reviewer's block
A post from my previous blog:
I keep picking up books, thinking "I don't feel much like reviewing this, but it really belongs in a bibliography, so I'll read it and just write a short informative blurb" and next thing I know, I have paragraphs of review. This is actually pretty cool.
I need to try that trick on some books I didn't manage to review. A good example: "Feed" by M.T. Anderson. An amazing book, too amazing for me to get out any words about it, it seemed. I had a perfect beginning, but after that it all kind of dribbled away.
And "How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found." I LOVED that book. And couldn't find word one to say about it. Perhaps I just can't bear to write a mediocre review of a wonderful book?
MotherReader commented on my last post that I'm not the only one with this problem. Anyone else?
I do have much of a review of The Rules of Survival written and will finish it if it's the last thing I ever do and the worst review I ever write. :-\
I keep picking up books, thinking "I don't feel much like reviewing this, but it really belongs in a bibliography, so I'll read it and just write a short informative blurb" and next thing I know, I have paragraphs of review. This is actually pretty cool.
I need to try that trick on some books I didn't manage to review. A good example: "Feed" by M.T. Anderson. An amazing book, too amazing for me to get out any words about it, it seemed. I had a perfect beginning, but after that it all kind of dribbled away.
And "How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found." I LOVED that book. And couldn't find word one to say about it. Perhaps I just can't bear to write a mediocre review of a wonderful book?
MotherReader commented on my last post that I'm not the only one with this problem. Anyone else?
I do have much of a review of The Rules of Survival written and will finish it if it's the last thing I ever do and the worst review I ever write. :-\
posted by web at 6:14 PM
4Bligs:
I, too, loved FEED. Great book! I have to admit I'd love to read a review you wrote about it.
I'm so flattered! Maybe one of these days I'll reread it and see if I can make a review happen.
I don't have that problem, of not being able to write a review of a book that I really liked. But I do sometimes have trouble reviewing books that either lots of people have already reviewed on the blogs, or that I know are already very popular. Then I start thinking, what do I have to add to this discussion? I also have a harder time getting up the initiative to review the second book in a series, where I've already reviewed the first. It's like, the excitement is gone for me. But I think that you shouldn't be shy about saying something about books that you love - I think that your passion for the book comes across, and that's what's most meaningful for people reading your review.
I have that same series problem! And sometimes it seems pointless to review a book that has already gotten a lot of media attention. I don't only review for this blog, though, so I try not to let what's happening on other blogs influence me too much.
Post a Comment
<< Home