Sometimes I have mid-life-blogging-crisis questions. Like: what is the point of writing negative reviews? This may be brought on by the fact that I didn’t love Trust Me I’m Lying like I hoped I would. Therefore I wrote a sad and dismal review. Therefore I had to send said sad and dismal review to a publicist.
Which is scary. And makes me sad.
It’s kind of like eating a cinnamon sugared muffin made by my mother and saying (to her face), “Ew, I don’t like it.”
It’s rude. Writing negative reviews makes me feel ungrateful.
SO WHY DO WE WRITE THEM? WHAT’S THE POINT?
In my personal (yet fabulous) opinion, I don’t think writing negative reviews should be about critiquing ANYONE. Hold your pickle pants and let me explain!
Books are art. There is no “rule” to write the Perfect Book. So, in order to score and mark a book, we’re just judging it off our own personal preferences. Plus, how many of us are professional editors? What’s to say our opinion on art is The Right And Perfect Opinion? I know for a fact that my most favourite books in the world are hated by other bookworms. Who’s right? Who’s wrong?
Books are freakishly subjective and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter.
So, Cait, if negative reviews aren’t for critiquing the author…what’s the point of them?
Oh, oh, I’m so glad you asked this, my bilinear blogglings. As with all things, I have a ginormous opinion on this matter that I definitely want to share with you.
- So people get to know our preferences. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I love crime books, I adore beautiful lyrical writing, and I don’t like plots that are too complex. This is perfect for when you need to buy me presents. (I’m joking. It’s perfect for giving me book recommendations.)
- So like-minded bookworms can smoosh together. When I find bookworms who have similar tastes as me, I absolutely rejoice. Why? Because I can see what they hate and avoid it! There’s a 97% chance that if my bookish twin, Zoe, hates a book, I will hate it too. I don’t even bother with books she doesn’t like. (Saves me time.) I’m also 90% sure that if Amanda or Aimee love a book…I WILL TOO.
- So (if you’re a writer) you can learn how you DON’T want to write. I believe in learning on the job. (I am like Gobber from How To Train Your Dragon, obviously.) If you want to be an awesome writer, I think you should read all the things. I didn’t realise I hated love-triangles until I started reading them. Now I want to go back to my old fantasy book and take the love-triangle out.
- So you can discuss! Life would be like puny pea soup if we didn’t have things to discuss and disagree on. Books are food for thought. Some thoughts are dumb. It’s totally fair to talk about them.
- Not all books are created equal. Hey, it’s just a fact. But some writers have a wickedly out-of-this-world talent.
- So you can put into words your reasonings.You’d be surprised at how many people say “I don’t like that” but cannot back up why. But putting into words what we don’t like, we’re not only expressing ourselves, we’re stretching our braincells.
At the end of the day, I think we’re 100% entitled to be negative in our opinions.
And I think negative reviews do have a point. I just don’t think we need to be critiquing the author. Just because we didn’t like the author doesn’t mean they write badly.
Obviously these are my opulent opinions and, though they be fabulous, I’m in desperate need of yours.
why do you think we need negative reviews?? what do you think of my views? am i way off? do you think we should critique authors? why do you personally write/blog about books you didn’t like?
Cait also blogs about books she didn’t like because she receives books free for review. She’s still gotta review ’em, even if she didn’t like ’em. (And also negative reviews can be fun to write. WHAT?! It’s the truth.) Currently Cait is reading and screaming and swooning and FLAILING over Ensnaredby A.G. Howard. She’s 50% in and it’s PERFECTION.
So true! Of course I had a similar post on my blog earlier this week. I do agree that books are so subjective. For example, Catcher in the Rye is such a classic and a lot of people love it. Frankly, I hated it. And I hated Holden Caulfield. That is not to say that the author necessarily did anything wrong, per se. It just wasn’t for me. Personally, if there is a blogger who loves a lot of the same books I do then I may give their negative review a bit more weight.
Cynthia recently posted…BOOK REVIEW: The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne
Ohhh, my GOSH, I feel so bad, Cynthia! I didn't remember having read your post and then I went to your blog and YES I had read it and obviously your post subconsciously inspired mine. Gah. I'm sorry. I should've linked to your blog in my post. *hangs head in shame*
I think you’re spot on with this post Cait! Negative reviews are simply a way of expressing our opinions, and as long as there is some kind of reasoning behind it and we’re never personally attacking the author or anyone, then that is okay. Every reader is different, as so too will every review be. It’s always going to be subjective because everybody interprets things differently. Fantastic post 🙂
Eugenia @ Genie In A Book recently posted…Loony Literate Launch Linky
It is soooo subjective, right?! I think any business that has to do with art is always crazily subjective. But good thing there are so many types of books to suit us all right?! XD
I think negative reviews are necessary to point out the flaws in a book that you might not have noticed before. And like you said, it’s all subjective. However, I think a line should be drawn between criticizing an author and criticizing a book.
All in all, I prefer giving positive reviews, but I also don’t want to have to lie if I didn’t like it, and just giving a metric rating doesn’t always help either, so you see our dilemma.
Precious @ Clockwork Desires recently posted…Book Scores: Tomorrow, We’ll Discover All the Bright Places
I kind of wonder where the line for criticising is sometimes. Like I TOTALLY criticise books, but then it gets me thinking. There's like a 50/50 chance that I'm wrong and I misinterpreted or something, right? *sigh* I might just be over-thinking it.
I always really worry that someone is going to see it and take it personally! (I’m also really lazy and never post book reviews but that’s besides the point…)
I like reading negative reviews because it tells me that I can spend my money on another book. And that I shouldn’t waste my time reading a book because it turns out to be a romance book. :-/
ponymad2booklover recently posted…Hot Chocolate
Gah, YES! It's terrifying to think an author might read a negative review but then…that's not our fault. they shouldn't be looking up negative reviews, right?! xD
This is crazy weird because someone on Goodreads this morning said that I shouldn’t be reviewing a book I only skimmed the middle of, even though I explained why I skimmed the middle (BORING), and then she accused me of being COMPENSATED for the review. Lol. Anyway, I don’t review books rated less than four stars on my blog, but I review every book I read on Goodreads and Amazon, and of course give feedback on EW and NetG. I have a difficult time finding free moments to review the good books, so that is why I fell into that none under four rule. However, yesterday, I saw on another blog a system of questions to ask yourself with dnfs, so I might start doing dnf reviews of high profile (more than likely, overly-hyped) books, when I have them. My first will be Talon. I feel negative reviews are necessary because some books are just awful and readers should be forewarned. Like my infamous, 18 Things. It was a finished ebook I paid full price for because I liked the Goodreads synopsis. It had spelling and punctuation errors, and non-dialogue grammar mistakes. The author did not research hospital policies; she has a nurse discussing a father’s diagnosis and treatment to a 16 year old girl, out loud, in a public space with strangers listening. And, then the treatments the nurse was talking about have not been used in a long time. It read like a sixth grade short story project. Then after I read her bio, I laughed because she says she is a sixth grade English teacher! I decided to look to see who her publisher was because I had an inkling it was a self pub. Well, next best thing a group of authors who publish themselves called Creative Quills and their group motto on their webpage is, “A gaggle of literary marauders with a bone to grind and not enough time for revisions.” If they don’t have enough time for revisions, they shouldn’t ask to be paid money for their books!! This was before I knew you could return ebooks on Amazon, so I was out $5.00. So yeah, some negative book reviews are buyer bewares, unfit for consumption for anyone. When I do read a, bad review and it is because they don’t like that genre, I get mad because then, yes, I don’t feel they should review it.
La La in the Library recently posted…THE SUNDAY POST #FOUR
Omg. That's a bit crazy. Goodreads has some weirdos on it that's for sure. :O I got told on instagram today that if I read so fast I surely can't appreciate what I'm reading. It really really ticked me off. -_-I think there are SO many reasons for negative reviews. And over-hyping! YES! Good point! Sometimes I'm so tempted to run out and buy an overhyped book, but after a few negative reviews I start to realise I need to library it first. *nods* So it helps save money. Or at least know what books to spend it on, right?! Ugh, how on EARTH could ANYONE have a policy that they don't do revisions? I agree. You should not be writing if you're not even going to put in a full effort, that is just sucky. I can totally understand giving a negative review to warn people of that.
I tend to leave my not-so-friendly reviews off my blog and only post them on Goodreads, or not at all. But when I do write one, I make sure to say more than once in the review, that it’s just my opinion. One of the books I read, the story was fine, but the grammar was bad. There were a lot of really noticeable typos. I blamed the authors editor, not the author. They were things that should and could have been easily spotted. I think in my review the first thing I said, was ‘Fire your editor’.
Marie recently posted…Friday 56: The Hunger Games- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Eeek! That seems so wrong to have bad grammar in a book! It is kind of on the editor AND the author, I reckon. That's definitely a bit sad, and definitely a fair reasons to give it a negative review. I'd be ticked off about that too.
SO TRUE. Negative reviews have their place, for suresies. I don’t know if I have a bookish twin, though O_O maybe Ebony from Daring Damsels. And I’m learning about writing each time I read a book. Maybe one of these days I’ll write something halfway decent 😀
I WANT TO WRITE SOMETHING HALFWAY DECENT SOMEDAY TOO. #ultimatedream I'm sure if I read enough I'll subconsciously absorb how to be awesome from these incredible authors and BOOM. I'll be the best writer of ever. *nods**continues reading obsessively*
As always, this is very insightful, Awesome-Cait. I couldn’t agree more with “books are freakishly subjective” and “so you can put into words your reasonings.” As much as I can, I too do not target the authors with my negative reviews. If I love the book and the author’s style, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS sing All The Praises for the author. But if I didn’t like it, I point out that it has largely to do with my preferences.
Shelumiel recently posted…6 Reasons Why Nico di Angelo Deserves All the Love the Fandom is Giving Him
Why thank you, Awesome-Shelumiel. 😉 so much has to do with preferences, right?! It almost seems unfair, sometimes, to give a book a low rating when it feels like it's just our tastes and not the book actually being bad. (Like I read books that I feel are really badly written and I rate them low. And then I read books that I feel are perfectly written, I just didn't like the content…so they still get low and GAH! Maybe I'm overthinking it, but it often feels unfair. xD)
I think we need negative reviews so publishers can also see what sort of books and literary structure their readership (and buyers) will then consume. (YES EAT ALL THE BOOKS!!! :P)
And it also helps them with picking up manuscripts to distribute and publish. Editors also benefit from negative reviews because they learn then which suggestions to make to a potential published author to make their book sell. As to self published, I agree with you Cait, we all have different preferences. And that then just revolves about which genres and styles we prefer.
Oh wow I’ve written another English lit essay as a blog post comment! I’m sorry! Have some cake, no, PIE!
But I think you do raise a very good and interesting discussion! xoxo
Renee Bookboyfriends recently posted…Leo: How many plans do we have? Is there like, a plan ‘M’?
Well that's true, but then….like…even if a book sucks, as long as people are buying, I think the publishers will keep selling. Sometimes it's just money over quality, eh? *sigh* BUT LET'S JUST EAT ALL THE BOOKS ANYWAY. *sharpens spork*
I’m always adamant in my reviews / comment replies that it’s not that a book is written absolutely awfully, it’s just that I personally didn’t like the author’s style or the way they crafted the story. It’s all just personal taste after all! What one person hates, another may love. I mean, God, there are some people out there who don’t like The Raven Boys (THEY ARE EVIL, SOULESS PEOPLE, CLEARLY :P)
Allie @ Little Birdie recently posted…Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses {Sarah J. Maas}
THOSE PEOPLE WHO HATE RAVENB OYS CLEARLY ARE EVIL. LITTLE VILLAINSES. WE HAVE NO LOVE FOR THEM. heeeh. Okay, fine. A little dramatic. I maybe have 2% understand for them. *nods nicely*
I’ve never really thought about negative reviews before…they were always just something that got written and read.
I agree with you, though, they do have a purpose, and all your points are spot-on.
And I also agree with you, negative reviews can be fun! Some of the gifs you can use…
Cassie recently posted…Loony Literate Launch Celebration
THERE ARE TOO MANY GLORIOUS GIFS. I have to restrain myself mostly. *blushes* I\’m evil but…but it can be fun.
I actually had to DNF a book I was sent for review but I did write a review about it listing all the reasons why I personally couldn’t finish it. I felt SO BAD having to send it, but I think publishers do keep in mind that not every blogger that receives an ARC will love it.
To me, writing negative reviews is just as important as writing positive ones. Just because you didn’t like it, shouldn’t mean that you can’t talk about it. Although it should be argumented well and so on. I know certain people that have reading tastes very similar to mine and when they list the reasons why they didn’t like the book, I know I most likely will feel the same way. It saves me some time -which I can spend reading a book I do like 😀
Great post Cait! 🙂
Jolien @ The Fictional Reader recently posted…#FridayReads January 30th, 2015
If I DNF I always write a review saying why. *nods* I think it\’s fair to do that, right?!
EXACTLY! People with similar tastes-as-us are exactly the reason why there should be negative reviews. x)
I never thought about it like this before but I know what you mean. I think negative reviews are mainly useful for other readers with similar taste to decide if a book is worth their time. I don’t like it when bloggers slag off an author but I do think that it can be helpful for publishers to know if a lot of people dislike the writing style in order to decide if an author is commercial enough I suppose. Sometimes publishers take a chance on something different and it won’t always work out! Negative reviews can help them decide if they are making the right decisions.
Charlotte @ Books & Baby etc. recently posted…What I’ve Been Reading Lately
I feel weird for proclaiming a book is BAD when obviously the professional industry didn\’t think so and spent thousands of dollars buying it and selling it, so, um…often times I do think me hating on a book is just me. *shrugs*
I think it’s perfectly okay to write a negative book review. The whole point about reviewing a book is to be honest to your readers, and you can’t possibly love every single book out there because everyone has different tastes. Also, I think there’s a little bit of a mutual understanding between bloggers and readers that reviews are subjective, and just because someone’s review is negative doesn’t mean that it is a bad book. So we shouldn’t be afraid to write negative reviews, but we should never CRITIQUE the author, and there’s definitely a difference between reviewing and critiquing. Also, bloggers probably shouldn’t suggest changes to the author, which I’ve seen sometimes because 1) the book is already published, 2) the reviewer should not be critiquing the book, and 3) the author probably won’t see it.
Ana @ Butterflies of the Imagination recently posted…Rating Books is Quite the Struggle
I think there is definitely a mutual agreement….although I do think it gets lost sometimes. >.> Critiquing an author is just rude and wrong, and I\’m really happy that I hardly EVER see anyone bashing on authors anymore. YAY.
*whispers* Plus I don\’t think we, as bloggers, are ever in the place to tell an author to change something. They have editors/agents/critique partners for that…and we are not on that list.
I don’t think ANY reviews are for the author. I can’t remember which one, but one author I talked to told me that they won’t read reviews because it won’t make them a better writer. The book’s already out and if everyone doesn’t like it, there’s kind of NOTHING the author can do.
I think that the whole review thing is for the reader. We’re all part of this general sway. There are books which everyone hated *cough* Seeker and then books that the majority loved *cough* A Court of Thorns and Roses. So this is what creates what’s known as hype.
Knowing that a review is NOT for the author, I’ve never actually felt ungrateful for writing a negative review. I guess I see it as I took my time to read this book [my own time] and I should be 150% allowed, guilt free, to say what I feel about it. I can definitely see where you might feel bad but unfortunately, I am not wired that way, haha
Nova @ Out of Time recently posted…To GIF or Not To GIF?
EXACTLY! I think that author is spot on! Plus if you start to \”change\” things in your next books to please readers…someone will always be upset, so you might as well just write how you want, right?!
NEGATIVE REVIEWS ARE AWFUL. I mean… As a writer, imagine stumbling across a review and seeing everything someone hated about your novel in the one place? But like you said we’re all entitled to our own opinions–good or bad–and I believe negative reviews are a good way to express them in a polite manner (as long as they’re not bashing the author or anything.)
Kara @ Diary of a Teen Writer recently posted…Sunday Weekly Wrap Up (47) & Stacking the Shelves (28)
It is my terror that I\’ll be a writer and the world will collectively decide to hate on my book. *cries in the corner* I KNOW: POSITIVE THOUGHTS! MUST THINK POSITIVELY! *ahem*
I definitely agree, negative reviews (and actually, I think reviews in general) are for readers and not for writers. It’s so that you can warn other people about the things you didn’t like about the book, and they therefore have more of an informed decision of whether they want to read the book or not. I mean, negative reviews don’t necessarily always keep people away from a book- sometimes people want to read books with crap ratings to see if they’re really as bad as people say (I’m one of those people…curiosity just gets the better of me sometimes).
They’re also just really useful if you want to vent your anger about something haha 😛
Nara recently posted…Review: Empire of Shadows by Miriam Forster
This was exactly my thought. I find reviews useful for knowing which books I should spend my time on and which I should skip. I don’t always agree with others’ reviews, obviously, but if I know someone tends to have similar taste to me and they don’t like a book, then it may not be worth my time unless I have some other compelling reason to pick it up.
Jessica @ A Cocoon of Books recently posted…Reader Problems: Q&A
@Nara: HA YES!! I totally have read a book just because everyone hated it. I really want to read Talon even though I only see 2/3 star reviews…I\’m just too too curious. x) So it definitely works in that favour too.
@Jessica: It\’s handy when you don\’t know whether to a buy a book or not, right?! I\’ll always go to the library for risky books so I don\’t risk wasting money.
I think they’re very useful and when a book is recommended to me, I usually check the bad reviews first. Why ? Because I can see what people didn’t like and see if I must avoid it (I *hate* stupid heroins with a passion for example) and sometimes… what people really hated isexactly what attracts me to books, so I jump on them !
I don’t mind readers telling us why they didn’t love a book, it’s useful, but on the contrary, I hate author bashing for no good reason – it seems to happen a lot on the net, sadly.
Red Iza recently posted…Hottie of the week
I get attracted to read books just because everyone seems to hate them, too. 😉 I want to know WHY.
Wow, this post really made me think, and I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. It’s hard for me sometimes to remember that I am not critiquing books when I’m reviewing them. I’m a natural critique-r, I just naturally want to cross out and rewrite some books that didn’t suit me too well.
But, yeah, I dislike writing bad reviews, I just WANT to be able to rave about all the books, but, sadly, there are some books I don’t find appealing. :/
Hannah recently posted…what short stories taught me
Oh I struggle too! I edit a lot (for myself and others) so when I\’m reading, I sometimes just want to edit it too. BUT I SHOULD NOT.
I agree! I always feel bad for negative or DNF reviews and I do feel ungrateful sending those to the publishers but, you can’t love everything. I find the pubs appreciate honesty. I try to never be critical of the author-just what aspects of the book didn’t work for me. When I’m reading negative reviews that’s what I’m trying to see–what didn’t work for that person. A lot of times what bothered them won’t bother me and I’ll try (and sometimes love) the book. Great discussion Cait!!
Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction recently posted…Discussion- Is our audience also our competition?
Oh, exactly, Kristen! ME TOO. It\’s the book we can be negative about, never the author. *nods*
Oh this one is sooo tough. I feel bad when i don’t like I book I’ve been given to review. I usually review it by stating why I don’t like it without bashing on anyone cause that’s no fun. I’ll say that it’s just not my style, while it could be good for X reader, if that makes sense. it’s good to explain why you didn’t like something as opposed to just saying that something sucks.
But yes, I get that horribly guilty feeling hitting submit on a “bad” review.
Explanation is key, I reckon. Not just ranting/gifing about how awful a book is.
Oh My GOd!! Of course it had to be Trust Me, I’m Lying, the book that I am currently reading! I’m only a couple of pages in but I’ve honestly haven’t had the time to get completely attached to it. I read Beautiful Disaster last year, for my experiment into “New Adult” books, and I hated it. I wrote a long, ranting, hate-filled review about it but I didn’t want it to be the kind of review where I’m complaining constantly. You know, how do you write a good negative review without sounding rude? I’ve been thinking about posting it anyway but this has been something that’s plagued my mind ever since I started blogging.
Also, posting reviews of books you didn’t finish. Does it still count because I didn’t finish it? I think in the end you are right we are entitled to our negative reviews. I might post that review yet.
Taylor recently posted…Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Ohh, I hope I didn\’t put you off Trust Me I\’m Lying?!! >_< MY BAD. It just didn\'t work for me, hehe. Ugh, I\'ve only had bad experiences with NA. It\'s just…no. I try to make light in my negative reviews, but then I worry I\'m being TOO sarcastic and therefore equally mean?! GAH IT\'SSO HARD.
I can’t think of the words to describe this post other than it’s damn well perfect in every way. Negative reviews not only help us, but they help publishers too, and authors, sometimes, I think for us, they help us find what we like and dislike, and for publishers, they help them see what books sell and do well, and for authors, it helps them see what we like as readers, so they can share their story, for the right target audience, and not just anyone. Negative reviews are important, if everyone thought everything was fabulous, we’d get seriously bored. I agree though, negative reviews can be ‘fun’ to write, sometimes you just gotta be honest with yourself and usually, you can find the words better too. As always, fabulous post Cait 🙂
Amanda @ Beautiful Bookish Butterflies recently posted…Book Review – The Son of Neptune
I definitely agree, that negative reviews are important buuuuut….I kind of don\’t think authors should read negative reviews. :O *gasps and hides* SORRY. >_< I just really think negative reviews are for readers and yes publishers, but not really for authors. And omg, negative reviews can be fun, right?! 😉 There are deliciously wonderful gifs to use hehe. HONESTY IS BEST! HUZZAH! (I sound like Candor here!)
I totally agree with everything you said, and that’s why I’m at the point that I’m more willing to read books that other people don’t like or that have so many conflicting reviews, just so that I can form my own opinion and not just piggyback on someone else. Negative reviews are helpful to readers, but reviewers need to keep in mind that many authors read reviews and we need to be respectful of their feelings and the hard work that went into making their book, even if we didn’t like it.
Lisa Canfield recently posted…VLOG TIME
YUSSS! No piggybacking others opinions. *nods* That\’s like my number #1 life philosphy after I spent my entire childhood going with everyone else\’s thoughts and never making my own. I think authors should not read reviews though….hopefully, if I ever get published, I\’ll stick to that too. xD HA.
Great post, Cait!
A book isn’t bad because we — the fabulous reviewers — didn’t like it. Sometimes I think a book is great, but it’s just not my taste. Other books I liked when I was younger, but probably wouldn’t enjoy anymore now. Does that mean they’re horrible books that no one should read? No, of course not. Like you, I also don’t like love triangles (by “don’t like” I mean HATE WITH A FIERY PASSION), but I’m sure I didn’t always hate them, and I also don’t think they’re the marker of a bad book; I simply don’t enjoy them as a reader.
A lot of people also write reviews to keep track of the books they read and what they thought of them, so if you’re a completist that includes reviewing all the books you read, not just the ones you over-the-top loved.
And yes, writing (and reading) bad reviews can be fun because they’re often amusing and you get to use a lot of CAPSLOCK emotions and gifs. I used to try to phrase my opinion with the feelings of the author in mind (I’m sure I even talked about it on my blog somewhere), but recently I decided to fuck that. I’m not critiquing the author, I’m critiquing the book and if I hated it, I’m allowed to say that. Besides, bad reviews aren’t necessarily bad publicity: sometimes people read a bad review and think “Okay, that’s funny, but I don’t think I’d mind the flaws this person points out and the story sounds interesting, so I’ll buy it anyway.”
Vlora recently posted…Movie Review: Silver Linings Playbook
I sometimes read incredible love-triangles but mostly…ergh, they\’re awful. >.> So yes, FIERY PASSION HERE WE COME. heh. Sometimes I even read books where I know it\’s just me right now…like if I\’d read them when I was in a different frame of mind, I\’d probably feel better about them too. *nods*
CAPS ARE LIFE. And I also pick up books to read purely because they\’ve been given such bad reviews. It makes me curious. 😉
I have no problem with negative reviews so long as they’re polite. People who trash the author or are snarky are just…well, jerks!!
Martha @ I’d Rather Be Reading recently posted…Valentine’s Day fashion picks from the ModCloth Sweetheart Shop!
EXACTLY. I couldn\’t agree more.
I’m so pleased you wrote this!!!! I have just written quite a negative review recently about Warm Bodies. I felt guilty posting it! In my opinion I posted it not to criticise the author (because who am I to criticise someone else’s writing) but because it is simply my personal opinion and preference. ALSO, as soon as I posted my review on goodreads another person commented agreeing with my statement, therefore, it was nice to discuss with someone something we mutually agreed on. THANK YOU for this post I don’t feel so guilty anymore x
Angelica recently posted…Book Reviews and Goodreads
OH YOU ARE SO RIGHT! It\’s not about the author…it\’s about their work. (Although, that totally does feel personalised, I know….) I\’ve had that too on Goodreads! It\’s SO good to hear other people say they had the same thoughts. Bonding over disliked books. 😉 It\’s handy.
I think you’re spot on! AND I think it’s just peoples taste in book. Which you mentioned and seems like the simplest thing in the world, but still took me a while to come to terms with. People just like different things, or read things differently.
I have a lot of trouble writing a negative review, though, even knowing that. I have to plan it out and try and make sure my points are clear but not too… sharp, I guess. If that makes any sense at all.
Anyway – fantastic post!
Casey recently posted…January 26th | Weekly Wrap Up #6
It does make sense! I try and od that too…I often try and just keep my negative reviews sort. (Although, hey, I HAVE ranted before and I\’m not ashamed. It happens.)
You make some great points oh Fearless Leader. Everyone likes different things and we’ll all take different things from the same book and just the same as we fangirl over books we like, we have the right to talk about books we don’t though.
I would never trash a book or an author but I will point out things that I don’t like and will always say that just because I like it, doesn’t mean a reader wouldn’t. I’ve read negative reviews of books and then read the book myself and loved it.
Rosie recently posted…Blood Shadows – Lindsay J. Pryor* | book review
You make some great points oh Fearless Leader. Everyone likes different things and we’ll all take different things from the same book and just the same as we fangirl over books we like, we have the right to talk about books we don’t though.
I would never trash a book or an author but I will point out things that I don’t like and will always say that just because I like it, doesn’t mean a reader wouldn’t. I’ve read negative reviews of books and then read the book myself and loved it.
Rosie recently posted…Blood Shadows – Lindsay J. Pryor* | book review
*bows* We definitely have right. And I think the whole \”this book appeals to me, but maybe not you\” thing gets lost in raging reviews. *shrugs* Sometimes negative reviews also inspire me to read the actual book. 😉 curiosity killed the cat?!
As somebody who is trying desperately to write a (coherent) novel, I don’t think we have any right to critique authors. Critique the book, by all means. (Books are subjective, and geeks the world over like to talk/cry/laugh/geek out over/about them and I think that’s a wonderful thing) but the author should never be critiqued. What does it matter what the author’s like? It’s the book we should be talking about. I always try to put a positive spin on even my most negative reviews. I always mention things I liked as well as things I didn’t like. Negative reviews are important – we shouldn’t lie because it isn’t fair on readers/writers/editors/publishers – but that doesn’t mean we have to be mean. If you don’t have anything nice to say, leave it at a star rating.
One thing I love about your negative reviews is that you always point out that other people might not share your opinions – that other people might like a book even if you didn’t – and I think that’s really important 😉
hehe, thank you. 😉 That\’s why I always (well, I try to always) put in that minor disclaimer of \”you might still like this\” when I rampage on a book.
GIRL THIS DISCUSSION IS BRILLIANT <33 (: Seriously, I think negative reviews are something that are important and should exist, and you highlight these points while bringing up some new ones I haven't even considered. I certainly think that you and this post are on point.
Negative reviews are fun to write. There, I admitted it. As it's my dream career at this point to be a lawyer, something key in that job is to back up your argument. This is something I have a lot of fun with, demonstrating evidence and such to create eloquent reviews that represent my feelings and emotions I experienced during the book. It's really fun for me to turn my words into actual sentences that yes, serve a purpose. The purposes you brought up are very true. When I write a review, I'm writing my own opinion to help those who I know have similar tastes (don't think I've found my bookish twin yet though, I'm searching haha). I also do love to create discussions and YEAH. It's inarguable that you can bond with somebody with a shared love (this usually leads to copious fangirling shhh) or hate of a book. IT CREATES FRIENDSHIPS.
On the flip side though, I do think there's a line that people shouldn't cross when it comes to writing negative reviews. Yes, I'm all for people saying their own opinion- freedom of speech and the whole nine yards. However, when a reviewer directly criticizes the author or people who disagree with their viewpoint? We have a problem.
Like you said, reading is subjective. So yes, people ARE inevitably going to disagree with your view on a book. If it's a book you completely loved, while somebody hated it? You may feel an urge to protect said book and share your love of it. This is fine! However, it's not fine to completely discredit the negative reviewers opinion or call them wrong. The negative review is simply the perception the reviewer had of the book, which has no correlation to your experience/feelings. PEOPLE CAN THINK DIFFERENTLY ON BOOKS, IT'S INTRINSICALLY GOING TO HAPPEN AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THIS.
Back onto authors, yeah. When a reviewer mocks the writer's abilities or something, I find an large issue there. It's not simply being 'critical', it's honestly being mean. You need to understand how much time, work and passion goes into the creation of a novel, and that by simply trashing the author is doing a disservice to everybody. It's not only being rude to the author, but also makes people who enjoyed the novel feel inadequate and it may also turn people off who may have enjoyed the novel (BECAUSE OMFG PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE WHAT A CONCEPT)
Again, lovely post haha. Really got me thinking and typing lol. I clearly have a lot of feelings when it comes to the point of negative reviews.
Larissa Holt recently posted…Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
I wonder when being \”critical\” runs too far, though?! I mean…just being cliche and using JK Rowling as an example. If all those publishing houses didn\’t like her book and didn\’t think it could sell…and now it\’s the single most famous children\’s book EVER. WELL. That\’s just proof of how subjective reading is. So publishing houses that come out with incredible books might also turn down other incredible book. *shrugs*
There really is no rhyme or reason and that\’s sometimes confusing, right?! lol
Backing up arguments is the BEST way to negative-review. IT IS A MUST.
I basically write negative reviews to save others from experiencing the misery I had to go through. Lol.
rebekahkoontzsite.com / / US Lifestyle Blog
Rebekah Koontz recently posted…My Dad, In Photographs
Fair enough!
I write negative reviews for a simple reason: because I wish someone had told me how bad a book was before I spent time reading it! Yes, I know that opinions are subjective and all that jazz. But, for me, I find negative reviews a lot more helpful in general because they’re usually more detailed and they explain why certain elements didn’t work for the reader. That’s way more useful than a glowing review that says, “Seriously, guys, this is the best book ever. Just read it.” Okay… but why do you think it’s the best book ever? Your reason could be the very thing that makes me think it’s the worst book I’ve ever read.
So… yeah. I view negative reviews as helpful warnings from the book blogging community. Whether I agree with those opinions or not, it’s still nice to have more information so I can make my reading choices.
La Coccinelle @ The Ladybug Reads… recently posted…New to the TBR Pile (15)
The WHYS are so so helpful too! Because if someone reviews a book and says the characters were crappy because they had no character development, warning bells ring for me. I NEED good characters. I pay attention to those details in negative reviews.
Heh, I have a problem with writing too many negative reviews… I think I just have really strict standards, haha. BUT I’ve written lots of nice ones lately! So that’s good. But it’s always disappointing to dislike a book you thought you would enjoy. I loooovvveeee this post. So much truth, Cait.
I think everyone has different tastes and different things they like, but like you said, that doesn’t mean the thing itself is bad if you don’t like it. For example, I’m not a fan of Michael Grant (well, that’s a lie. I am liking BZRK the more I think about it.) but lots of people, including you, do, and I respect that and can see what there is to like! It’s just not for me, just like some people don’t like Red Rising. Although how THAT is possible, I don’t know. *sighs and gets cake*
Aimee Meester recently posted…Book Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
I\’ve had a lot more bland reviews this year. 😉 Maybe I read too much? ! *GASP* NO THAT IS NEVER GOING TO BE SO.
I do not understand the hate on Red Rising. I do not. It is literally perfect. (Except for the part where it like ripped out my feels and stomped on them.)
Indeed I agree that negative reviews have a place and add value, we might feel abd if we write a negative review, but they do have a place and I think it’s important to share the negative oens too so other can understand what doesn’t work for you. I don’t think I ever met a book blogger were my tastes are almost equal, but your statement made me think of how as a kid I always would let me sister taste things first, because if she didn’t like it there was a high chance I wouldn’t. Although my sister likes some things I didn’t as a kid this rule almost always worked and it saved me from having to eat something gross.
And like you said I think it’s important to explain why you didn’t like a book in your review so people can understand end judge if those are things they don’t mind in a book or maybe those things you don’t like are things other people do like and they might even pick up the book thansk to a negative review. Great post!
Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: Green Curry Recipe
It\’s always handy to have a sister, right?! 😉 But true! True! I\’m never going to 100% agree with another blogger, but I love it when I find friends I can 90% agree with. xD
This is probably why I held off on writing a review for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.
To be quite honest, I didn’t like it.
And I know you loved it–which is why I haven’t said anything thus far–but STILL. I did not like it. I thought it was boring and Gus’ and Hazel’s conversations made my brain hurt from all the cynicism.
(But then, I knew what was going to happen. But still, I think I would’ve predicted the plot twist.)
I didn’t write a negative review about it because I didn’t want to rant and rave about how awful it was, because truly it wasn’t awful, just boring. I just get a sense of satisfaction from disliking something that EVERYONE ELSE loves.
And in terms of bookish taste, I think we’re the opposite, Cait! So I’ll read the books that you don’t like, and you read the books that I don’t like, and I think we’ll be good about book recommendations! haha.
Rcubed recently posted…Thoughts on BEFORE I FALL, by Lauren Oliver
I don\’t like books that my friends love. 😉 I just don\’t bring up said book with them, and it\’s aaaalll good. lol There are too many awesome books to agree on to try and \”convert\” people to liking the book (or hating the book!) like you do, right?!
*nods* Opposite, hehe.
I don’t think negative reviews are necessarily rude if you write them well. Your review of Trust Me, I’m Lying was professional and polite. You didn’t say “damn, this author sucked” or anything like it. I sometimes have this same dilemma when I write a negative review, but like you say, it’s to connect with others who think like you. Great discussion, Cait!
Marianne @ Boricuan Bookworms recently posted…{Audiobook} Review: You by Caroline Kepnes
omg, THANK YOU!! I was super freaked about that review because I haven\’t put on a super low rating in a while. xD
This is a really interesting question Cait, and I completely agree with everything you’ve said here. If we didn’t have negative reviews, we wouldn’t have a way to weed out the good books from the bad and we’d have immensely larger TBR lists. And if we’re allowed to share positive feedback for books, what’s wrong with sharing negative feedback as long as it’s done respectfully, you know?
And honestly, reviewing is probably my favorite thing about reading. I love sharing my opinion and seeing what other people think. What’s so great about reading is that we have such a large opportunity for healthy debate. No one person has a “correct” opinion per se when it comes to books; but that’s what’s so great about it.
Thanks for sharing Cait, and, as always, fabulous discussion! This really made me think! ♥ (And thanks for the mention too! 😉 )
Zoe @ Stories on Stage recently posted…Inherit Midnight
*nods* EXACTLY! As long as we\’re fair with our flailing and our wailing, right?! I looove reviewing too. I review EVERYTHING even when it doesn\’t get to my blog. (I like that I can talk about books on Goodreads too, of course, hehe) And healthy debate is good, yes, as long as people know HOW to debate (a.k.a don\’t get offended, lol).
Ooh, ooh, YES! THANK YOU for writing this post. I tend to be very critical about books… although I *usually* only bother posting reviews of books I really, really liked, so that I can fangirl. 😀 😀 😀 😀
I really don’t mind reading negative reviews, as long as they are:
A) DETAILED. Reviewers shouldn’t write “lol this book sucked” and expect people to NOT be upset about that. At least offer some constructive criticism, such as “wow, I really couldn’t relate to the main character because the author didn’t understand teenagers very well.”
B) RESPECTFUL. Don’t attack the author in a review… now, if a reviewer has met them, or follows their blog/vlog and maybe doesn’t really like their personality (maybe the author is condescending to people who ask for advice), then I understand that. And I’m not saying that people shouldn’t talk about it, but in a review? It’s just not the place; there are some authors whose personalities rub me the wrong way but I love their writing so any of their idiosyncrasies aren’t going to affect my review.
nevillegirl recently posted…What I Like And Dislike In Literature, Part II: Relationships In Fantasy (Teens Can Write, Too!)
Fangirling is FUN. I tend to feel guilty about negative reviews because (from a writers persepctive hehe) it\’s soooo hard to write a book! BUT THEN SOMETIMES I DON\’T LIKE STUFF AND NEED TO RANT. Equally okay. So long as I\’m nice, right?!
I definitely agree: we need reasons. A crazy gif review of how much a person hated a book isn\’t helpful. Sometimes I honestly wish I never ever met authors. I mean, some are AWESOME and I love them so much…but some authors can be really rude and mean to book bloggers and really turn me off. >.>
I think negative reviews are definitely important. If I see a negative review where the reviewer didn’t like the book because of the twist at the end or the evil main characters, I would probably still read it because that’s the sort of thing I like! But on the other hand I could read a positive review where the reviewer loved that the new girl is in some weird love triangle with a vampire and a werewolf, I probably wouldn’t read it because that’s not really my thing (I think I just described Twilight). You’re right, everything is totally subjective and varies from person to person. Our reviews are our opinions and people might draw different conclusions from them because of their opinions…… I don’t know if any of that made sense, but yeah…
Also, I always find it interesting how in the blogging world there’s this stigma that negative reviews are often better than positive reviews…. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Lara recently posted…Heir of Fire, by Sarah J. Maas || A Spoiler Filled Review
That\’s why we ned reasons, right?! REASONS ARE LIFE. I\’ll avoid a book if someone says it has a bad love-triangle. But if they say the plot was too slow, I still might try it. x)
This is a really interesting discussion. This thought has crossed my mind on more than a few instances (after which I fall into a state where I wonder and ponder about everything life has to offer). Like you, I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, especially with ARCs and such review copies AND WHAT IF THEY SEE IT? Ultimately, it’s not our fault we don’t like it either. It’s no one’s fault. We live in a happy world. Yay.
It will always be somewhat intuitive, but I think it’s okay as along as you’re criticizing what’s in the book as opposed to the people behind the book, which I think is also the limit criticism should go to. And as always, great post, Cait! 😀
Naban recently posted…Bookworm in Distress | The 6 Stages
True! It\’s not our fault! It\’s just us being honest. And *whispers* I don\’t think we are to blame if authors google for reviews. They shouldn\’t be doing that.
Such a great post, Cait!!! I’m totally with you on this! I think we need negative reviews, well let me rephrase… I think we need solid critiquing negative reviews, not ones that are rude, but ones that are professional and coherent and not just ramblings of why we hate such and such book. But I think that we need these kind of reviews because we learn from what we read. We learn about ourselves and our tastes, what others think and say, how to write (BIG TIME!) and how not to write. It’s as simple and complex as that. But even further, we don’t just need negative reviews, we have to read books that we don’t like, and for me, writing out the review of a book helps me realize with greater clarity why I didn’t enjoy the book. Anyways, I don’t know if that made any sense, but yeah! Fantastic post, dear! 🙂
Amanda P. recently posted…DNFing in 5 Easy Steps
Professional and coherent, for sure. Just because it\’s the internet doesn\’t mean we don\’t have to make sense. MAKING SENSE IS GOOD.
I agree with your points on the ideas of the content of a book, but I also just think that sometimes in terms of quality (especially on Amazon, which is where I review, if there’s ever a need) it’s important to give negative reviews, too. I once got a book, and the content didn’t bother me at all and I made sure to say so in my review—but I still gave it two stars, because it had been edited so poorly that I couldn’t really enjoy reading it because there wasn’t font consistency, spell-check, or anything that I would expect from a book that was published as a labor of love.
And… I mean, I know that’s not what you’re getting at, and I also still feel guilty about that review sometimes because the author ended up replying and apologizing and it was awkward and stuff BUT I haven’t taken it down because I still feel like my argument was valid, and it was important for other people to know…
Just… Yeah. Grr. Emotions.
Heather recently posted…WBI: Zira
Ugh, yes, that kind of editing (or lack thereof?) does need to be called out. That\’s the kind of thing that really bothers people (like, um, me) too, so it\’d be helpful to know before spending money.
Absolutely necessary! I find negative reviews just as helpful as positive ones. Plus, they tell you WHY someone hated the book. A lot of times, I will see a two star book and think “yikes, better stay away!” but then I read the review, and perhaps the reason that particular blogger didn’t like the book was something I am completely fine with! OR, maybe I agree wholeheartedly and I am going to avoid this book like the plague. Either way, it’s important. (And yes, they ARE fun to write! Anyone who says otherwise is likely lying.)
I also agree with you on your point about authors. I NEVER mention an author in a negative review. EVER. It simply isn’t fair to criticize someone based on a book. I think critiquing a book is fair game- the author knows going into it that there WILL be negative reviews, even for the most well received of books. But bringing the author’s skill/talent/ability/whatever into it is just not okay. My thought is this: Never, ever make it personal.
Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight recently posted…This Week At Midnight (46)
Sometimes I find negative reviews hilarious and it makes me wnat to read the book anyway. xD And they\’re always always helpful to weed down the never-ending tbr, right?!
Never make it personal. <– best motto ever.
I hate giving negative reviews, I feel bad because the book is someone’s baby. But sometimes it’s necessary, otherwise my review would be a lie. A negative review for me doesn’t mean that is a bad book, only that it is not right for me. I always try and explain why it didn’t work for me and if I can state the positive things that stood out.
Charlotte recently posted…Feature: Monthly Round-up! January 2015
Exactly! A book is always SOMEONE\’S baby…and usually it has like an entire publishing house behind it too that obviously believed in it…So it feels awkward to hate on it. But still. We have rights to not like every book. It\’s called having different tastes, right?!
This is a great post. I actually appreciate negative reviews more sometimes because I feel that they are very honest. Especially if you take the time to really break down the ways you don’t like the book. I think the hardest reviews to write are books that you didn’t like, but the writing was still good. That it was a matter of personal taste. I’ve read several books in a row that fall into this category, including one that everyone seems to love but I really didn’t like it.
oh, yes, for sure! Like when the book just didn\’t click with you but there\’s nothing really \”wrong\” with it? Those are so hard to write. 0.0
I 100% agree with your views! I don’t review books much (or at all, really), but if I become an author I will want people who didn’t like my book to tell me why. No, I won’t want to hear, “Because it was just awful and terrible and your writing sucked and the characters were dumb!”, but something more like, “I personally think the romantic relationship between character A and character B was a bit lacking and distracted from the overall plot.” would be totally ok with me! I think you handle the negative reviews wonderfully, too. You explain why you didn’t like the book (even flail over not liking it;P), but you never bash the author or tell them they did their job wrong!
Jordan @ Dream Big. Dream Out Loud recently posted…17 Things I Don’t Think You Know About Me
I\’m going to try and not look at negative reviews at all if I ever get published. >_< IT\'S TOO HARD! One negative review can destroy a day even if you read 50 good ones, right?!
damn right! Plus, sometimes we just need to *vent*! If I had a crappy day at work, I’m allowed to vent to my boyfriend, right? It’s not an insult to my boss or colleagues… I just want to get it off my chest. Likewise, if I’ve read a book that I personally hated, sometimes I also want to vent to fellow readers.
Amanda recently posted…The Miniaturist: Review by Samantha
YES! TRUE! Venting should be okay! I like a little vent occasionally too. 😉
I completely and wholeheartedly agree. I wrote a post about this awhile ago and my thoughts were pretty much the same. All opinions are valid and have got to be helpful to at least one person. Great point about learning tastes too, I know a few bloggers who always share my feelings about books so I know if they dislike something, I will too. I actually think mediocre/negative reviews have a lot of value because they will talk about the issues so I can decide about the book for myself, which is better (for me) than I loved this book, I loved that book, I love all the books.
Alise recently posted…January 2015 Wrap Up
It\’s great to find those blogging buddies were you agree on so many reads, right?! IT\’S HANDY! Weeds down that endless TBR. x)
This post was super interesting and informing, I totally agree with every single one of your points! And although it does make me feel a bit bad when sending a review off to someone when it’s negative, I know that I can’t lie and pretend that it’s the best thing I’ve ever been sent ever.
AND CAIT, okay so this will sound a lil odd, but, when I woke up this morning I was thinking about your blog. not just your blog as a whole though, but about how you switched your url and name and had to move the posts and whatnot. Basically, I hope that I can switch my blog over in two years to turn into a travel blog because I just want to travel, but I’ve written some good posts and I don’t want to lose traffic if people can’t search on the web and find them, like what happened last time. LONG STORY SHORT, I was wondering if you could be super crazy awesome and kind of talk me through what you did? you know I think your blog is geniusly genius and I think you would love to let me know how you did it without breaking the internet (; Thank you thank you thank you in advance, you are super duper awesome c:
Amy~
It gives me sadness too.
Do my comment replies come to you? I can TOTALLY talk to you about switching! My bro-in-law did a lot of it, but I can always ask him questions too. Omg, 😉 Im glad you enjoy my blog so much. Did you want to email me?? My email is on my contact page.
Cait yes yes yes thank you, I’ll email you c:
I write negative reviews, not because I have something against the author, and I make very sure not to make it personal. But if I’ve spent time reading a bad book, I want to warn other people against it, in case they were gonna read it too. And also when I don’t like a book, it doesn’t mean that nobody else will like it either. Sometimes I read negative reviews, and all the things this person doesn’t like are things I usually like, so even if the review was negative, I still wanna read the book.
I think it’s important that we’re just HONEST when we review. (:
– Love, Felicia
Felicia (asillygirl) recently posted…Chapter 39: How I sougt comfort from his Best Friend
But mostly I agree with you 😀
Felicia (asillygirl) recently posted…Chapter 39: How I sougt comfort from his Best Friend
YES! Honesty is what we need! It gets confusing when things aren\’t completely honest…
Everything you said here are absolutely true, Cait! When we make negative reviews, what we’re actually talking about are the things we don’t like. We get to know ourselves better, others get to know us better, and it’s really not the book’s fault, you know? You just can’t please everyone. I love negative reviews because I know I have things that I don’t like and stay away from, and I really appreciate it when a blogger or reviewer takes the time explaining what made the book and from there I will know whether the book will work or not for me, too.
Faye M. recently posted…ARC Video Review: Half the World by Joe Abercrombie
YES! It\’s not the book\’s fault….I think sometimes it\’s us learning what we like/dislike, too. Sometimes it\’s even easier to write negative reviews. x) I find it easier to explain my frustrations that sum up my endless flailing. x)
Agree. agree. agree. agree. I really hate it when people put down negative reviews. Like sure some reviews do maybe go way too far, and we shouldn’t go way too far with our reviews, but all other negative reviews ARE IMPORTANT. Important for learning what you like, don’t like, expressing that opinion so that other people can discuss with you or know what’s in a book. I read reviews so that I can find THE PERFECT book for me. So yeah. I NEED MY NEGATIVE REVIEWS.
And also I’m not going to lie or anything, but I also need negative reviews for entertainment. BAM I SAID IT.
Valerie recently posted…Stacking the Shelves #20
THEY ARE IMPORTANT! I think everyone should be mature enough to realise we\’re not all going to love the same stuff, right?! X)
I\’M NOT GONNA LIE: NEGATIVE REVIEWS CAN BE FUN TO WRITE.
FANTASTIC POST, CAIT! I like reading negative reviews and they are fun to write, even though I feel bad because I know an author pours all their time into their book and it makes me feel guilty for writing about why I don’t like it, but if that’s how I viewed the book, then I am entitled to voice my opinion. I think negative reviews are fine as long as you don’t bash the author! I like reading positive reviews AND negative reviews, as I can then see what the book has that I’ll love and what the book has that I won’t love and will have to be slightly cautious of. Also, negative reviews can help us decide if that book is really for us or not!
Kyra recently posted…Personal Post #1: Aching Teeth and Anxiety
We are all entitled to opinions and differing tastes and just…we can all be different and not feel bad/ashamed for it, right?! I like balance.
I think it’s important to always stay honest. I think it’s a good way to show your taste in books and it’s a way to connect with other people who have the same thoughts. I also use negative reviews to see if a book will work for me and I hope that mine can do the same for someone else. With all the new publications it’s a good way to filter out books that probably won’t work for me. It saves time and a lot of money.
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Fairytale News 46. My bullying story.
Yessss! We HAVE to find ways to wittle down the endless TBR right?!
Hmm, I also do negative reviews, because I actually think it’s funny. Yeah, I’m a poor little bookworm with no life… but the difference is, that the author isn’t my mom and I don’t need his or her love, whereas I need my mom, no matter how worse her cinnamon cookies (or whatever, my mom actually doesn’t make them) are
It\’s not because you have no life! We\’re entitled to dislike things. We have freedom! XD I actually like cinnamon muffins…and my mum read this and thought I didn\’t. *facepalm* Worst example ever.
Writing negative reviews depresses me too. Unless I REALLY hated the book, then I might get snarky. But I agree, when it’s an ARC that you’ve written a negative review for, things get awkward.
But I do think that they are necessary. I know some people don’t review books that they didn’t like, but I do it for myself and my blogging friends. That way, like you said, I can find like-minded bloggers, and I can analyze what didn’t work for me in a a book, so that I know to stay far far far far far far away from it next time.
Amber Elise recently posted…Weekly Wrap Up: January 25-January 31, 2015
It\’s the most awful feeling when you\’re writing a review for an obscure ARC and…um…NO ONE ELSE HAS REVIEWED IT. And you start off the Goodreads with a 2-star review. Ohhh, I\’ve done that and felt sos so bad. >_<
I dunno, I think negative reviews definitely need to be out there, because some stuff legitimately sucks. BUUUUUUUUUUT I think it needs to be respectful. Like don’t dis the author because you didn’t like the book or the premise. If you don’t like it, say so, but don’t be a jerk about it.
(you aren’t BTW)
BUUUUUUUUUUT. yeah.
SOOOOOOOO yeah.
Read Bartemaeus
Treskie recently posted…Picture Saturday — I haz a frazzle
YAY. I AM GLAD I\’M NOT A JERK. I LIVE IN FEAR OF BEING JERKY.
The third point! Is! So! Freaking! Important!!!!!!!!
(It’s important enough to warrant many, many exclamation points.)
As a writer + blogger, I’ve learned so much from reading/writing negative reviews. Sometimes I actually go out of my way to read books that have received negative reviews – that way I can see what the blogger was talking about, figure out what it looks like in writing, and check my own work to see if I’ve been unconsciously making the same mistake. Bit of an unexpected perk of the book blogging community, but no less appreciated!
Also, sometimes I just like snarking about books I hated, because I can be mean like that. (Sue me. ;))
Topaz recently posted…Goodbye, YA Asylum
YAY FOR EXCLAMATION POINTS !!!!!!! I LOVE THEM TOO. And I totally read books that have been reviewed negatively too…curiosity killed the cat?!
I’m all for negative reviews. For one, they are way easier to write than positive reviews. I just find it easier to point out the things I didn’t like about a book, because when I try to gush about a book, I always feel I’m not doing it justice. There’s also the matter of constructive criticism. Okay, so not ALL of my negative reviews have constructive criticism, but I do try. Unless it’s really bad and you’ve pissed me off. It’s cathartic. Like you said, it gives people an idea of what you thought, which is really handy for such bookish twins. But in the end, they’re absolutely subjective, so I will probably still go and read the book to form my own opinion on it. Unless it’s really bad.
Inge @ Bookshelf Reflections recently posted…Review: Rose Tinted by Shannen Crane Camp
THEY ARE EASIER TO WRITE! I feel bad about that but…it\’s easier to sum up your feelings of hate than flailing wails, right?! x) It\’s super handy to have bookish twins.
Eeeep Cait I’m so behind, but firstly, I LOVE the new blog design it’s so clean and yet artsy!
Secondly, I really agree with this post. I never write a negative review to critique the author them self, but it’s more my opinion of their writing. So I guess I’m critiquing their work just like we walk into a museum and critique a piece of art and go “oh I see what the artist is trying to say here and I get it” < or not. Either way.
I definitely use negative reviews to see other people's tastes and just like you love your crime and lyrical writing, I can't stand for insta-love or stuff that happens too quickly where the MC just accepts stuff without a proper build-up. I'm a sucker for lyrical writing too.
And yes no 2 books are created equal and that's WHY we all like different things. We can't like everything haha.
Great post!
Eep!, Thanks, Jaz! So glad you like the design. 😉 I\’m quite fond of it too. hehe.
Sometimes I read books and I sit there thinking, \”I know I\’m just not clicking with the book and it\’s me not it,\” and that makes reviewing so HARD.
YESSSS! We are not editors. We are reviewers, and our reviews are purely based on what we did and didn’t enjoy. I think it’s also so that you can pick out points that you didn’t enjoy, which may be points that other people may actually enjoy too! They are so important.
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence recently posted…The Ring and the Crown by Melissa De La Cruz Review: Historical romance soap opera
EXACTLY! WE ARE READRES NOT PROFESSIONALS. And sometimes I think this is why authors get so offended at negative reviews. They think we\’re saying they should be better…when we\’re just saying we\’re not the right reader for their book.
Wow this topic. I was thinking about it the other day.
When I first started this book-reviewing malarkey I didn’t really care much about how I review books. My take on reviews was that they were opinions (and so should be taken with a pinch of salt) and that my reviews were my opinions on books. But then ratings happened and I found that I didn’t know why I rated books the way I did except that I had just closed the book and those conflicting emotions at the end compelled me to choose between 2 stars and 5 stars. Gosh.
And then I started thinking about why I write reviews anyway. I mean, do I have the right to write reviews – and why? I’m not an awesome word-churner, nor do I have a Masters in Creative Writing or something. So what gives me the right to say you’re book was awesome and that person’s book wasn’t. And what reasonings do I have behind my thoughts?
It’s confusing – but yes I like negative reviews. But I’ve got to say, one thing my negative reviews lack is respect. Respect for a writer who has written a book, respect because I need to keep in mind that that one book this author has written isn’t at all representative of how writerly they are as a person. Respect because on the book-writing terms I’m not any better than them, and I don’t even know how to define success in books.
But yes, still important to write reviews, negative ones as well. These are my reviews, my opinions and the publishing industry are starting to view mass reviews that keep up the hype (negative reviews do hype up stories too after all) as a good thing, no matter what sort of literacy background you have.
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I think negative reviews are important because it can prevent people from investing in a book they won’t enjoy. Like for example, there’s a couple of reviewer who have more or less the same taste as I and I know that if they didn’t like a book, there’s a high chance I won’t like it either. Obviously, you can criticize the book all you want but not the author. I mean there’s no reason why a review should get personal. Besides, I think every authors put their heart and soul in their craft.
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I agree so much with all of your points, it is so daunting writing a negative review I get really bummed when I don’t like a book let alone when I have to send my review to publisher. I do whole hearted agree with you on the reason why I think negative review are so important and that is so if readers who like similar things see it they don’t later down the track buy a book they are bound to hate. Thanks for the great topic Cait!
Katie @ Reading In The Roses recently posted…Book Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
Aw, Cait, you should have just come straight out and told me you didn’t like the muffins. At least now I know.
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I DO LIKE MUFFINS. That was an example. I quite like cinnamon muffins, actually.
I think part of the problem is that the term “negative review” just sounds so … negative. I prefer the term “critical review” and those are the kinds of reviews I like to read: the ones that discuss aspects of the book that the readers liked, and those that they didn’t. A review that looks at what the book was trying to accomplish and whether or not it succeeded.
But okay, okay… I guess if there was absolutely nothing that a reviewer liked about a book, then maybe the review would be negative. I would claim that I don’t write negative reviews only in that if I detest a book completely, I quit reading it. (Life is way too short to aggravate myself that much!) If I finish a book, there was definitely something (or a lot!) in there that I liked.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
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I think you have every write to talk about how a book made you feel, whether you disliked it or not. Don’t feel guilty, because you’re a person and experience a range when reading or just in every day life. Don’t only document the good.
I had a book club and all our most interesting conversations happened around books someone didn’t like. it was great to compare perspectives when one person liked it and another didn’t. It was great to get to know what people like and don’t like in their books. And, yes, it was an amazing way to figure out what not to do in my own writing.
When I’m looking for a new book I’m more likely to read the negative reviews than the positive ones. If its someone I know, then “I loved it!” has weight. But if not, identifying the things someone didn’t like is much more helpful. Because if I don’t like those things either, or if I don’t mind those things, I have a much clearer basis to decide if I want to give a book a try.
Authors and publicists probably don’t like negative reviews. But I kind of think they can be a reader’s best asset.
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YESSSS SO SO IMPORTANT! Definitely the bit about bookish twins. Like Sue and I are pretty much one person and we rely on one another. We have the same tastes and the same personal morals and views and honestly, chances are if she raves, I rave. And vice versa. Negative reviews are SO important because they honestly save us SO MUCH TIME. And there’s so much out there to read!
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I actually don’t like reading or writing negative reviews. They just aren’t enjoyable to me – if I skim anything at all, it’s a negative review. Literally, I’ll read one or two lines and then I’m done. I do appreciate them though (or some of them) because a helpful negative review will still help a reader to know whether or not they’ll like the book. If anything, I think negative reviews are harder to write.
I agree with all of your reasons and I have a few of my own as well.
There’s nothing wrong with a negative review in my opinion. I think that there’s no shame in the simple fact that you might not have enjoyed a book. I publish every review I write on my blog because I don’t really see the point in, I guess, “censoring” my opinions. Plus I’m pretty picky in my reading so that probably would result in super unreliable review post schedules.
Plus, it gives readers an idea of what you are like. Everything I write is kind of like a piece of my personality and the way I express dislike and like both give readers an idea of who I am as a person. Every post is an opportunity to carve out more of your niche in the blogosphere and tell who you are on a blog.
Building off of what you said about discussions, I agree! People may or may not have liked a book but usually there is always at least one thing that may have been good in a novel. I know that if I agreed with everybody on every book, my book discussions would probably just be incoherent fangirling before it sputtered out to an awkward silence. Debate and discussion is fun!
This might get me a couple of enemies but if an author does read negative reviews, they might give them feedback on what a general demographic thought about their book. Of course, it may not be entirely representative of the book’s “rating” (which like you said, is entirely subjective) but it’s still better than just nothing.
At the end of the day, negative review or not, it still raises public knowledge of a book. And that is precisely what publishers want, is it not?
Great post, Cait! It really made me think about what I thought about giving negative reviews.
Kelly @ Dancing Through the Pages
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I agree with your reasons, Cait! Also there are readers who read similar books and have a very similar taste, so if that one reader reads a review of reader #2 and finds out the reader #2 didn’t like the book, the reader has like a warning or something that she/he should really think about whether it will be a good book for her/him or not. There are so many books out there and I know I’m not going to read all of it so I make sure to read reviews first sometimes from book bloggers who I have similar taste with before I purchase the book. If a lot of people wrote a negative review on it, then I won’t pick it up.
Leigh @ Little Book Star recently posted…Review: The Conspiracy of Us (Untitled #1) by Maggie Hall
I am in favour of your views.
I think negative reviews are very helpful for learning about what elements are in a book based on everyone’s reading preferences. For example, if you don’t like love triangles, and a book has one, a negative review will likely mention it, while a positive one may be too focused on fangirling to actual mention the triangle.
I find negative reviews are often more helpful for finding books that I may like because of this.
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I LOVE writing negative reviews, is that bad? I don’t know, I just get pleasure from being able to get all my feelings down about a book when I hated it. I wasted hours of my life and don’t feel like I was rewarded for it… I’ve earned my right to moan haha. But yes, I am all for negative reviews. I wouldn’t trust a reviewer who only posted positive reviews, I’d feel like they were being dishonest.
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I agree with your post! I think there’s a place and need for negative reviews and that we are entitled to be negative in our reviews.
True, we are not all writers or editors. We are not experts in the craft of writing. But books are written for us, readers, to read. So we are the target audience of the book, the ones the book is trying to reach. As such, our opinions matter.
As you rightly pointed out, reading a book is a subjective experience. Everyone has different opinions and everyone’s opinions matter.
I think negative reviews are necessary to help other readers decide whether the book in question is whether one they’ll be interested in.
In our reviews, I think it would be polite and courteous to critique the book instead of the author so as to avoid the review looking like a personal attack.
Jessica @ Jessica’s Rainbow Inspiration recently posted…Book Review: My Japanese Husband Thinks I’m Crazy! by Grace Buchele Mineta
You’re so on point, Cait. I used to not write negative reviews and focus on the more positive points of the books I read. But I find that I can’t avoid it because as a reviewer, I have to be honest. But I do try to make it constructive and not harsh to the author because like you said, we’re just stating our opinions. It’s subjective, some people may like a book that I hated. That’s the beauty of it.
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Hi Cait, just wanted to let you know that I included this post as one of my favourites of this month in my February Wrap-Up (http://ablondelibrarian.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/february-wrap-up.html). Also, your Maze Runner post – because…just because I love seeing someone loves that series as much as I love it…..award for the most times someone has written love in one sentence x
Lauren recently posted…February Wrap-Up
Awww, thanks, Lauren! I'M HONOURED.
I think negative reviews are fine, as long as they aren’t cruel. There are some seriously cruel and unfair reviewers on goodreads that I kinda wish a good stubbing their toe on a doorframe.
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