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Island Life, Word Birds & Process #17
The other day I got my first 2* review. (Like many of them often are, it’s not entirely about the story or even the writing & therefore vaguely amusing.) That said, no writer wants them but in a way, they keep us grounded. Can’t please all of the people & so forth…
I never used to review books – not in detail. Whenever I enjoyed one, I star-rated it on Amazon & added a few lines. Once I began receiving ARCs, if I loved one, I made a proper effort. (It’s a privilege to be given a book for free – not an entitlement.)
Being published changes things – you realise how important reviews actually are. Not least in Amazon Land where ratings are God. (I keep my views on the politics of this to myself since I have no power to change anything.) Over the months, from publication deal for Ghostbird to release date & onward, I’ve made friends with many terrific writers on Twitter & Facebook. The reciprocal nature of the support network on social media has encouraged me to review good books in more detail.
I know very quickly if a book is for me or not, often after the first paragraph. As I’m fairly choosy, I’m rarely disappointed. In the event I am, I put it down to experience & move on. If I dislike a book I don’t review it. ‘Playing nicely’ is my online mantra & the view that ‘bad reviews are useful’ is one I strongly disagree with. Bad reviews can break vulnerable writers & where Amazon is concerned, really do affect ratings.
Currently, I’m reading Virginia Woolf in Manhattan by Maggie Gee. It was published two years ago to mixed criticism. (The hardback edition has a pretty dust-jacket reminiscent of the style Vanessa Bell’s adopted to illustrate her sister’s books.) To a degree, I accept that the premise of the book (Mrs Woolf returning from the dead & hanging out with a 21st century novelist in New York) is a colossal conceit. As a life-long admirer of Virginia Woolf I dislike any liberties being taken with her memory, but I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying this book.
And I intend saying so.
Making it up as I go along 
I do review books I haven’t liked ; because my rule is I review everything that I read. If the author is alive (I read a lot of old books) I am careful what I say, and point out positives abd I generally acknowledge that I was probably the wrong person for that book. I dislike completely destroying a book, I’m only one opinion and I know others will feel differently.
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Thanks for dropping by, Alison! You’re a serious reviewer & to my knowledge (I do read you!) have never written an *unpleasant* review. It’s important to state if you aren’t the target audience I feel (which is what I do with unsolicited ARCs I know I won’t enjoy.) And I take your point – the decision to review every book one reads is a personal choice the individual reader/reviewer makes.
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I DO review books I’ve read and haven’t enjoyed but I make sure to give my reasons for not liking it as my ‘no, no’ may be someone else’s ‘yes, yes’. I do get hacked off by non-stop five-star ratings for books which clearly are not that good. Particularly when the reviewers haven’t ever reviewed another book ie they’re the writer’s Auntie Flo or best friend.
On the flip side, although I’m not thrilled if/when my novel gets 2-stars, at least it means someone’s read it.
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If ‘Auntie Flo’ &/or the writer’s best friend or whoever can write a decent review & clearly loved the book enough to do so (& sycophants are so easy to spot in my view) I have no problem with them doing so.
The star-rating system on Amazon is clearly flawed & there is a certain amount of 5*s by rote expectation. But it’s all we have & I like to think people are largely trustworthy & discerning.
And people surprise themselves – they like a book enough to review it, dive in for the first time & write something half decent. (On the other hand, there are the dire ones it might have been better to let the dog eat.)
Thanks for commenting, Jo – I’m honoured!
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I hate getting two stars. Actually, anything less than a four! But I have to admit, I tend to gravitate towards a book by the less than stellar reviews more often than not. The two stars have definite reasons why the book wasn’t for them, while the five stars CAN be a little…shall we say…optimistic.
I have two, two stars on Finder, neither reader finished the book. Why? Too much sex. Hey! I’ll take it! Though, honestly…too much sex? I’m a fade to black kinda writer. Still, few who actually read the reviews in search of a new book are going to stay away because of too much sex. 🙂
I have one 2.5 star (that thankfully isn’t a rank so it got bumped to three) for…I think it’s Seeking Carolina. Bottom line–it’s not the sort of romance the reader expected. Fair assessment. I love when someone reads one of my books and gets MORE than they bargained for, but for many diehard readers of romance, my meatier novel isn’t for them. If you’ll notice, my books are now categorized on Amazon as women’s fiction. Another misnomer, IMO; they’re ROMANTIC women’s fiction. Ah, the categories! But they’re there for a reason. How long have we got for THAT convo. Blrgh!
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I never review a book if I don’t enjoy it and totally agree with your on-line mantra Carol. I guess it’s because being a writer makes me realise even if I don’t like a particular read, how much hard work has gone into producing it. I think book blurb too very often lands you with a story that doesn’t quite match what you’re expecting to read. It can be a pleasant surprise but I have had moments when I’ve felt it’s been a hype to attract sales. Having said that, there are some amazing writers out there and I for one really enjoyed Ghostbird. And you’re right, you can’t please everyone…so it’s all about rolling with the punches.
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Absolutely. Covers too can be misleading – I’ve probably missed out on loads of good books because the cover was trite or boring or stereotyped.
(And thank you again for your kindness, Jo. Your review of Ghostbird is amongst my favourites because you ‘got’ me & what I was trying to say.) xXx
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It was such a magical book Carol x
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