A good book review begins by briefly describing the goal of the book itself. For fiction, simply stating the genre is sufficient. Of course the goal of a thriller is entertain with suspense, the goal of a comedy is to make the reader laugh, etc. For non-fiction, the purpose is not obvious from either the genre or the title. Some works attempt to provide a brief introduction to a subject, while others serve as a reference for experts in the field. Many popular nonfiction titles provide a "scenic tour" of a scholarly topic for the general-interest reader or simply express the author's opinions. It is important for a reviewer to say what it is the author hopes to give the reader. Some authors aim to provide mental stimulation or education, while others actually attempt to impart a skill. There is a big difference between a book about the way computers work, for example, and a book that describes how to build your own computer. By explaining the purpose of the book, you will prevent readers from purchasing something unrelated the their needs.

The remainder of your review will analyze how well the author met the goal of the work. The best reviews are intellectual, rather than emotional, in nature. I am never going to "like" a book about fly-fishing, for example, because I have no interest in the subject. However, simply stating that I found "Fly-Fishing with Fred" boring does not help readers assess the value the book may have for them. If I found the diagrams on fly-tying cluttered and impossible to follow, readers need to know that. If the book included a clear and exhaustive table of which fish can be baited with which flies, the reader should know that as well. After all, my goal as a reviewer is to help potential readers purchase books that will make them, not me, happy.

When reviewing fiction, it is necessary to strike a careful balance between including too many examples, and hence spoiling the book, and including too few, making your review too vague to be helpful. I prefer to err on the latter side. In general, the strengths and weaknesses of a work of fiction can be listed without specifics. For example, you do not need to quote jokes from the work, but you can comment on the nature of the humor using words and phrases like "slapstick", "word play", "satire", "bathroom humor", etc.

A few brief words about the plot, setting, and characters can be helpful to readers, but think carefully as you write. A careless phrase can

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about How to write a solid book review?
We want to hear your view. Write now!