A book review describes, analyzes, and evaluates the quality, meaning, and importance of a book. It should not be recounted, and it is not a book report or a summary. A review is a comment. Although there is no “right” way to write a review, you need essential information in each one. Fiction and non-fiction books differ not only in content, but also in the components that should be included in a review. Let’s look at some tips to consider when writing a fiction book review. I will use one of my books in the examples.
First of all, don’t reveal the story, the climax, the end of the book. Use occasional quotes from the book to support or explain the points made in the review.
The first paragraph should include the title of the book and the name of the author. Sometimes publishing information such as ISBN, publisher, book type, and general topic are indicated.
Example of a first paragraph: The base thieves clubby V. Gilbert Zahel, follows the progress of a high school baseball team as it progresses to a championship. A part of the team also helps solve a mystery that plagues the community. Published by 4RV Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-84728-220-0, the book appeals to those interested in sports, mystery, and adventure.
Other points to be covered, in different paragraphs, are the following:
Characters: Are the characters flat or round? A round character has multiple dimensions. Round characters make a story more interesting and believable; therefore, the analysis of the author’s use of three-dimensional or flat characters is important.
Example of representation of a character: Ryan Scott is not only an excellent athlete, but he also cares about others. Help find the thief in the story; then he wants to help the young man who stole money from the locker room. An example where you acted as a peacemaker on the team is shown in the following excerpt: Ryan stood next to Colby, sliding his arm around the shorter boy’s shoulders. “Hey Colby, calm down. Josh is just repeating what he heard. I heard my dad say the same about some criminals.” Ryan turned to Josh with a slight smile. “Josh, what does the preacher say about forgiving? What have we learned in church about forgiving others?”
Theme: The subject of a book may not be written word for word, but the review should indicate how the author reveals or develops the subject (s). Mention whether you, as a reviewer, agree or disagree with the author’s topic (s) and why.
Theme example: The author supports moral values and actions throughout the book. However, the message is neither preachy nor forceful, but the theme flows throughout the story. The author’s opinions are strong and young readers must take notice and learn to accept.
Plot: Are the various elements of the plot well handled? Plot elements include introduction, conflict, climax, and conclusion.
Plot example: The base thieves club introduces the conflict, the problem of the first two chapters of the book, both the start of the games that lead to a successful season and the missing money in the locker room. The suspense intensifies as the team plays and tries to help find the thief. The climax is unique, as is the reaction of the team members.
Author information: V. Gilbert Zabel, who also writes under the name Vivian Gilbert Zabel, for adult books, and Granny Zabel, for children’s books, played baseball and helped coach a baseball team. His interest and experience in sports, as well as with children, can be found in the pages of this book.
Give a brief summary of the book: Provide an overview, but do not reveal the climax or conclusion of the plot.
Summary example: The Jonesville Chargers, a high school boys’ baseball team, pursue championship dreams and the solution of a mystery that plagues their team.
Give your opinion about the book: Tell how the book affected you. Say if the book is interesting, entertaining, or memorable. Would you recommend the book to readers? Why or why not?
Opinion example: enjoy it The base thieves club because I got carried away by the chronicle of the season, the games and the attempt to find a thief of a team. This book will appeal to readers aged ten to fifteen who love baseball. Young sports fans will be better after reading the book.
Important note: Having the correct grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and other components of good writing are just as important in a review as they are in writing a book. Reviews are a form of writing.
Suggestions can be arranged differently or combined, and some others can be added. Some can be removed, but most of the information must be somewhere in the review.
