I just read an article that really provoked a reaction (those are the best kinds, right?). It was posted by the New York Times and the title was "Do we really need negative book reviews?" The article has an opinion written from both sides. On one side, there is an author who stated that people should not write negative reviews. Ever. And on the other side, the author makes the point that negative reviews can be helpful.
Now I do know just how hard writers' work on their craft, so I really hate it when I dislike a book. Negative reviews are not a sign that readers don't have respect for the craft or for their work. The truth is that not everyone is going to fall in love with your work. Some of the criticism will be helpful and some won't (I do really hate negative reviews that say "the book sucks" because it doesn't offer up anything constructive). Personally, when I write a negative review on my blog I try my best to offer constructive criticism. And I do talk about what works for me, if anything. I think the only time I don't do a full review of a book is if I mark it DNF. I do feel that if I didn't read the entire book, I can't really offer a complete picture of what did and didn't work.
Not only can negative reviews be helpful to the author, but they can be helpful to readers. I know I am not the only book blogger to talk about the large number of books on my TBR. It is getting out of control! I just read a book and published a review for Seeker, a book I was very interested in at first. But if I had read other bloggers' reviews beforehand, I would never have made the request through NetGalley and that would have been one less book on my TBR. If people who dislike books refuse to write about those books, I lose some trust. If there are things about a book that don't work, then readers should know before they waste their time. And the writer should know. Maybe there is some constructive criticism that could help them with their next book.
Maybe this is a topic for a separate blog post, but I actually find it much easier to write a negative review of a book than a positive one. Last week I finished I'll Give You The Sun and I still haven't written the review. Why? Because I am finding it so hard to put into words just how much I loved the book. There are only so many ways that I can tell you guys: "I love this book!!" and "Read this now!!!" (But in all seriousness, that was a freaking amazing book.) When I write a negative review, however, it is much easier to tell you guys what I didn't like about it (like my review of). It is easy to say what didn't work for me (plot, characters, etc), but not so easy to say what did work.
Do you think negative reviews are necessary? Does anyone else find it easier to write negative reviews than positive ones?
As a writer, I've been on the receiving end of a negative review and it's not fun! But negative reviews can be helpful if done correctly - give a good reason and maybe put in something that you liked about the book as well! A blanket statement that the book sucks does nothing for anyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input Holly, you are so right. I know when I am reading others' reviews on Amazon. I roll my eyes when I see "this book sucks, don't buy it." That does not help the reader or the author.
Deleteoops, forgot my link!! http://hollykerr.ca/monday-musings-4-books-recommend/
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, negative reviews are necessary. Book bloggers don't get a kick out of writing negative reviews, we know how much effort an author puts into creating a book, but if it isn't good for whatever reason, whether that be writing, plot, characters, whatever, the review needs to be a truthful reaction to the book.
ReplyDeleteI also find it much easier to write a negative review than a positive one, you're right there are only so many ways to say 'this book was fantastic'.
Thanks for your input bookenthral.com, I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds it easier to write the negative reviews! I hate doing it though. :)
DeleteTurning the question around, I wonder how people would react if it was "Should there be overly positive reviews?" I think the best reviews are those that are balanced and offer constructive commentary on the positive and negative points of a book. And that can offer insights into why the reviewer liked or didn't like the book (or other form of art).
ReplyDeleteVery good point nashvillebookworm. I think there are very few books that had absolutely zero issues. No writer is perfect, right?
DeleteI don't like writing negative reviews but do think I should share what does not work. Like you it is much harder to say why I loved a book than to say why I did not love a book.
ReplyDeleteJC Jones, thanks for your input. Yeah I don't enjoy writing negative reviews but I think they can be helpful.
DeleteI think negative reviews that are well-written and thoughtful are helpful to potential readers. I don't honestly believe an author is going to read a negative review I write and find something helpful in it, but I do appreciate honest reactions from other bloggers, good and bad, as those help me figure out whether I want to actually spend time on a book, especially one that I might not have heard of before. The only negative reviews that I don't like are the ones that are either nasty toward the author him/herself or the ones that go overboard in a "look at me!" sort of way.
ReplyDeletebookshelffantasies.com, you are very right. Considering there may be hundreds or even thousands of reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, I doubt that the author reads all of them. They are probably more helpful to readers than the author. And I hate the overtly insulting negative reviews as well. If you are going to write a negative review, at least make it a constructive one.
DeleteNegative reviews can be helpful if they include remarks about what works or doesn't work for the reader. And every review should include something positive...right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...and here is my MUSINGS POST
Thanks Creations! And yes, I agree that every review should include some strengths if possible. There are very few books I have read that have ZERO strengths. I can usually find at least one thing that I like.
DeleteI think that purely negative (mean and ranty) reviews aren't that helpful. But purely positive reviews (super gushy) aren't all that helpful either. I think what many readers want in a review is just an honest reaction -- what we loved about the book and maybe what we didn't love as much. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics
Thanks for the input Jen! I do agree with your points - everyone does have different tastes after all. It is important to be as specific as possible. And if I happen to dislike a writers' use of a specific POV, another reader may love that type of writing style.
DeleteI think negative reviews are just as important as positive ones, although if I were an author, I'd probably feel differently after having peeps bash my baby. They need to be constructive, and sometimes what one person didn't enjoy can be another's must have, so it's a win/win either way. I also find it easier to write a 3 star post vs a 5 star one.
ReplyDeleteCarmel @ Rabid Reads
I agree with you completely Carmel. I am writing a book now and I don't even want to tell the plot to anyone yet because of the possibility of criticism. I don't even want to think about what I will be like when I finish it. Ha
DeleteWhen I write negative reviews I try to state what I did and didn't like about the book. Because even if I didn't like the book overall, there are usually at least one or more aspects that I did enjoy. Negative reviews happen because not everyone has the same tastes in books. Needless to say, this is an interesting topic to discuss.
ReplyDeleteVery good point Breana. I try to do that as well. I would hate to write a review where every single thing was bad!
DeleteI'm with you--I like to qualify my reviews with reasons I liked or disliked the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kwizgiver, glad I am not the only one!
DeleteI think there are 2 kinds of reviewers: those who review for authors, and those who review for other readers. Those who review for authors are usually those who refuse to write anything negative and usually are the ones with the opinion that negative reviews are unnecessary and mean and bullying which I think is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, those who write for other readers (which is who reviews are REALLY for if you ask me), will most definitely write reviews regardless of how much they liked or disliked a book. Because they know that it will let other readers know if they will be equally in love or hate with this book. Let's say you always hate certain aspects in books, seeing someone complain about them in a review will tell you that book won't be for you. So in that sense, writing negative reviews could actually avoid the book getting more bad reviews.
The point of a review is to attract or dissuade like-minded people towards/against a book. If there are only positive reviews, the book is not really reaching its audience. It's trying to wrongfully attract ALL readers and there is not 1 book in the universe that is loved by all. I actually feel the same about those blurbs on covers that say things like "better than The Hunger Games", like, no. Don't even try!
You are so right Giselle! And personally, I write my reviews more for other readers than the author. And if there is a blogger that likes a lot of the same books I do, I will probably listen to them a little bit more if they give a negative review. And yes, I agree with you about comparing books to other very famous ones. It always sets my expectations too high and then I am disappointed.
DeleteI had received a book review request from a group a few months ago that said they did not want 'unnecessarily negative reviews'. I agreed to review a book for them and unfortunately didn't like it at all. The agonies of trying to find good points about the writing gave me a couple of sleepless nights and I swore never to promise to write stuff I do not agree with. So yes, I agree with most of the fellow bloggers with the idea that negative reviews are a must. So many times I have picked up or left books on the basis of reviews I read from people who share the same interests as me and have never been disappointed. And I agree, writing a negative review does not mean we do not appreciate the hard work that goes into writing a book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input malvikajaswal! Of course I wonder what that person meant by "unnecessarily negative reviews." I am sure every author loves and adores their book and probably feels negative reviews are unnecessary. I don't think I could agree to something like that. Lesson learned though, right? :)
DeleteI think negative reviews are definitely defintiely needed...but not for the author. As the reader, I actually don't think it's our place to offer the author critisim at all. Writing is ART! Everyone appreciates art differently! So I don't think an author "wrote it wrong"... What I DO think negative reviews are for is...us. I find bloggers and readers with similar tastes to me so when they hate a book and review it negatively I can go, "oh, well we love so many of the same books that I'd probably not like that book either". And then I don't waste my time. XD
ReplyDeleteLove this discussion topic!
Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
Very good point Cait! Everyone's tastes are different so the fact that some people dislike it doesn't mean the author really did anything wrong. Personally, I do write reviews for readers way more than authors. And if there is a fellow blogger who likes a lot of the same books that I do, then I am more likely to listen a bit more to their negative review.
DeleteI don't think a blogger HAS to write negative reviews and it's a decision we all have to make for ourselves. I do write them but I don't snark and always try to explain exactly why it didn't work. And for me it's important to remember who I write reviews for and that is myself mostly and I want to keep an accurate record of my feels for the book. Then for any blog readers and again I want to be honest in my opinions. And I don't really take the author into account as I'm not writing reviews for them and I do think if they put a book out there, they need to be ready for good and bad reviews. So for me those negative reviews are needed when I think of who I'm blogging for. But each to their own!
ReplyDeleteThat is very true Trish. I hate when I dislike any book, which is why I try my very best to list some strengths along with the weaknesses. Personally, I do write reviews way more for readers than authors. I do think, though, that some people are afraid to offend the author with a negative review. But if you are going to be a writer, you have to be prepared for criticism.
DeleteI feel like negative reviews are just as necessary as positive reviews. It just shows the variety of opinions people have on books and why they feel that way.
ReplyDeleteRachel @ A Perfection Called Books
Thanks for your input Rachel! Everyone's tastes are different but if there are things you feel didn't work in the book, it should be communicated to other readers.
DeleteWriting negative reviews is necessary... Just as necessary as writing a positive review of a book. I think that it is easier to write negative reviews sometimes than positive reviews, but not always... If you don't like a book you've read, then yes, you need to state why you don't like it... Just like when you love/like a book you need to give reasons why you loved/liked reading it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Captivated Reader! Glad that someone else finds it a little easier to write a negative review. :) I really try my best to write positives as well as the negatives for every book. I think other readers can benefit from that.
DeleteI actually get really irritated when authors say that there shouldn't be any negative reviews. I read a post from one and it was absolutely ridiculous. I didn't comment or anything, but I was like "yep! Never buying ANYTHING from this author."
ReplyDeleteFact is, we are allowed to do what we want. Once a book goes out, authors have NO control over what happens next. The reception could be good or it could be bad. Either way, the book's already out. There are no take backs or revisions to be done. This being said, reviews aren't for the author.
I think they're for the readers, for the people who are thinking "is this book worth taking a chance on." Like, for example, the review on Twilight are a mix of good and bad [all those Teenage fangirls!] So i went with a reviewer I trusted and it was a good idea.
Negative reviews are just as important as positive. And it could also end up saving someone else money.
Yes you are so right to all of this!! I know writers put a lot of work into their craft, but if they aren't prepared for negative reviews then they shouldn't publish their work. Everyone's tastes are so different and it is impossible without finding at least one person who hates your book. I wouldn't buy anything from that author either.
DeleteNegative reviews are so much easier to write! It sucks but it's the truth. I always have a hard time explaing why I love a book as opposed to why I hated it.
ReplyDeleteI think negative reviews are important. I read negative reviews because what bothered one person might not bother me. For instance, I don't like kids in books. I might not like a book because of that, but someone else might not be bothered by it. Great topic post!
Thanks Nereyda! I'm so glad I am not the only one who feels that way. I feel guilty because I do hate writing the negative reviews. But with a positive review, there are only so many ways to say "I love it." Ha. I know that if there is a blogger who likes a lot of the same books that I do, then I may give their negative review a bit more weight. But it's always good to look at the other side. When I am deciding to buy a book, I always look at the negative reviews as well as the positive ones. Sometimes they sway me and sometimes they don't.
DeleteOne of the first posts I did this year was about writing negative reviews and how important they are. I'm a big believer in them. Sucks when you have to write one but oh it makes me so mad when I pick up a book that's got amazing ratings and it ends up being awful and then once I post or say something like everyone I know who has read it goes oh yeah I read that and it was terrible but I don't write negative reviews. Oh my word. So ticked off.
ReplyDeleteOh yes Anna if someone told me they didn't write negative reviews that would irritate me so much!! Sometimes negative reviews sway me and sometimes they don't. But I always want to know both sides. And if their is a blogger who likes a lot of the same books as I do, then I may give their negative review a little bit more weight. Thanks so much for your input.
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