know how to analyze a book properly. On the flipside, when I’m looking for a book, I read reviews and look for key elements such as lovable characters, fast paced, Paige Turner, etc. these key phrases stir up emotions for me and I ultimately select the book based on those phrases. I am sometimes baffled by books that are award-winning. I have picked up award-winning books and while beautifully written, I got so bugged down in the flowery language and spending two pages on the color of the sky and the leaves in the trees that it took me out of the story and I did not enjoy the book at all. . a
It sounds like you've figured out some really good strategies to find books you like! I think it's so smart to know the keywords to look for when you're reading a review. Personally, I think it is great to rate books based on emotion and personal connection. I think the only trouble comes when people write public reviews based on those things without also exploring what the book was trying to achieve. But in terms of everyone's personal reading lives, I think feeling and connection are crucial!
So so helpful, especially as someone who is often critical based on my personal taste vs. what the author is trying to do. I'd love to read more on this topic, especially coming from you!
I had a little chuckle when I read that you dislike similes. I just finished a book packed with them, and it's the reason *why* I loved it so much. A really good example of personal taste.
Thanks, Alisha! It's definitely something I'd like to explore more here! I'm glad the simile example spoke to you (in reverse lol). It's one of my most specific reading quirks for sure!
I agree with all of this. Am I going to review a Danielle Steel novel by the same standards I'd use a Booker-shortlist like The Safekeep? Of course not. That said, it can be hard sometimes to know for sure what an author * was * trying to do. I loved The Safekeep but think it suffered a bit from that---it was marketed as a horror/thriller and a lot of choices played well with that, but other choices didn't, and I both agreed and disagreed with a negative review about those choices and whether they worked for the novel. But I also thought part of the problem was that the novel wasn't always clear about whether it was all-in on being a horror/thriller or was trying to do more.
Also, I only post about WWII fiction (https://inbooksfascistslose.substack.com/), and I only do that for books that depict the subject matter with appropriate sensitivity and accuracy. If an author hasn't done that, I won't give a negative review; I just won't spend time on it. (...Ok, fine, the Danielle Steel post was just fun to write because it involved a lot of Sound of Music "research." I'm no saint.)
I love all of this, Amelia! I'm going to have to check out your Danielle Steel review!!
It is definitely hard to figure out what an author was trying to do. I think it takes a lot of practice and a lot of reading (both books and criticism). As for THE SAFEKEEP specifically, I think it was mismarketed. I don't think it's horror or thriller at all and I think that was an error by the marketing team to sell it as such. That's a shame because mismarketinng can lead to confusion, disappointment, and even negative reviews.
Always have much to think about after reading these. Sometimes folx are very enamored with a book and want everyone they know to read it. Many times, it is not something that I want to read and I usually tell them, "I probably won't read it. I don't think that is a book that was written for me or I don't think I am the target audience." When I say that, I am meaning many things but usually genre specific, WW2-unless it is super compelling premise, and most coming of age stories. I may also say that if it is one of those super popular books that is everywhere, and I have heard much about or something I have looked at but find it poorly written or not interesting (my opinion, only).
Maybe this is not the best thing to say...last week at work, someone called me an elitist when we were talking about a massive backlist bestseller which I thought was bad for lots of reasons including author's background. I never want to judge anyone for their reading-I just did not want to participate. My questions are: 1. What should I say? 2. How can you start a discussion about a book around both positive/negative aspects.?
These are such good questions, Michelle! I think so much of this is context. There are some scenarios where I enjoy engaging in these types of conversations and others where I don't. Without knowing the context of your work place, I could see going in a couple directions here. If someone called me elitist because of my taste, I'd probably say something like "I am really picky about what I read, but everyone has personal hierarchies of what they think is good and bad. That doesn't make me elitist." As for what I'd do to start more of a discussion around a book, I think I'd say something like, "I really struggled with that book. Tell me what you loved about it!" Then you can validate what the person liked ("yes, it definitely was a page turner!" or "I can see why you found that character so relatable" etc) while still offering your critiques. Something like "Oh that's true! I flew through it as well, but I had issues with the way the author portrayed ___."
Excellent advice. I remember hearing you say, some time ago, "think about what the author was trying to do" and that has stuck in my mind ever since. These basics are a great starting point. I highly encourage everyone to share critical reviews.
I love what you are doing in this space. Great insights. I don’t review books, but this type of thinking helps me understand what is useful for me as a reader to take from reviews. (Also love acknowledgement of taste differences- I love a short chapter!)
I appreciate your thoughts about "being generous about what might attract others to this work." I've tried to be really conscious of the other things you warn about (understanding my own taste and not reviewing the book I *wish* the author had written instead of the one they actually did write), but this other one was a new idea for me, or a new framing. I think when I'm being positive about a book I really liked, it's easy for me to think of things to say that might entice someone else to read it. But I'm obviously less likely to be in that mode when talking about a book I didn't like.
Ahh I love these tips!! As someone who likes to review books as a hobby, I genuinely take my time to write a well thought out review. I think a lot of readers have trouble articulating why they didn’t like a book, and like you, it frustrates me when I read a book that just says something like “ugh this book just wasn’t it!” Haha! Like give me more please!! So it’s something I make sure to really take my time and think about when reviewing. I think critiquing well also means reading with intentionality. I remember being in English class when I was younger and my teachers always telling us to ask questions while reading, look for connections, etc… and it’s always stuck with me!
I love this! Nobody talks about how literary criticism is something that's difficult and is actually a skill that needs to be improved on, and based on the assumption that people are just naturally good at it or something you rarely come across guides. I'd also like to add on to your helpful information by reminding those overly objective that the best reviews convey to the audience how much you enjoyed consuming the media. I've listened to rewatch podcasts that go over rough patches in a show by making fun of them, often to the point where I get annoyed. I don't believe that these two people who talk about Twin Peaks for a job seriously hate 50% of it that much. But it's offputting. Just admit you had a decent watching experience, and don't go offboard trying to make it seem horrible because nobody's head is constantly going over small inconsistencies in plot, so it doesn't affect the actual watching experience that much.
Thank you for these tips. I have started writing book reviews as well as reading other people's reviews. For me when reading a review I like to be told early on in the review what the story is about, so I can make a judgement as to whether it will appeal to me or not. Too often the reviewers give dense and complicated analysis, trying to appear smart. This seems to happen in some of the leading international papers and review journals, and by the end of the review I still don't have a clear view of the book.
The discussion about expectation about a book is a whole can of worms I don't think people really give enough credit too! I feel like I have only in the last year (almost been doing public reviews for 2) have I really come to understand how my expectation of a novel enormously impacts my experience of it, and how I go about articulating that in a review. I find it fascinating when people are scared to write a negative review because we don't live in a world with only perfect books?! It is a skill that takes time though, in my experience, you have to trust yourself and your ability to be honest. But, like you said, there is never much benefit in being cruel because that is often a terrible review because it doesn't communicate much, except that the writer hated it. For a reader reading it, a cruel review that is too focused on a 'take down' is often, I think, lousy book criticism!
I was almost afraid to read this today because I have a negative review coming out on Thursday for a book that's getting a lot of praise. But I think I’ve followed your framework—which I wholeheartedly agree with. I don’t like reading reviews that could have been written exactly the same whether or not the reviewer actually read the book. At the same time, I believe it's important to trust your own experience and judgment. There’s no single true reading we’re all trying to uncover, and the best books are the ones that make space for multiple interpretations.
I quote Anaïs Nin all the time, but I think she’s exactly right when she says, "We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." When I write about books, I try to make my perspective clear—my state of mind, the proverbial baggage I bring to a book—so that my response makes sense in context. And I’m also working on not letting my fear of getting it wrong keep me from running my mouth all over the internet. 🫣
I'm so excited to read your Thursday review! I completely agree with everything you say here. I think (perhaps unfortunately) many book reviewers fall into the extreme ends of the spectrum when it comes to negative reviews. Some reviewers shy away from negative reviews for fear of hurting feelings or getting it wrong while others are sweepingly dismissive in a way that's not entirely helpful to the presumed audience. What your describing here is a sort of sweet spot between trusting one's gut and embracing a certain humility. I think that positioning makes the very best reviews, whether they're raves or pans!
Loved this!
I recently read Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie, which I didn’t love, and after finishing it I was looking for reviews (both positive and negative) that might help me think through my thoughts. The NYT review for this book (which was mostly negative) had a lot of points I agreed with, but I was so frustrated to find that over half the review was spent in comparing the book to My Brilliant Friend. Why?? I don’t think Shamsie was trying to write a book like that at all. It also felt vaguely sexist to me - comparing the two books just because they both highlight women’s friendships. I think this really falls into your category of “wanting this book to be a different book”
I feel like I often find much more fair/good quality reviews on Substack, rather than large publications!
I know the review you’re talking about and it made me so mad too!! I think comparing two books can potentially be a useful way to review (it’s what I love about Tournament of Books) but in that case it was all wrong for exactly the reasons you pointed out!
So glad I wasn’t the only one irritated by it 😅
I haven’t heard of tournament of books, I’m going to check it out!
Please write about the difference between discussion and debate more! We all need an English teacher to provide some helpful reminders of this in our current times :)
I'll add it to my list!
I have a tendency to judge a book by The Emotions I felt either towards the character or the story. I will give a high rating to books in which I connected with the characters or felt something about the plot. It does not mean that I think a book is bad if I did not connect. It just means I did not enjoy the story or found it fell flat. I think judging a book by this method is subjective and therefore there are no bad books. There are just books that I do not connect with. When I hear a book that I really connected with was rated poorly, I have a tendency to think that I really don’t care to know how to analyze a book properly. On the flipside, when I’m looking for a book, I read reviews and look for key elements such as lovable characters, fast paced, Paige Turner, etc. these key phrases stir up emotions for me and I ultimately select the book based on those phrases. I am sometimes baffled by books that are award-winning. I have picked up award-winning books and while beautifully written, I got so bugged down in the flowery language and spending two pages on the color of the sky and the leaves in the trees that it took me out of the story and I did not enjoy the book at all. . a
It sounds like you've figured out some really good strategies to find books you like! I think it's so smart to know the keywords to look for when you're reading a review. Personally, I think it is great to rate books based on emotion and personal connection. I think the only trouble comes when people write public reviews based on those things without also exploring what the book was trying to achieve. But in terms of everyone's personal reading lives, I think feeling and connection are crucial!
So so helpful, especially as someone who is often critical based on my personal taste vs. what the author is trying to do. I'd love to read more on this topic, especially coming from you!
I had a little chuckle when I read that you dislike similes. I just finished a book packed with them, and it's the reason *why* I loved it so much. A really good example of personal taste.
Thanks, Alisha! It's definitely something I'd like to explore more here! I'm glad the simile example spoke to you (in reverse lol). It's one of my most specific reading quirks for sure!
I agree with all of this. Am I going to review a Danielle Steel novel by the same standards I'd use a Booker-shortlist like The Safekeep? Of course not. That said, it can be hard sometimes to know for sure what an author * was * trying to do. I loved The Safekeep but think it suffered a bit from that---it was marketed as a horror/thriller and a lot of choices played well with that, but other choices didn't, and I both agreed and disagreed with a negative review about those choices and whether they worked for the novel. But I also thought part of the problem was that the novel wasn't always clear about whether it was all-in on being a horror/thriller or was trying to do more.
Also, I only post about WWII fiction (https://inbooksfascistslose.substack.com/), and I only do that for books that depict the subject matter with appropriate sensitivity and accuracy. If an author hasn't done that, I won't give a negative review; I just won't spend time on it. (...Ok, fine, the Danielle Steel post was just fun to write because it involved a lot of Sound of Music "research." I'm no saint.)
I love all of this, Amelia! I'm going to have to check out your Danielle Steel review!!
It is definitely hard to figure out what an author was trying to do. I think it takes a lot of practice and a lot of reading (both books and criticism). As for THE SAFEKEEP specifically, I think it was mismarketed. I don't think it's horror or thriller at all and I think that was an error by the marketing team to sell it as such. That's a shame because mismarketinng can lead to confusion, disappointment, and even negative reviews.
Always have much to think about after reading these. Sometimes folx are very enamored with a book and want everyone they know to read it. Many times, it is not something that I want to read and I usually tell them, "I probably won't read it. I don't think that is a book that was written for me or I don't think I am the target audience." When I say that, I am meaning many things but usually genre specific, WW2-unless it is super compelling premise, and most coming of age stories. I may also say that if it is one of those super popular books that is everywhere, and I have heard much about or something I have looked at but find it poorly written or not interesting (my opinion, only).
Maybe this is not the best thing to say...last week at work, someone called me an elitist when we were talking about a massive backlist bestseller which I thought was bad for lots of reasons including author's background. I never want to judge anyone for their reading-I just did not want to participate. My questions are: 1. What should I say? 2. How can you start a discussion about a book around both positive/negative aspects.?
These are such good questions, Michelle! I think so much of this is context. There are some scenarios where I enjoy engaging in these types of conversations and others where I don't. Without knowing the context of your work place, I could see going in a couple directions here. If someone called me elitist because of my taste, I'd probably say something like "I am really picky about what I read, but everyone has personal hierarchies of what they think is good and bad. That doesn't make me elitist." As for what I'd do to start more of a discussion around a book, I think I'd say something like, "I really struggled with that book. Tell me what you loved about it!" Then you can validate what the person liked ("yes, it definitely was a page turner!" or "I can see why you found that character so relatable" etc) while still offering your critiques. Something like "Oh that's true! I flew through it as well, but I had issues with the way the author portrayed ___."
Does that help at all?
As someone who writes book reviews here on Substack, this was really helpful. Thanks Sara!
Excellent advice. I remember hearing you say, some time ago, "think about what the author was trying to do" and that has stuck in my mind ever since. These basics are a great starting point. I highly encourage everyone to share critical reviews.
Thanks, Katie! And I agree...I love seeing critical reviews.
I love what you are doing in this space. Great insights. I don’t review books, but this type of thinking helps me understand what is useful for me as a reader to take from reviews. (Also love acknowledgement of taste differences- I love a short chapter!)
Thank you, Rebecca!
I appreciate your thoughts about "being generous about what might attract others to this work." I've tried to be really conscious of the other things you warn about (understanding my own taste and not reviewing the book I *wish* the author had written instead of the one they actually did write), but this other one was a new idea for me, or a new framing. I think when I'm being positive about a book I really liked, it's easy for me to think of things to say that might entice someone else to read it. But I'm obviously less likely to be in that mode when talking about a book I didn't like.
Ahh I love these tips!! As someone who likes to review books as a hobby, I genuinely take my time to write a well thought out review. I think a lot of readers have trouble articulating why they didn’t like a book, and like you, it frustrates me when I read a book that just says something like “ugh this book just wasn’t it!” Haha! Like give me more please!! So it’s something I make sure to really take my time and think about when reviewing. I think critiquing well also means reading with intentionality. I remember being in English class when I was younger and my teachers always telling us to ask questions while reading, look for connections, etc… and it’s always stuck with me!
I love this! Nobody talks about how literary criticism is something that's difficult and is actually a skill that needs to be improved on, and based on the assumption that people are just naturally good at it or something you rarely come across guides. I'd also like to add on to your helpful information by reminding those overly objective that the best reviews convey to the audience how much you enjoyed consuming the media. I've listened to rewatch podcasts that go over rough patches in a show by making fun of them, often to the point where I get annoyed. I don't believe that these two people who talk about Twin Peaks for a job seriously hate 50% of it that much. But it's offputting. Just admit you had a decent watching experience, and don't go offboard trying to make it seem horrible because nobody's head is constantly going over small inconsistencies in plot, so it doesn't affect the actual watching experience that much.
Thank you for these tips. I have started writing book reviews as well as reading other people's reviews. For me when reading a review I like to be told early on in the review what the story is about, so I can make a judgement as to whether it will appeal to me or not. Too often the reviewers give dense and complicated analysis, trying to appear smart. This seems to happen in some of the leading international papers and review journals, and by the end of the review I still don't have a clear view of the book.
The discussion about expectation about a book is a whole can of worms I don't think people really give enough credit too! I feel like I have only in the last year (almost been doing public reviews for 2) have I really come to understand how my expectation of a novel enormously impacts my experience of it, and how I go about articulating that in a review. I find it fascinating when people are scared to write a negative review because we don't live in a world with only perfect books?! It is a skill that takes time though, in my experience, you have to trust yourself and your ability to be honest. But, like you said, there is never much benefit in being cruel because that is often a terrible review because it doesn't communicate much, except that the writer hated it. For a reader reading it, a cruel review that is too focused on a 'take down' is often, I think, lousy book criticism!
Totally agree!