What is a Book Review?
A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit.(Wikipedia)
A book review is NOT mere retelling of the story or content of the book. Your review should assess and evaluate the content and should tell the readers whether the author succeeded in conveying the message.
The book review is your opinion about the book you are reviewing. You should express your feelings, reflections and reading experience in your review. You should express your opinion about the book, supporting it with evidence from the book.
There is no particular format or style to write a review. It depends on the creativity and interest of the person writing the review.
Here are a few suggestions/guidelines for writing a review.
Bibliographic Information
Provide brief bibliographic information about the book.
Give the title of the book as the title of your review.
Include title, author, place, publisher, publication date, edition, pages, special features (maps, etc.), price, ISBN.
Author at work
Write the subject/theme of the book, fiction or non-fiction. What is the central theme and main characters of the work, in case the book is a fiction.
The purpose and intent of writing the book. Identify the target audience – like is it a book meant specially for children? What category of a book it is?
Technique (s) and styles adopted by the author like the style of narration. How the author has presented the story or the subject content of the book. Is it interesting?
For subject books, valuate the accuracy, thoroughness, clarity and usefulness to the reader.
Include information about the author– reputation, qualifications, etc. — anything relevant to the book and the author’s authority especially if you are reviewing a non-fiction book.
Your Opinion
Write your personal experience reading the book – how do you relate to the characters in the book, what you liked most about the book, would you recommend this books to others, to whom the book is suitable etc.
What you feel about the book Style, authenticity and enthusiasm by which others are persuaded to read the book . Few quotes from the book may be included to illustrate your point of view. What about the characters? Did you like them?
Will you recommend this to others? In your opinion, which category of users it will be more useful or interesting? If this is the best book you have ever read, say so — and why. If it’s merely another nice book, say so.
Conclusion
Your conclusion should summarize, perhaps include a final assessment.
How do you write a good book review?
Think of your book review as a conversation with a friend: You want to share your opinion and insights without giving everything away. Don’t spoil the book’s ending or its surprises, but do discuss how effectively you think the writing navigated its literary elements—such as plot, theme, and conflict—throughout the text.
How long is a book review?
Generally, book reviews aren’t long. In most cases, they’re between 500 and 750 words. Keep your book review concise and focus on the book’s big-picture aspects, such as its character development, pacing, reliance on tropes, and use of literary devices. Summarize the plot, then focus on analyzing the book. Mention what you did and didn’t like, and support these positions with quotations from the book. An effective book analysis is more than sharing your opinion; it’s interacting with the text and demonstrating that you’ve read it critically and formed a well-developed opinion about it.
How are book reviews structured?
Book reviews tend to follow similar layouts to other kinds of essays. An essay reviewing a book should begin with an introduction paragraph that summarizes the plot and includes the reviewer’s thesis statement. Following the introduction, a book review should have one body paragraph per point it critiques. For example, a review may have three body paragraphs, one that discusses the book’s themes, one that discusses its characters, and one that discusses the author’s use of metaphor. A book review ends with a conclusion paragraph that summarizes the points made in the body paragraphs and shares any final thoughts the reviewer has about the book. It may include a rating, like giving the book three stars out of five.
4 tips for writing a book review
1. Avoid repetition
A book review is its own piece of writing. By that, we mean your book review shouldn’t just repeat the book’s plot. It should add a new perspective about the book.
2. Be concise
Don’t ramble in your book review. Keep it focused on your analysis of the book since that’s the content your readers are looking for.
3. Support your claims and positions
Sharing your opinion is a significant part of writing a book review, but be sure to support your positions with insights from the book—as you’d support any claims you made in an academic essay with evidence from your sources.
4. Proofread
Before you upload, send, or submit your book review, proofread it. Read it with a critical eye to catch any grammatical or spelling mistakes you may have missed in a previous round of edits.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Book Review by Students (Example)
S. No. 01 Date:11-9-2015
Author of the Book : Jerome K. Jerome
Title of the Book : Three Men in a Boat
Name of the Publisher : Orient Black Swan Pvt. Ltd.
Place of Publication : Delhi
Year of Publication : 2011
Acc. No —-.
Summary
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome was first published in 1889. It is the fictional story of three London friends and a dog taking a leisurely boat trip up the River Thames, from Kingston-upon-Thames to Oxford. It is narrated by ‘J.’, whose companions are George (awarded no surname), William Samuel Harris and the dog, Montmorency.During a sociable evening in J.’s room, the three men convince themselves that they each have various illnesses. Their collective diagnosis is overwork, and they prescribe themselves a fortnight’s holiday. A stay in the country and a sea voyage are both ruled out, and they settle instead on a boating trip, travelling on the Thames by day and camping out in the hired boat at night.They set out the following Saturday. George must work in the City in the morning, and so arranges to join them later that day. The other two, accompanied by the dog and a mountain of luggage, get a cab to Waterloo station, but are unable to find the correct train to Kingston. Eventually they bribe the driver of another train to take them there instead, one of the many humorous set-pieces that make the book more than a straightforward travelogue. George completes the trio at Weybridge, with a dubious-looking parcel tucked under his arm, which turns out to be a banjo and instruction book.
Questions
Did you like the book? (Yes/No) Why?
Yes, because characters are very good.
Which characters you liked most? Why?
J K. J, because he is nice character.
Theme/ Idea /Moral of the book/story
It is the book which tells about original experience.
BOOK REVIEW NO 2
S. No. 02 Date: 11/09/2015
Author of the Book : Jules Verne
Title of the Book : Around the world in 80 Days
Name of the Publisher : Dhingra publishing house
Place of Publication : New Delhi
Year of Publication : 2009
Acc. No. :
Summary of the Book (in 2 pages)
Around the world in 80 days
Around the world in 80 days, by only listening the title of the story one can understand what is present inside the story. This is very interesting and adventurous story. The main characters in this story are Phileas Fogg, Passepartout & Aounda.Philies Fogg is a member of reform club (club of playing cards).Once upon a time; he attends reform club plays cards and goes home till the midnight. As soon as the night approaches on person suddenly appears to the front of his door, fogg says,”is your name John. He says “yes”. Then Fogg tells him what he wants he says that he wants to become the servant of Fogg. Fogg says ok. He called him passepartout. Next day, when Fogg reaches the club he listens that a robber has robbed 55000 thousand pounds from a bank. Many detectives were very confused for catching him. The chief detective said,”the robber must have been run away to foreign land or any other country. Fogg was beside them and he wanted that he should speak to the detectives. Funnily he said,” today’s development is increasing with a great speed one can travel around the world in 80 days. All of the detectives were so shocked and one of the detectives said,” you can’t be so sure. Fogg was so sure and said I can’t be wrong, the detective said if you will do what you said then I will give you 2000 pounds as you win the bet.Next day, Fogg stared his journey with passepartout their first point was to reach France. Newspapers all over the England were betting over the Fogg’s journey. One of the detective whose name was fix thought that Fogg was only the robber of the bank and hence he was trying to escape from police to other countries. Hence after that he tried to follow him. Fogg was now at Suez canal .At Suez canal Fix asked Passepartout is your master (Fogg)just roaming to visit new places .Then Passepartout said ,”he is not interested in places he is interested in time.Their next station was to reach Bombay (Mumbai). As usual Fogg was on time. When they reached Bombay Fogg wanted to take rest. But Passepartout said that he want to just see Bombay.He heard about the culture and the customs of India and hence saw a temple and wanted to enter the temple and h entered temple when he was watching the structure of the temple from inside two priests came towards him and pointed their fingers towards the shoes of Passepartout. He was not told that it is not allowed to wear shoes inside the temple. The two priests caught and beat him. He ran and was left by the priests.Fogg was now all right. Fogg and Passepartout just had a walk on the path. They both looked that a woman was being killed by the priests. They both rescued the girl and said,” what is your name.She said that her name is Aounda; she was a daughter of a merchant and was forcefully marrying the king. She attempted to run from the palace hence the king ordered the priests to kill her and at last said thanks you.Fogg asked her, “will you travel with us. She said yes.Now there were 4 members.The next station was to reach’Rangoon’ from Calcutta to Hong Kong .They were travelling from bus and reached ‘Rangoon’.When they reached Fix said to Passepartout that you’re wasting your time your master is a robber and hence Passepartout understood that he was a detective.The next station was to reach Hong Kong .They was the little bit of late at Rangoon hence the ship from which they were sailing to the Hong Kong was left. He thought that he will lose this challenge. But, at last he got a hope that he heard that “Carnatic” named ship was also moving to Hong Kong. So he had to pay extra to reach Hong Kong.Suddenly Passepartout came smoking. He asked him to smoke but he refused. Then Fix told him to help him to catch his master .He said no.Next day, it was a sunny day .Fogg saw that there is no Passepartout he asked all of them but nobody said anything. Train came and Fogg had to leave for next station ’Henrietta’. After he reached there Passepartout was appeared there and he said that he was undertake and asked to work in circus and he had to work forcefully in the circus.
The time was now coming to reach their hometown. Fogg loved Aounda very much but he was not able to express. But at last he thought if he would not tell her then she will marry any other person. He reached to Aounda’s room an told her that he wants to tell her something and told that he loves her. On listening this Aounda comes close to Fogg and he kisses her and told that he wants to marry her. She said yes.Fix thought it was over the limit and decides to arrest Fogg as soon as possible and he arrests Fogg by giving the arrest warrant in his hands. All the members were very angry. Suddenly,one person came and said the real robber has been arrested.Fogg wins the bet.
Questions
1. Did you like the book? (Yes/No) Why? Yes, I like this book because it gives usmoral that nothing is impossible.
2. Which characters you liked most? Why? The most impressive characters in this story are philies fogg & passepartout. Because they are only the main characters of this story.
Theme/ Idea /Moral of the book/story
The moral of this story is that a man can face any challenge or nothing is impossible.
Conclusion– The conclusion from this novel is that we can face any challenge.
Note- Interested Students of K V Old Cantt Prayagraj may send their Book Review on given below E-mail.
librarykvshaktinagar@gmail.com
Your book review will be published on library K V Old Cantt Prayagraj Blog
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