Click for Source Image By Samantha Payne
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve experienced that no man’s land between books when you just don’t know what you want to read. That inexplicable feeling of pickiness whenever perusing online, at the local bookstore or library. The worse thing I’ve found when looking for a new book is to look at its reviews.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve experienced that no man’s land between books when you just don’t know what you want to read. That inexplicable feeling of pickiness whenever perusing online, at the local bookstore or library. The worse thing I’ve found when looking for a new book is to look at its reviews.
Click for Source Image All it takes is that one bad review to throw you into doubt about whether it’s really worth reading. While negative reviews can turn you away from a book initially, a very positive review could leave you feeling disappointed after reading it. The book is built up in your mind before even turning to the first page, so the story has a lot to live up to before its even been given a chance to enthral you on its own.
My advice is read the book first if it interests you, then look at its reviews. I find it fascinating looking through all the different opinions and seeing if they are anything like my own. I have noticed many critics slating Christopher Paolini’s Eragon; a book that I hold dear to my heart. It was his book that first introduced me to the wondrous realms of high fantasy as a teenager, so I will always love that series regardless of the negative reviews.
That is the point I’m trying to make, grow your own personal connection to a book before reading about anyone else’s opinion. I’ve read some incredibly scathing reviews that often make me think that the reviewer has a personal vendetta against the author; whereas I have also read reviews that sing the author’s praises so highly that they must have some form of personal relationship with them (I don’t mean of a sexual nature; more like a friend or relative). How could you trust the word of someone when you don’t know where their loyalties lie?
Review sections are a fantastic place to see the many conflicting opinions of so many readers. How can you possibly judge a book on the opinion of someone you have never even met? Regardless, if they are a literary critic, that person cannot possibly judge a book for you. You may find a book that resonates so perfectly with your soul but could incite such negative reactions from others, that if you had read the reviews beforehand, you would have never found such a perfect book for you. So I beg of you fellow bookworms, give a book a chance, a chance for it to take you on a private, magical journey. Then you can make your own decision on its merits, unbiased by the views of others and share it with the rest of us.
My advice is read the book first if it interests you, then look at its reviews. I find it fascinating looking through all the different opinions and seeing if they are anything like my own. I have noticed many critics slating Christopher Paolini’s Eragon; a book that I hold dear to my heart. It was his book that first introduced me to the wondrous realms of high fantasy as a teenager, so I will always love that series regardless of the negative reviews.
That is the point I’m trying to make, grow your own personal connection to a book before reading about anyone else’s opinion. I’ve read some incredibly scathing reviews that often make me think that the reviewer has a personal vendetta against the author; whereas I have also read reviews that sing the author’s praises so highly that they must have some form of personal relationship with them (I don’t mean of a sexual nature; more like a friend or relative). How could you trust the word of someone when you don’t know where their loyalties lie?
Review sections are a fantastic place to see the many conflicting opinions of so many readers. How can you possibly judge a book on the opinion of someone you have never even met? Regardless, if they are a literary critic, that person cannot possibly judge a book for you. You may find a book that resonates so perfectly with your soul but could incite such negative reactions from others, that if you had read the reviews beforehand, you would have never found such a perfect book for you. So I beg of you fellow bookworms, give a book a chance, a chance for it to take you on a private, magical journey. Then you can make your own decision on its merits, unbiased by the views of others and share it with the rest of us.
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