How to Write a (good) Book Review

Introduction

In a world where we thrive on connection and the need to relate to others, the sharing of experiences holds immense significance. We, as humans, find comfort in engaging with others through various forms of reviews, whether it be product reviews, music reviews, or movie reviews. And, apparently, there are also some.. nerds that write/read book reviews. That'll be our topic today.. I guess 🙄

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How to Write a (good)

Book Review

Presemted by: Anzali Hanane - Ahachi Rania - Khnaijer Siham - Tifaf Asmae - El Kehil Sara - Hasnaoui Amine

OUTLINE

Types of Book Reviews

Definition: What's a Book Review?

Introduction

Planning your Book Review

Book Review Sample

Considerations for writing the B.R.

Practice Stage: Writing

Structure of a Book Review

Definition: What's a Book Review?

Definition: What's a Book Review?

A book review is a critical analysis and evaluation of a book, providing a concise summary of its content, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, and offering an informed opinion on its overall quality and relevance. It serves as a guide for potential readers, helping them decide whether or not the book is worth their time and providing insights into its themes, writing style, and impact.

Basically.. - A written opinion of what you think of a certain book as well as an accompanying summary. - A form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style and merit.

Types of Book Reviews

Types of Book Reviews

There are WAY TOO MANY types of book reviews,

1. Literary criticism2. Consumer review 3. Professional review 4. Academic review 5. Comparative review 6. Opinion review

7. Preview review 8. Retrospective review 9. Book club review 10. Sponsored Review 11. User-generated reviews 12. Summary reviews

Types of Book Reviews

There are WAY TOO MANY types of book reviews,

1. Literary criticism2. Consumer review 3. Professional review 4. Academic review 5. Comparative review 6. Opinion review

7. Preview review 8. Retrospective review 9. Book club review 10. Sponsored Review 11. User-generated reviews 12. Summary review

Types of Book Reviews

Opinion review

Summary review

More subjective in nature and focus on the reviewer's personal opinion and emotional response to the book. They often highlight the reviewer's likes, dislikes, and personal connection to the story or characters.

These reviews provide a concise summary of the book's plot, characters, and main themes without extensive analysis. They aim to give readers a quick overview of the book's content and may include a brief opinion on its overall quality.

Literary criticism

focuses on analyzing the literary elements of a book, such as the writing style, use of symbolism, and character development. Literary criticism reviews are often written by experts in the field of literature and are intended for an academic audience.

Planning Your Book Review

Planning Your Book Review

Before you start writing, it is essential to plan your book review effectively. You need to create an essay outline, which includes all of the main points you wish to summarise in your book analysis. Include information about the characters, details of the plot, and some other important parts of your chosen novel. Reserve a body paragraph for each point you wish to talk about.

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Consider these points before writing:

1. Consider the target audience: Tailor your review to the intended readers, whether they are casual readers or academics.2. What is the plot of the book? Understanding the plot enables you to write an effective review. 3. Is the plot gripping? Does the plot make you want to continue reading the novel? Did you enjoy the plot? Does it manage to grab a reader’s attention?

Consider these points before writing:

4. Are the writing techniques used by the author effective? Does the writer imply factors in-between the lines? What are they?5. Are the characters believable? Are the characters logical? Does the book make the characters real while reading?6. Would you recommend the book to anyone? The most important thing: would you tell others to read this book? Is it good enough? Is it bad?

Considerations for Writing the Book Review

Considerations for Writing the Book Review

When writing your book review, keep the following aspects in mind:

• Consider the book's context, including the author's background and previous works.
• Support your claims with evidence and examples from the book.
• Proofread your review for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
• Consider reading other book reviews for inspiration and to understand different approaches.

• Maintain a professional and respectful tone throughout your review.
• Use appropriate language and avoid excessive personal bias.
• Provide a recommendation based on your target audience and the book's merits.

Considerations for Writing the Book Review

When writing your book review, keep the following aspects in mind:

• NO SPOILERS!!!!! (Be mindful of potential spoilers and avoid revealing major plot twists)

Well there's these things called books.... They are like TV for smart people.

Robert Redford

Book Review Sample: The Alchemist

My rating: 5 stars

The Alchemist is written by the Brazilian author Paulo Coelho in 1988. It was initially written and published in Portuguese. It is an international bestseller and has been translated to more than 70 languages. The book is relatively short having around 167 pages only. The cover of the books is appealing and cryptic. The design aims to showcase the mystery of the adventure that will happen in story. The theme of the book is about finding one’s destiny or purpose in life.The story is about a Shepherd boy from Spain whose name is Santiago. He keeps getting the same dream about treasures that are lying in the Pyramids of Egypt. He embarks on a journey to follow his dream after meeting an old king who offers him magic stones and advice. Santiago crosses the Mediterranean and Sahara to find his treasures in Egypt and accomplish his personal legend, which is his purpose in life. The book details his journey and the various encounters he experiences when following his dream. Throughout the journey, Santiago meets many new people and many struggles that ultimately helps him to learn and grow the entire way. The question that always runs to your mind while reading the book is: Does he find the treasures in the Pyramids of Egypt? My favourite quote from this book is “Love is not to be found in someone else but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person.” Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist The Alchemist is a fantastic book and the storytelling is beautiful. The choice of words are impeccable, full of wisdom and philosophy. I totally loved it. The story is very enchanting and bursts with optimism which I think is very important in our lives. The book shows that the journey to your destiny is as important as the destiny itself. I love how the book emphasizes on the importance of faith, hope and spirituality through the story of an ordinary boy. I think this book appeals to everyone because we all have dreams and sometimes we just want someone to tell us that they may come true. Overall, The Alchemist is a very exciting fiction novel that deserves a space at everyone’s bookshelf.

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Structure of a Book Review

Structure of a Book Review

2. Body

1. Introduction

• You can use quotations from the author’s novel. • Summarize the quotations in your own words. • Mention your own point-of-view of the quotation. • A summary of the book and an analysis • Include your own pov and the way you interpret the story.

• Mention the author’s name. • Mention the title; you can discuss briefly its meaning • Describe the book cover. • Include any information of the book itself at this stage. • Write a thesis statement regarding the story that will interest readers.

4. Rate the Book (Optional)

3. Conclusion

After writing a book review, you may want to include a rating. Including a star-rating provides further insight into the quality of the book. Book reviews with star-ratings can be more effective. However, this is entirely optional.

• A summary of what has been said. • Finish with a concluding sentence. • Include your final opinion of the book. After writing a summary, finish the book analysis with a concluding sentence to show the bigger picture of the book. Think to yourself, “Is it worth reading?”, and answer the question.

Practice Stage: Writing

Write a book review of the latest book you read .

Correct your partner’s piece of writing using this checklist :

THANKS!

No questions? Great!