What makes a good book review? My thoughts.

To write a quality book review it takes time. First of all, before you even start, you need to read the book thoroughly. A first read will give you an overview. A second read, and you will have a good grasp of the gist of the story. A third, “slower” read, for details, will help you consider all the relative components of the book. Of course, I am talking about reviews of fiction books only because this is what I do.

What separates a professional review from others is that I think the review should highlight what is unique and special about the book in question. What are the writer's strengths? For instance, is the writer good at characterization, or is it the pace of the novel, plot, themes, or atmospheric quality that strikes the reader? You need to specify this. In addition, what are the weaknesses, if any.

You will need to craft your review so that any reader gets a taste of what he will get should he buy or borrow the book. This means that you will put some of the story in your own words without giving away the entire plot or ending of the book - which would spoil it for the author and the reader. Here, you need to be succinct, and sometimes this may mean you need to cut down the word count of what you write. I always proofread my reviews and edit them at least once. This means you need to take a break before you revisit the draft of your review to make sure there are no errors.

It is difficult to say exactly how long it would take to read and review a book. I would allow at least a week for the reading,(depending on how many words the book is,) and then allow at least three days to create a very brief summary of the story, (without giving all the secrets of the plot away,) and for revisiting what you have written and polishing it. That said, if you don’t find the book appealing, it could take as long as two weeks or more.

Some reviewers may only read the first three chapters, and give a review based on that. I feel that authors deserve better. Sometimes, a book that does not start very well improves the more you read. The opposite is true as well. Above all else, recognize that authors have put their heart and soul into what they have written, and you should take enough time to be thoughtful, insightful, honest, and reflective about your review.