Whenever a book piques my interest, the first thing I do is go on Amazon or Goodreads and read the bad reviews.
Why?
Because, for once, I believe that by reading the bad reviews you get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t in that particular book. Also, I’ve found that those who didn’t like the book are particularly more detailed in their reviews. They aren’t just raving about how awesome and freaking amazing that book was. And then I suppose it’s simply because I’m more likely to buy a book that also has some bad reviews. All five star reviews looks pretty suspicious (like my novel, Jazz, on Amazon.com) and I just guess that reading about a book’s flaws makes me want to buy it more.Also, reading those one star reviews that were given even to the best of novels is a fantastic tonic for my confidence. No book is perfect, and no book will ever please everyone.
I think that there are basically two kinds of reviews. Not just about books, but about any type of product and/or service. You either have good ones, from those who loved it. Because that’s a basic impulse – when you find something you love, you want to let the world know about it. And then there are the bad reviews, from those who didn’t like that product and are trying to warn people about it. That’s another basic impulse.
That’s why, as a percentage, there are few 3 star reviews on Amazon. If something’s just good enough to be functional, not to make you feel like you’ve wasted time and money, odds are that you won’t write a review about it. Unless asked for specifically, that is.
Who writes those bad reviews?
- People who didn’t enjoy your story. We know that preferences are different, but there are other elements as well. We can safely assume that not everyone can read Faulkner, or Sartre, or David Foster Wallace. If you’ve read light fiction all your life, odds are you probably won’t understand much. And then, also, these three writers might actually make you feel uncomfortable.
- Readers who’ve bought your book even though they’re outside your target audience. This is basically the only thing I’ve liked about John Locke’s book on how he’s the shit and how he sold a zillion books in 23 minutes and 56 seconds. He’s idea is more or less the following: that if your book sells well enough, it will eventually fall into the hands of people who weren’t meant to read it in the first place. People who won’t enjoy it, because they don’t like that genre, that style, or simply the type of story you wrote. And this happens more often than possible. Maybe some readers get the wrong impression from the blurb, or the cover, or any other misleading information, and they buy the book, and then they find out that it’s not chick lit, it’s actually Magical Realism. And it’s not an easy on the brain, lots of dialogue, type of story, it’s actually more like a paragraph long novel.
Of course, when it comes to your own books, you shouldn’t really think too much about it. I mean, it would be pretty egocentric of you to think that everyone who gives you a one star review was just too stupid to understand your story.
After reading those bad reviews, some of which are quite witty and funny, I usually search for a review in Publisher’s Weekly, New Yorker, or other prestigious publications. That’s how I get to properly weight the book, to see if it’s worth buying or not.
But the sad thing is there is no sure fire way to know if you’re going to enjoy a book or not. No matter how much you read about it, no matter how long the sample or great the blurb. Sometimes even our favorite authors somehow manage to disappoint us (like Chuck Palahniuk did with Damned.)
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Nice piece C. But ain't that Locke book a pile of horseshit? It's basically a book where he talks about how he's not doing this to self-promote. before lots of self-promotion. He even takes the piss enough to keep on saying, wait for it, wait for it, the magic secret's coming soon, and you've read 60% of the book before you get to it, and it's 5 sentences written in bullet point, and it's the same stuff everyone is already doing. I hated that book, it made me angry. Because what it should have said was that there is no secret – there's hard work and there's the thing that made him successful – luck!
Sorry for banging on about that! When my confidence is a little jaded I look at some of my favourite ever novels' one-star reviews and tell myself not everyone will like my work and that it's a subjective thing.
Cheers dude – hope Jazz is selling well!
Like you, I prefer to look at the bad reviews. I learn more about the book from them than from the "oh it's awesome, you've GOT to buy it" reviews.
Wendy
I love reading the bad reviews too. I always try to work out what the motivation is of that particular writer. Did they really not like the book and want to let people know not to waste their money? Or do they hate the writer for their own reasons and are just picking fault in order to feel superior?
If all I see are glowing reviews I am immediately suspicious. Did their family get on there and do all they could to bolster the writers confidence even though they couldn't make it to the end of the dreadful book themselves? ;)
No matter the reviews I will make my own decision if I buy a book or not. To me the reviews are often more of a review of the readers than of the book itself.
I do this too!! You always get a better idea of what you're letting yourself in for with the bad reviews, as they have the detail 'no character dev, 2D, such and such dies-oh wait SPOILER alert!!' The good reviews always seem to have ' OMG,I LOVED this book. Buy it!' which funnily enough never helps me! Haha. After,i skim down through the reviews, i reread the blurb and then i glance at the sample chapter.After that, i make my decision!
I always head to the bad reviews. And if there aren't any bad reviews, I look for the reviews that actually say something rather than, "It's awesome, you should have it. Would buy again if it was lost!" I do this with almost everything I'm planning on buying. Been lucky so far!
I am the weird one here. I don't like to read any reviews of books first–I don't even like to read the synopsis. I want to go into the writer's world totally blind, with no idea of what surprises are in store for me, or the characters. If the book is good, I can get totally lost in the characters, not knowing what is going to happen to them. If the book is bad, I find myself rewriting the story in my head. Then, when I've finished the book, I go back and read the synopsis and the reviews, to see if I brought away the same thing the writer was trying to convey, or other readers saw (or didn't see) in the story. I've been disappointed by jumping in blindly, but I've also had great fun. But I have chosen a great lot of my reading material by trolling library or bookstore shelves and picking things almost at random. However, that method doesn't really work if you are trying to choose between all of the options that are available online. One of these days, I'm guess I'm going to have to update my methods.
I think there's a class of people who just like to slam others – I see it all the time on horribly bad reviews of motels, restaurants, etc. on my Droid app – they're so far-fetched it's pure fiction. Like the dumb kids in school dissing a classmate who makes straight A's.
Your analysis of bad reviews for writers makes a lot of sense, however. I enjoy your blog.
Reading the bad reviews is also a good idea when buying a vacuum sweeper. The good reviews make it seem like the sweeper will work all by itself while just sitting there watching it. lol One does have to put a bit of effort into cleaning.
It is the same way with finding a good book especially if you intend to pay out for one. Do a little research.
But for someone….like me….who does not buy books…….
I go to the library and and randomly choose 10-20 books. LOL I have been amazed at the wonderful choices I have made. :)
I read the one-star reviews, too. If the things people are criticizing are elements I have no problem with–style elements or political leanings, etc.–it helps me know that I am the target audience.
Wow – superb insight and useful tips. Will use it the next time I get interested in a book…
I kind of fell into blogging a year ago and still feel like a toddler in a world that is whizzing around me. Your perspective and tips shared have actually been helpful in stabilizing my sometimes wobbly efforts enough to provide a place to stand. Thank you!
Another great post Cristian! As a book reviewer, I know you are right. I book with five stars I love and recommend but but my bad reviews tend to be more descriptive. And for me, bad reviews mentally prepare me for the worst in a book…
Good post.
you have given me some new things to think about – thanks
I like your piece on reading bad reviews and to be honest I don't pay much attention to the reviews. I like to enjoy the book myself and form my own opinion, but this gives us insight on why sometimes reading bad reviews can make you more interested in the book and more likely to read it.
I read bad reviews as well. Sometimes an angry reviewer will complain about elements of a book that sound like elements I would enjoy, and the review helps convince me to buy the book. I have a bad habit, however, of reading the bad reviews on my favorite books, the books I love. In this case it's a bad habit because I tend to get angry and take them personally, and want to defend the book in an emotional way. Maybe learning to deal with these reviews is good practice, though, for when I publish my book and it gets a few bad reviews of its own.
I think every writer wants to see a five star review, but I'd settle for a four. I think if someone is giving a honest review, and you can benefit from the feedback, great. I agree about the OMG's. I read many reviews and I believe some are not based on the actual writing but whether the reviewer likes the subject matter. If it's YA and vampires aren't involved then throw it in the garbage. There are reviews and then there are opinions. Too many 'reviews' are the latter.
Good thoughts! This makes me think of the ratings on goodreads.com. I do not write something for every book that I read, but if I give a bad rating, I will usually at least say something.
What really gets me though is when you see a bunch of bad reviews and ratings from people that probably have not even read the book. Typically you will see this for books that are on a controversial topic. People will attack the book without having read it.
The bad review is my very favorite thing. If someone writes a really "good" bad one, then I REALLY want to read it. I guess it's why I also cheer for the underdog in a sporting event too. Good perspectives. Thanks for sharing.
As you note, bad reviews can be witty. Check out the bad reviews for "Who Moved My Cheese." They're better than the book. And free.
I feel the same way about movie reviews. There have been movies I've liked that have only gotten one or two stars. Sometimes, there are certain criteria reviewers are looking for and when they aren't met, out comes the "red pen". Sometimes you've gotta take a chance. If you think you'll like it, buy it or see it and check it out. If nothing else, the writer or producer will appreciate it haha.
I love this quotation from Philip Pullman’s website.
“As a passionate believer in the democracy of reading, I don't think it's the task of the author of a book to tell the reader what it means.
The meaning of a story emerges in the meeting between the words on the page and the thoughts in the reader's mind. So when people ask me what I meant by this story, or what was the message I was trying to convey in that one, I have to explain that I'm not going to explain.
Anyway, I'm not in the message business; I'm in the “Once upon a time” business.”
I am quite accustomed to receiving bad reviews… face to face… in my book group. I’ve learned that even ten likeminded friends can have passionately divergent views about what constitutes a “good” book. Some want a “good story”, some want to learn through the story; some will excuse almost anything if the prose is “elegant”. No one seems to want that struggle to allow the meaning of a story “to emerge in the meeting between the words on the page and the thoughts in the reader's mind.”
I even struck out with The Lacuna and The Elegance of the Hedgehog. One time they refused to read my choice… and I had so many excellent discussion points prepared! Now I am in the process of deciding on the selection for my next turn… perhaps something young adult, dystopian, steam punk…
Thank you for a thought-provoking blog!
I'm not a fiction writer, but I hardly ever follow recommendations or reviews in deciding which book to read. I like the serendipity approach at the library or second-hand bookshop. If it feels right at the time, I buy it or take it out.
Reblogged this on Zagan's Blog and commented:
Review
A woman after my own heart! I always read the bad reviews first. They tell me much more about the book and actually give me a clue about the author (of the review) which helps me decide if I should buy the book or not. Good reviews are often what I call cheerleader reviews. Those authors (of the review) will write a rah-rah yay-yay go-team review regardless. i learn very little about the book and even less about the reader. I tend to discount them entirely.
Personally I would like to see more 3-star reviews that do not read exactly like the 1-star reviews – which always makes me wonder why the reader gave a 3-star review instead of a 1-star. To be polite?
Good points, Cristian. I like the enthusiasm of 5-star reviewers. They are generous souls. But sometimes I wish there was more discernment. I'm equally delighted with four stars, or three. Otherwise we live in Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, where all the kids are above average.
I was just thinking about this practice the other day when I realized that I never read reviews above two stars. It's strange that these reviews offer more detail, but I guess it is easier to be specific when writing about what didn't work than trying to put words to the things that do work. Great post! :3
Nice insights here. Always good to get multiple opinions. too
Before I read something, I read the synopsis and research about the themes related in the book. The research gives me forehand knowledge about the topic and I don't feel lost. When the author references something I Google it. This way I don't feel like an ass when I'm reviewing the book.
Very well said! For me I never write bad reviews because with the insane amount of books I am required to read I never get further than 25 pages into a book that isn't doing it for me. I simply don't have the time! That's not to say that I won't tell my patrons or others about the books I can't seem to get going on, I just never bother to put into words (or audio) why I didn't like it… after reading your post I am inclined to give it more thought!
I admit, I mostly read reviews after I have read a particular book. Every book has its good and bad reviews, but ultimately the book has to past my test which is "Is it interesting enough for me to get past the first chapter?" Most of the time, it is so. Thanks for the insight.
I like to do this, too. I mean, I read the back of the book to see what it's about, but I don't like reading reviews until after I've actually read it myself. Then I compare.
That's probably why when I write reviews I like having spoilers all over the place– I assume that other people reading it have already read the book.
Good points, Christian. I worked in the hospitality industry for a long time and was always intrigued more by the people that gave my restaurant bad reviews – their perspective was often unique, although sometimes it was common to find people with unrealistic expectations. The key, (as with managing restaurants, writing or kicking field goals) is to learn from your mistakes but don't dwell on them. Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the good point and the learning tool.
Oh, you do make me laugh! I have been quietly seething about all the negativity I have read on the kindle boards while lurking there (to the point where I stopped lurking) and your post – as well as some of the comments – put it all in perspective! Thank you for not only having a sense of humor but for displaying it with a well thought out, intelligent take on what a bad review really means and how it can be used!
i enjoy reading the bad book reviews on classic books, or ones that are incredibly popular.
While I haven't written my own book, I love your quote, "I mean, it would be pretty egocentric of you to think that everyone who gives you a one star review was just too stupid to understand your story." Why not just think like that? People would have better self esteem if they let the bad reviews roll off their back.
And I think that a good reviewer will be able to tell the positives as well as those negatives. For instance, if I read a book or use a product or whatever, and don't like it, I try to figure out WHY I don't like it, like if it's the wrong genre for me to enjoy, the product sucks but was a good idea, the writing is bad but the info is interesting, and so on.
I wrote a very witty reply to you this morning and then my internet access went kablooey…anyway, this probably won't live up to this as I don't think I can recapture the magic.
I try not to read the positive reviews on popular books because I don't want to be lulled into liking it too. But I agree that the negative reviews are usually much more detailed and provide some level of evidence for their opinions instead of – it was terrible. This is definitely different from the – This book was awesome- positive reviews that often don't tell us why. So I agree that the bad reviews are a better source for real information.
Thanks for posting this- it's an interesting topic and proves how many people really do pay attention to negative reviews. I am at the stage where I will take positive or negative criticism- just read me!! :)
PattyTMichell
"Also, I’ve found that those who didn’t like the book are particularly more detailed in their reviews" — That statement was HILARIOUS but so true!
I disagree with never being sure about whether or not you're going to like a book as a sad thing though.
Everyone has different opinions on different things and reviews can only go so far as to what the reviewer has to say about it. This way if the review is bad and you read it anyway, and you realize you also dislike it – at least now you know in what unique way you disliked the book.
It's interesting though, you seem to have a strategic and carefully planned way of weighing a book's worth – something I will definitely acquire for myself.
Thanks for this insightful article. Good read =)
I'd probably think, "hey, at least I published something".
Oh, the bad reviews! And what about bad introductions? The introduction for Iris Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea by John Burnside comes to mind (Random House). Murdoch's elegant mystery turned into, so Burnside would like us to believe, a nomad's tale of quest for oriental magic, Buddhism, dream-like escapes and hallucinations!
The introduction was off-putting it should have spoiler's alert written underneath the title. Sometimes, the synopsis would do :)
Cheers!
Some of those reviews on amazon and goodread are HILARIOUS! Especially the negative ones! It's important, I think, to consider the critic when deciding how much weight to give their review.
I generally never read reviews before I read a book so it's really hit or miss when I pick something up. I don't like to prejudice my reading in any way, I don't even read the back cover. However once I've read a book I like to look up the reviews good and bad to see if I agree
I follow a very similar process myself, but I do find Amazon's 4 star reviews worth reading, as the reviewer has normally given it some thought in reaching that choice. I still think that "the happy accident" you find when browse a real bookshop is one of life's pleasures.
I read both reviews, the good ones and the bad ones!! Like you, I believe the bad ones must have their reasons for disliking it that much ~ and yes! They certainly give me a better idea as to whether the book is worth reading, whether it suits my preferences or not :D
This is so true, although I rate everything I read on Goodreads, and there are a lot with three stars. I am a product and book reviewer for publications companies, etc. as well, though, and I don't want to review something if I don't feel strongly one way or another about it. I especially enjoy reading the bad reviews on something I know I already like–just to see why someone's opinion varies so widely from my own. And a lot of times (especially if it's a self-help type book), I find that they just don't get it. There's a parenting book like that, and for every parent who really followed the suggestions, they love it and share it. For parents who didn't follow through, they hate it because their kids don't do what the book says they will if they don't take the advice seriously.
Thanks for giving a different perspective on things.
That's an interesting perspective on reviews, but you are right in that the comments are more detailed. I think it would depend on my response to the comments as to whether or not I bought the book.
Well, I won't repeat what has already been said, just wanted to say I enjoy your perspective on bad reviews–our own, and the ones that belong to other people. Thanks:)
I avoid reviews preferring to read books first hand without a voice in the background. Except the author's voice of course :)
"Awesome and freaking amazing"??? I'm in awe of your command of English! ;-) That said, I also read the bad reviews, not for the reasons you gave, but just because I want a complete picture of my (potential) purchase. If I buy a book after reading both good and bad reviews, it must be pretty good, subjectively speaking.
YES! I always do the same thing on Goodreads. If I know why someone hated a book I can tell whether I would feel the same way: "The story is essentially Twilight without vampires, with terrible grammar." Okay, probably not downloading that one. "It's great, but that's because it's just a rip-off of Stephen King." So? Still good though right? Might be interested.
Reblogged this on Abbyandthenew's Blog and commented:
I do the same thing.
Great post! This applies to music reviews as well. There are always overwhelming majorities of either 5 star reviews or 1 star reviews. But one can never be disappointment-proof. The only way to tell if you will like the album or not is by buying the CD yourself.
I do the same thing! I feel like the bad reviews give a well-rounded view of a book (or any item for sale, for that matter).
Cristian,
I absolutely agree with you. When I buy my psychology books, it is very important to me to find out what reviewers have already said. I can pick up on clues from what they are saying as to whether or not the book is relevant to me or my clients. I also really hate hearing critique reviews inside the cover of a novel by people who are professed to be experts in reading. I really don't care what an expert has to say because we come from different backgrounds and they are getting paid to write what they say. Probably even paid by the author in some cases, or they might be friends. The general public is taking their time to say something on Amazon because they feel like other people should know – just like you and I writing blogs. Its a public service and holds a lot more weight for me.
I agree! I always find that the negative reviews speak volumes more about whether I'll like a product than the positives. I feel like I can weigh up my opinions about the supposed downsides far more efficiently than I can the positives.
I can take a bad review as long as it makes sense. By that, I mean they have some objective reason for disliking it (my bad grammar, this plot point made no sense, that wasn't realistic). Those that say "OMG WURST BOOK EVAR LOL," get no attention from me whatsoever. Of course, I'm the same with good reviews. If you like it, why did you? If you have no answer, your review is unhelpful. Good post.
I too like to read both ends of the spectrum with a book review, keeping in mind the general consensus will be in the middle. I prefer when someone explains why they liked or disliked something rather than ranting about it, so I do try to make some learned judgement about the actual judgement also. Not every book is for everyone, and that is OK. I'm not sure why this has been such a big to-do lately. But I have found the best practice for deciding if I will like a book, is to open it up to the middle and read a paragraph. Was it interesting enough to go back and start at the beginning? That is usually my determining factor (but I don't mind small spoilers).
I've always been afraid of writing reviews for books that weren't my favorite (afraid of coming off as mean or looking stupid), but your opinion has changed my mind! I like your ideas about that certain book not being meant for you and everyone having various preferences.
I also find it suspicious when all the reviews are five stars. I always read the bad reviews.
I read the bad reviews–and I've written few of them on Goodreads. I think you are right about the bad reviews being more detailed–at least a well-written bad review. If a reviewer is critical, I think it is his or her duty to be constructively critical. I've also left one-stars just because I really didn't like the story and couldn't finish it–but I don't leave reviews for those. I might not have liked the story (a recent one-star was for Even Cowgirls Get the Blues) but that doesn't mean someone else might really enjoy it. The bad reviews I've left have usually been along the lines of "you could have done better," with reasons. Joseph Ellis is one of my favorite non-fiction American Revolution writers. But I left a bad review recently of his book on John & Abigail Adams because it just wasn't up to his usual standards, and I was very disappointed in the product. I learned far more about the pair from the McCollough book on John Adams I had read earlier and felt the Ellis books was a sad summary. Anyways, yes, I read the bad reviews. Thanks for a great post!
Me three!
I also just liked this blog post because it inspired me to finish reading a book (Late Nights on Air) that I wasn't 100% enjoying (okay, it was painful). But in going back to write my blog about why I didn't love it (like the rest of Canada), I found I was still able to appreciate the better parts of it.
There can be so much merit in figuring out *why* things don't work! Thanks for the think piece Cristian!
That's exactly what I do when I hear about a book. Not just the reviews but also the excerpts (where available) as that gives me an idea about whether or not I like the style and the material contained in that book. I, too, find reviews with bad ratings quite useful, especially before deciding on which hostel to stay in or which expensive product to buy. God bless all these reviewers who take out time to write their reviews. Lord knows I always think about writing one but don't!
Hi — Thanks for this post…I'm just spreading my wings with book reviews and this is an interesting perspective. I personally tend to like more than dislike, but this post gives me ideas about why to talk more about what does not work. Thanks! Andrea
The New York Times just published a piece on the practice of paying for, usually favorable, reviews, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/business/book-r…. Such practices are another reason weighing in favor of reading the negative reviews. The guy who actually ran a business generating the positive reviews for a fee had this to say, "When there are 20 positive and one negative, I’m going to go with the negative,” he said. “I’m jaded.”"
I am going to try out your interesting reversal of reading negative book reviews and can see how this might just make good sense – thanks for the tip.
I love this post. I always do this and found the reviews for 50 Shades of Grey on Amazon particularly interesting reading!! :)