How to write a book review?

If you are an avid reader, at some point you will feel like sharing your impressions of a book you like or dislike with others. Though it seems to be a tough task, reviewing a book is, in fact, a skill.  A skill that makes reading all the more pleasurable. Here are some tips to put you on the right track.

Only a sneak-peak

Remember, a book review’s purpose is to help people decide whether it is interesting enough for them to read or not. The review should tease and intrigue the reader enough to make him/her pick up a particular book. So, you don’t need to paraphrase the book.

Appropriate length

A review should not be very lengthy. No one has the patience to read a 2,000-3,000 word review. As beginnners you should be all the more cautious about the length of your review.  Be concise and to the point. Pick up the salient points of the story, characters etc and write about your impressions of these.

Starting the review

In the first paragraph you can talk about the plot summary of the book.

Example: For the below mentioned books you can start with the opening lines as follows:

 Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’

The book is a real story and a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things — Italy (pleasure), India (spirituality), Bali (balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name — ‘Eat (in Italy), Pray (in India) and Love (in Indonesia)’.

Critiquing the book

Once you have explained the gist in the opening paragraphs, the subsequent writing should be an evaluation of the work.

For Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’, you can talk about the time when the book was written; how the book is a reflection of the society of that time; do you think you can relate to it?; how significant is the title?; what do you like the most about the book; if you think there are some loopholes in the plot, talk about them.

Example: Published in 1952 , the book is a reflection of the social and intellectual issues faced by the African Americans in the early 20th century; the metaphors of invisibility and blindness resonate throughout the book as the narrator’s invisibility isn’t result of some scientific chemical reaction, but the unwillingness of the other people to notice him, as he is black; his secret life in a shut-off section of a basement, in a building that allows only white tenants, stealing electricity from the company to light his room, the boy’s dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and hospital, his success as the Harlem leader of ‘Brotherhood’, his involvement in clashes — all point towards lack of an identity. Revelation at the end of the novel — the narrator’s views on invisibility that it may bring safety, but actions done secrectly wont have a meaningful impact; narrator’s decision to emerge from hibernation, face society and make a visible difference.

Conclusion

After building up an objective argument about a book, you draw your conclusion about it in the last paragraph. This basically means, Will you recommend others to read it or not?

Example: Ralph Ellison has a good command over his story and style; the book can be related to the present time also, where often the underprivileged, poor, less talkative, honest people are overshadowed by the more visible ones. You might know it already, but this book narrates it again with intensity and freshness.

A heading should be able to convey the crux of your review.

Example: For Ralph Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’, the title can be ‘Struggle for recognition’

For Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, the title can be ‘Rediscovering oneself