Book Review and Its Logic
A review is a critical evaluation of a text, event, object, or phenomenon. Reviews can consider books, articles, entire genres or fields of literature, architecture, art, fashion, restaurants, policies, exhibitions, performances, and many other forms. This handout will focus on book reviews. Above all, a review makes an argument. The most important element of a review is that it is a commentary, not merely a summary. It allows you to enter into dialogue and discussion with the work's creator and with other audiences.
You can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization. You should clearly state your opinion of the work in question, and that statement will probably resemble other types of academic writing, with a thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
There is no definitive method to writing a review, although some critical thinking about the work at hand is necessary before you actually begin writing. Thus, writing a review is a two-step process: developing an argument about the work under consideration, and making that argument as you write an organized and well-supported draft.
Explain how the author achieved the effects him or she did. Explain the relationship between form and content. If it is fiction, explain the function of each character in the novel. Explain the characters' relationships to one another. Sum up the book. This is the easy part, and half of what most people think a book review is. Put the book in a nutshell. Keep summarizing it until you've got everything covered clearly. Use that to start your review. Pass judgment. This is the other half of a book review for most people.
Is this book good or bad? This is the time for you to say so. Put the book in context. You might have been able to get this information from looking at the book's cover and introduction. Check your aim. You've written your review. Now's the time to step back and apply this sort of reasoning to your own review.
You can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization. You should clearly state your opinion of the work in question, and that statement will probably resemble other types of academic writing, with a thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
There is no definitive method to writing a review, although some critical thinking about the work at hand is necessary before you actually begin writing. Thus, writing a review is a two-step process: developing an argument about the work under consideration, and making that argument as you write an organized and well-supported draft.
Explain how the author achieved the effects him or she did. Explain the relationship between form and content. If it is fiction, explain the function of each character in the novel. Explain the characters' relationships to one another. Sum up the book. This is the easy part, and half of what most people think a book review is. Put the book in a nutshell. Keep summarizing it until you've got everything covered clearly. Use that to start your review. Pass judgment. This is the other half of a book review for most people.
Is this book good or bad? This is the time for you to say so. Put the book in context. You might have been able to get this information from looking at the book's cover and introduction. Check your aim. You've written your review. Now's the time to step back and apply this sort of reasoning to your own review.
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