Introduction

How to Write a Book Review in 10 Easy Steps Okay, so you have to write a book review. What do you need to do and in what order? Here's a 10step process you can use to review any book. 1) Don't read the book. At least, not yet. Instead, start by looking at it. Look for clues to the nature of the book you'll be reading. Is it a richly manufactured item aimed at collectors? What does the cover illustration indicate the book will be about? What sort of blurbs are included? How is it categorized by the publisher? All of these will tell you the book's target audience. 2) Don't read the book. At least, not quite yet. Instead, open the book and flip through it. Look at how the words are arranged on the pages. Start with the largest distinctionsthe number of pages, the number of chapters, and so on. Then move to the size of paragraphs, how much of the book is dialogue, etc. This will tell you about the book's readability and how the author structured the book. 3) Build a framework for taking notes. You always focus better if you have something specific to look for and markers to pay attention to along the way. Start with the simplest thingsthe number of chapters, for exampleand then move on to more complex tasks, such as questions you'll want to answer: "What makes this book a classic?" or "What made this book 'speak for a generation' like the introduction said it did?" 4) Read the book. And as you do so... 5) Pay attention. That isn't a disciplinary command like, "Don't let your mind wander!" Instead,pay attention to your reading experience. This is the first real challenge for most people. What caught your attention, and when were you bored? When was the book suspenseful? Which characters did you like, and why? 6) Review the book and take notes that let you explain its effects. This is the second tough step for most people. Remember that note-taking framework you built earlier? Now's the time to fill it in. Flip back through the book and write brief, purposeful notes. What happens in the first chapter and what was its effect on you as a reader? When you passed from one part of the book to the nextchapter, section, or settingwhat kept your attention? This is the part most people neglect, but it lays the foundation for the rest of the book review, so keep at it until you can do the following:

Explain how the book as a whole affected you. Explain how the author achieved the effects he or she did. Explain the relationship between form and content. If it is fiction, explain the function of each character in the novel. Explain the characters' relationships to one another.

7) Sum up the book. This is the easy part, and half of what most people think a book review is. Put

the book in a nutshell. Keep summarizing it until you've got everything covered clearly. Use that to start your review. 8) Pass judgment. This is the other half of a book review for most people. Is this book good or bad? This is the time for you to say so. Put that second in your reviewbut use your notes from earlier to explain why and to make your judgment persuasive. Give specific examples, and move from passing judgment to explaining the book. That comes third. 9) Put the book in context. You might have been able to get this information from looking at the book's cover and introduction, or you might need to do a little research. What categories does this book fall into? Is it science fiction or fantasy? Is it the first of its kind or an imitation? The author's first book or fifteenth? Spend some time relating this book to others in its category to further explain the book and your judgment of it. 10) Check your aim. You've written your review. Now's the time to step back and apply this sort of reasoning to your own review. Did you explain every major aspect of the book? What was your target audience? Did you write this for a class with specific criteriaor for a fan magazine whose audience already knows this type of book well? If so, you might have to edit your review to add or remove details. If you don't...you're done!

How to Write a Book Review

chillibreeze writer Amy Sengupta

A book review is a critical summary of a book. It is an open forum where one analyses and forms an opinion of the writers work. This critical evaluation is not only a useful source of information for the reader, but for those who intend to read the book. The essential step for writing a book review is to read it thoroughly and understand the contents of the book. One has to understand that it is simply not a summary but a critique. The three important steps in writing a book review are:

Step 1: Introduction Start by mentioning the essentials like the title of the book, authors name and relevant publishing information. You should also specify what type of literature it. For example it could be a sociological analysis, a historical book, a purely academic one or a lighter piece of work. Normally, the background about the writer is not required but one should not omit it if its of special relevance - for example a refugee writing on refugees. This helps to put the text in a specific context.

Step 2: Main Section Description and Summary The main section ideally consists of two sections the description and the summary. The description can have excerpts from the book that give valuable insight into the work. However, while reviewing the storyline one has to make sure that the suspense of the story is not given away.

Step 3: The Critical Analysis In this section, one has to remember not to critically analyze the entire book but take out those points which are intriguing. For example, if the book is on the urban poor, one can perhaps focus on their politics and culture. Your opinion on the book is crucial here as it shapes your analysis. It helps to provide an insight into the attributes of the book - Is it worth reading, is it interesting and so on. This section should also talk about ones learnings from the book and whether it holds an important or interesting message that caught your attention.

A book review describes, analyzes and evaluates. The review conveys an opinion, supporting it with evidence from the book Do you know how to write a book review? I didn't. And even though I knew I didn't, that didn't stop me from firmly inserting my foot in my mouth by agreeing to conduct a book review writing workshop for my local Barnes & Noble. I blithely assured myself it would simply be a matter of picking up Book Reviews for Dummies, or something to that effect. Au contraire. It's easier to find information on bomb-making than book review writing. So I did what any other resourceful writer on deadline would do; I panicked. Well, for a moment. Quickly composing myself I scrounged the library and internet for every conceivable source that even hinted at the term "book review." What follows is the result of my gleaning
Before reading, consider:
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Title - What does it suggest? Preface or Introduction - Provides important information about the author's intentions or the scope of the book. Can you identify any limitations? Has the author ignored important aspects of the subject?

Table of Contents - Shows how the book's organized -- main ideas, how they're developed (chronologically, topically, etc.)

Points to ponder as you read the entire book:

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What's the general field or genre? Does the book fit? From what point of view is the book written? Do you agree or disagree with the author's point of view? Make notes as you read, passages to quote in your review. Can you follow the author's thesis, "common thread"? What is the author's style? Formal? Informal? Suitable for the intended audience? Are concepts well defined? Is the language clear and convincing? Are the ideas developed? What areas are covered, not covered?How accurate is the information? Is the author's concluding chapter, the summary, convincing? If there are footnotes, do they provide important information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the text? If relevant, make note of the book's format - layout, binding, etc. Are there maps, illustrations? Are they helpful? Is the index accurate? What sources did the author use -- primary, secondary? Make note of important omissions. What did the book accomplish? Is more work needed? Compare the book to others by this author, or books in this field by other authors. (Use the books listed in the bibliography.)

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Writing the Review:

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Include title, author, place, publisher, publication date, edition, pages, special features (maps, etc.), price, ISBN.

Hook the reader with your opening sentence. Set the tone of the review. Be familiar with the guidelines -- some editors want plot summaries; others don't. Some want you to say outright if you recommend a book, but not others. Review the book you read -- not the book you wish the author had written. If this is the best book you have ever read, say so -- and why. If it's merely another nice book, say so. Include information about the author-- reputation, qualifications, etc. -anything relevant to the book and the author's authority. Think about the person reading your review. Is this a librarian buying books for a collection? A parent who wants a good read-aloud? Is the review for readers looking for information about a particular topic, or for readers searching for a good read? Your conclusion should summarize, perhaps include a final assessment. Do not introduce new material at this point. To gain perspective, allow time before revising.

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Writing a Fiction Book Review

Note: You don't have to answer every question -- they're suggestions! Points to Ponder:
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What was the story about? Who were the main characters? Were the characters credible? What did the main characters do in the story? Did the main characters run into any problems? Adventures? Who was your favorite character? Why?

Your personal experiences

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Could you relate to any of the characters in the story? Have you ever done or felt some of the things, the characters did?

Your opinion
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Did you like the book? What was your favorite part of the book? Do you have a least favorite part of the book? If you could change something, what would it be? (If you wish you could change the ending, don't reveal it!)

Your recommendation
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Would you recommend this book to another person? What type of person would like this book?

Things to Bear in Mind:

Don't be intimidated by famous authors -- many have written mediocre books. Don't review books by people you know, love, or hate. Do you want to be a book reviewer? Start by doing. Write book reviews for local newspapers. If they don't have a book review section, start one. If you have a specialty -- romance, mystery, dark fantasy -- cultivate it, become an expert.