
I admit it, patience is not my long suit.
I get frustrated when I see the same old bullshit brought up and touted as truth, the whole truth and the absolute truth. Honestly, how many time must these things be debunked for it sink in?
“A review that points out anything negative about a book is a bad review.”
No. A bad review is a review that doesn’t say anything about the book. Examples of bad reviews:
“This is the best book EVER!”
“Highly recommended!”
“You have to buy this book!”
“Don’t buy this shit.”
“It’s obvious the author can’t write, don’t buy his/her work.”
None of these tell the reader anything about the book, regardless of whether they praise or berate it. As reviews, they are useless. Useless review = bad review.
“A good review must contain constructive criticism. “
Not only no, but hell, no. Reviews are for readers, not for authors. If authors want constructive criticism, they should get beta readers and/or critique partners.
“Free speech protects authors as much as it protects reviewers.”
First, free speech is a protected right in the US–check your country’s law for other takes on it.
Second, what the hell does that have to do with a reviewer’s reaction and/or opinion on a book?
Third, while authors have every right to their feelings and reactions, common sense (that most rare of all senses) tells me that it behooves them to be careful with their professional image.
“There is no need to be ‘mean’ when reviewing.” “Why go out of the way to hurt the author’s feelings?” “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.”
A good review needs to be well articulated and factual; the rest is style–the reviewer’s style. The rest of the above admonishments are bullshit intended to silence opinions that differ from those of the people uttering them.
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(Most of KKB’s readers know what brought this up; the few who don’t can check here and here)
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In other news…
I’ve been reading like crazy. Seriously, who needs sleep when there are books to be read?
Now I need to sit down at the computer for more than three minutes in a row and write reviews for at least a few of the two dozen books I’ve read in the past ten days…