tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292243573706628824.post2996524627973845008..comments2024-03-18T23:39:15.375-07:00Comments on Stars, Beetles, and Fools: On Review LengthJG Keelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194265398177420233noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292243573706628824.post-52690151709476436822013-08-19T09:33:33.175-07:002013-08-19T09:33:33.175-07:00Yeah, it's pretty clear they're just looki...Yeah, it's pretty clear they're just looking for some way to attack me. Of course, there are ways to talk about a review being too long: if it repeats the same points again and again--or too short: if it fails to explore several sides of the issue. But those are rarely the responses reviews actually get.JG Keelyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16194265398177420233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292243573706628824.post-60456517978573276962013-08-18T09:11:06.710-07:002013-08-18T09:11:06.710-07:00No doubt the same people who carp about the length...No doubt the same people who carp about the length of your more detailed reviews would be the same who'd complain about the succinctness of reviews like the one you wrote for Neverwhere. <br />"He has waaayyy too much time on his hands, this Keely!!1!"<br />"This review is so short theres no way he could have put any thought into it!"Njordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12517760174309412006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292243573706628824.post-8815756142706704392013-05-23T14:35:01.473-07:002013-05-23T14:35:01.473-07:00Well, when I write a review, I often try to think ...Well, when I write a review, I often try to think of what larger idea the book represents, how it changed the way I see the world, the human mind, or the art of writing. If I can connect the book to a larger idea like that, I think it really helps to explain to the reader what the author has achieved. I don't think it's effective to just say 'the author was very creative' or whatever observation--you have to actually demonstrate what they achieved in their writing.<br /><br />Since most books present many different ideas and observations, it is sometimes useful to pick the one that affected you in the strongest way and focus on that, especially if the review is going to be shorter than ten pages, in which case you won't have enough space to fully explore all of the ideas.<br /><br />I also try to place the author in the context of genre and influence, pointing out other writers who did similar things, and also how they differ from those similar authors. I see every book as a work of criticism, a response to what has come before, and so I try to look at the conversation a book represents between different authors.JG Keelyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16194265398177420233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292243573706628824.post-58387582669716732492013-05-20T20:45:40.446-07:002013-05-20T20:45:40.446-07:00I might asked beside review lenght: what constitut...I might asked beside review lenght: what constitute a good review actually? I know the basic is to avoid plot summary, and write both the book and your idea on your review, just like I've learned for most of your review. The challenge I meet often in this kind review that it need a big pool of knowledge so we can identify which or what idea we shoul talk about. Back to my question again: what constitute a good review?Shengarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15920714579095955816noreply@blogger.com