5 Things to Look For In Great Book Reviews

What makes a great book review? Well, for starters, it needs to be written by someone who has actually read and understood the book! But how do you know that? Be it a work of fiction or non-fiction, great book reviews will have certain characteristics.

Here are 5 of the best things to look for in great book reviews:

1. It offers a gist of the book. What is the book about? Is it a love story between a vampire and a werewolf? Or, is it a detailed analysis of the missing link? It is essential that a review gives a summary of what the book is about.

The review also needs to offer certain details – such as the main characters if it is a novel or the basic premise if it is a scientific treatise. For a fiction, it doesn’t mean it reveals the plot twists or the end – that will spoil it for the other readers!

2. It offers a detailed analysis of the positives and the negatives. A book review is subjective; its nature makes it so. And to illustrate this, it needs to have the details of what the reviewer liked and disliked about the book in question.

Whether it is something to do with the format or layout or some other technical issue or it is about the content or the language, a good review will be an in-depth study of what works and what doesn’t to add to the reader’s experience.

3. It offers a comment on the author’s perspective. When an author writes about something, he/she does so with a specific point of view. It isn’t necessary for the reviewer to agree to it. But it is necessary for them to acknowledge this unique perspective.

You may agree with the author’s perspective, or you may not, but you have to throw in a word about it (and may be why you agree or disagree with it) in the review. This comment needs to reflect the reviewer’s point of view.

4. It offers a few of the interesting quotes from the book. Some lines always stand out from the rest. Some go on to become famous and stay on forever while others fade away. A review needs to mention at least a few of these standout lines from the book.

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” – This quote from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has stayed on forever. Imagine how a review will feel if it missed to mention this one. It will be incomplete.

5. It offers an observation on what to expect from it. Who is it aimed at? What can you expect from it? Will it do to read it alone or do you need to read its prequels or sequels too? A great review will answer all of these questions and more.

May be it will all be at the end of the review where the reviewer mentions that it is meant for young readers who wish for a happy story or for older readers who pine for a serious read. And whether it needs associated materials to be read too!

Great book reviews are ones that urge you to read an amazing book; and enjoy it too!

Where do you go to find great book reviews on the internet? Share with everyone in the comments below:

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Cody Faldyn

Cody is a blogger, social media specialist, graphic designer, and the Marketing Evangelist behind The Entrepreneurs Library. With a long time passion for personal growth, Cody helped create a website and podcast with the intent to educate aspiring entrepreneurs on the latest and greatest books on business growth and personal development.