A book review has become one of the most popular writing assignments at schools and colleges. Teachers usually ask students to accomplish such type of creative writing as they can show their own opinions about somebody’s work in this way. So we get more requests to write a book review even than to write my essay. The book review is not about summarizing. You should combine your personal touch and strong analytical reading skills to analyze and describe the book’s purpose and express your own point of view. Let’s find out which steps you should take to write a successful book review.
Be prepared for the writing process
Take notes while reading the book. Write down all impressions you get of this book. Familiarize yourself with the genre peculiarities and subtleties. It is very important to determine the main themes of the book. The book’s introduction, preface, or some quotes can help you in it. Take into the consideration the author’s writing style. It is a way a writer writes using his or her individual technique and approach. Think critically about whether some elements of the book are covered properly. It will help you create good points for your piece of writing. Pay great attention to the book’s format as in most cases it can provide some useful information about the context of the story.
Write down all the peculiarities of book’s plot, characters, symbols, and setting. Consider all literary devices in the book and their purpose. Ask yourself whether this book is unique and original. Would you recommend this book to your friends and relatives? Is this book popular?
Write your first draft of the book review
Begin with a heading which includes all bibliographical details of the book you are going to review. The introduction paragraph should grab your audience’s attention and match the body of the review. You can write some interesting facts about the author’s background, indicate the main themes and motifs of the book, impress readers with an intriguing and surprising statement. Summarize the main points of the book. Keep your summary informative and short. It is high time to shift into your critical analysis. Critique and evaluate the book. Discuss what you particularly liked about the book. Try to answer the following questions:
- What is your favorite part of the book?
- Who is your favorite character?
- Did the book make you cry or laugh?
- Did the story keep you guessing?
- Were certain types of scenes written particularly well?
Decide whether the author has achieved his or her goal and comment on your personal impression. Think of the weaknesses and strengths of the book. Mention everything you disliked about the book. Sum up your critical analysis, but do not add any new information in the concluding paragraph. You can also give the book a rating, for example a mark out of five or ten. People are always interested in other readers’ opinion of the book, so give your honest thoughts.
Make your book review well-polished
Reread your draft carefully and feel free to make some adjustments. It would be really helpful if you put your work aside for some time and then come back to it with fresh eyes. Pay close attention to punctuation, word choice, and sentence structure. Watch for typos, grammatical errors, and misspellings. Ensure your book review is well organized with smooth paragraph transitions. Review your text for content completeness and logical organization. Your review should be easy to read. Check if all references and quotes are properly cited. Do not be afraid to get feedback from your friend or parents to find out whether you have managed to fulfill the assignment in the right way. Create the best final draft if everything is correct.
