HOWEVER:
Do these conventions always apply? Not necessarily. There have been instances where people may find they are the 'black sheep' in a sea of glowing reviews, or the opposite where they give five stars when everyone else seems to have hated it:
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| exhibit a) opinion where a person loved the book and highly recommends it (although perhaps not so violently) |
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| exhibit b) possible opinion of a person who just plain hated a book |
Both opinions demonstrated here *points to exhibit a* and here *points to exhibit b* are viable opinions, because we're all free to talk about how we feel about a book right? The question is, do these types of reviews have a real influence on whether you won't go near that book with a ten-foot pole or dive right into it at the closest opportunity? Let's take a look at some possible contributors that could make all the difference:
- Is the person reviewing it a popular blogger or one whose opinion you value highly since you've
stalkedfollowed their blog for ages? - Do the person's opinions seem justified?
- Are they personally slamming the author in their review? (this one is a definite no-no regardless of how much you hated the book itself)
- Is the book something that would usually appeal to you?
- Have other bloggers/reviewers you know had the same reaction?
Those are just a few examples of the thought process that someone could go through when reading a ranting or raving review for a particular book. Personally, I seem to be more swayed by a raving review than a ranting one, just because even if others think that something is bad, there's always a chance I might like it so I still may (depending on the circumstances) feel inclined to read it anyway. If I've seen glowing reviews time and time again for a book (such as for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe), I'll probably go and buy (which I did end up doing) because I trust that judgement and it does look really promising.
Over to you - do ranting or raving reviews affect you and whether you'll read a book or not?
I think I'm almost the opposite xD I put a lot of weight on negative reviews because I know what I like and dislike pretty well, plus I have to say ranting reviews are quite fun to read haha. I do definitely take into consideration who it is though, and who is most likely telling the truth and not just giving every book they read five stars. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point Alise - it's true that some of the ranting reviews can be in part entertaining to read, and if I see a low-rated review for a book by bloggers that I know and trust their opinion then I probably won't go for it at all (since my TBR pile is huge at the moment with books I think I will like anyway!)
DeleteI totally agree with Alise above, I actually really like negative reviews (as long as they aren't author bashing) because I can really tell whether I will like it or not - and see whether their sore points are the same as me. The great thing about reviews is that everyone interprets and enjoys a book in a different way, and that's what I enjoy about reading them, whether they are negative or positive.
ReplyDeleteSuper rave positive reviews make me wary though, especially if they don't mention at least one thing that may have been a negative point.
Great discussion Genie!
Exactly! With every review there is bound to be a different take on a book, and it is certainly interesting to see other opinions. Thanks for stopping by Jean :)
DeleteRanting reviews are pretty straightforward so right away I will know if it is the book for me but I must admit I don't like reading those super negative reviews of books I have read and loved though it is interesting to see things in a different perspective.
ReplyDeleteIn response to one of your dot points, I have an almost religious faith in bloggers I stalk :P so I tend to trust their judgement on books especially if they have a good point. So yeah you could say I'm swayed easily :)
Great post, Genie!
Thanks Gina :) Like you said with those ranting reviews it is easy to tell an opinion for a book and whether it is actually for you or not, especially when there are reasons provided to support.
DeleteTo be honest, not really. I love reading reviews and seeing what a blogger thinks of a book, but that will never 100% influence my decision to read or stay away from a book. Because I am that person that can dislike a book that everyone ADORES (see Throne of Glass), and like a book that everyone HATES (see The Jewel). Because of that, I tend to see reviews as a kind of guide to whether or not I should look into a book a bit further than i have and really see if it is for me.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I purchased Ari and Dante because almost every single one of my blogging friends has adored it, but only after I read the blurb and knew that it was a book for me.
And there are other books that everyone raves about that I simply know I won't read for reasons that pertain to a book specifically, like that book Winger (I don't know who the author is) - heaps of people have raved about it, but I know that I am in now way interested in it.
So there you have it. I'm picky ;D
Well said Chiara! I'm the same, since at the end of the day it's a personal decision whether I'd read a book or not, and if I really think that it is like you said 'for me'. Reading is totally subjective, and everyone is bound to have different perspectives and opinions based on their own experiences with that particular read. So I guess the overall message is that reviews give some insight into a book based on someone's opinion, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the potential reader and their ultimate decision.
DeleteIt's kind of a bit of both for me. Like if it's a blogger who's reviews I 99% agree with....I just listen to them. If they rant, I skip. If they rave, I run for my library asap. I think ranting ones can be entertaining...as long as they're done nicely and not with bashing! Raving ones are fun but as long as there is actually REASONS in there too. I love flailing gifs as much as anyone, but I like reasons, lol. ;)
ReplyDeleteLol there is definitely a balance between gif and reasons to be found! I'd definitely go to the library first if I've seen a raving review for a book I might not have usually picked up - that way even if I don't like it, I can give it back for someone else who may enjoy it more.
DeleteErr, this is a tough one because I don't really get *that* affected by reviews. If they're glowing, then it's nice, but doesn't always sway me, same with the negatives, if I'm already certain I want to it, then chances are I will, and no review will stop that unless *really* negative.. great topic though, well done! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Amanda :) I suppose it really depends on personal preference at the end of the day, and in any case sometimes I don't look up reviews for books before I buy them because I can tell I'm going to like it, especially if it's by one of my absolute favourite authors and I've loved all their work so far eg. Jackie French.
DeleteGreat discussion topic. Reviews are so personal and just because you love a book doesn't mean everyone else will. If I'm really wanting to read a book, I won't even read reviews until after I've read it because I don't want the review to influence my opinion. I read reviews when I want other people's opinion, when I'm undecided on a book. A negative review doesn't mean I won't read a book either, they might point out something they hate, which is something that doesn't bother me. I read the reviews of bloggers that have similar opinions to me to gauge whether I will truly like a book or not. Most of the time if my blogger friends liked it, I will too, but there are occasions where our opinion do differ and that's because reading is so subjective. But overall, if I really want to read a book, reviews won't sway me. It's only when I'm undecided about a book I'll look to reviews.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rochelle! I tend to read reviews for books I'm not sure about too, and if I really want to read something anyway and I've seen good things about it then I get more excited to. Reviews are a guide at the end of the day of one person's opinion and that's the beauty of it - like you said, we can still choose what we actually end up reading :)
DeleteI love the ones where people get really really really passionate in their reviews. They defintiely affect me as to whether or not I'll pick up the book, but of course, I'll read more reviews on it to make sure I know it's not the book for me.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, Eugenia! <33
I agree Mel, it's definitely interesting to read those reviews where you can tell the reviewer has had a strong reaction to a book, and look at things from their POV.
DeleteIf anything, I love ranting reviews. Because more often than not (or at least the ones I seek out), they're amazingly justified with evidential support. But they're also humorous, which I love. Overall though, they get me intrigued. I often read the books with ranting reviews just to see how it'll be for me. Raving reviews can get me excited for a book, for sure, but only if they're already on my radar, you know? I don't think ranting or raving reviews influence what I read, per se. I just love reading them because I love opinions. If I'm determined to read a certain book, I still read it :D Fantastic discussion choice, Eugenia! <3
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point Jess, usually when I see ranting reviews they often have lots of quotes/explanation as evidence to convey their opinion (and yes they can be pretty entertaining too). I'm like you in that these reviews can actually make me more interested in the book at times if I've seen it around before, and it makes me want to see what other people have said about it too.
DeleteI just finished scheduling a review where I felt like the black sheep. I definitely ranted in the review but I can't help myself - the book was terrible, in my opinion. And that's the important part. When I read a review I always remember that it's just one persons opinion. Someone who probably has tastes that aren't identical to my own. If I really want to read a book then a negative review isn't going to sway me not to.
ReplyDeletePerfectly said - reviews are opinion at their core and everyone is likely to have different tastes and ways of interpreting a story. I'm the same - if a book is one that I have wanted to read for a long time, then I'm going to give it a try regardless of reviews anyhow.
DeleteRanting reviews are certainly fun to read at times and definitely fun to write, so long as certain boundaries aren't crossed - one of them in particular being bashing the author on a personal level. I completely agree that that's a HUGE no no, it's so inappropriate and reviews like that will probably turn me off the blogger if it happens often enough. That being said, when I read reviews I'm more likely to take into account the opinions of bloggers I respect and have been following for a while, whose tastes are similar to mine. Great post Eugenia!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it Bernadette :) There are definite boundaries and general rules of 'netiquette' when writing ranting reviews, especially with author-bashing like you said which in any circumstance isn't right. I'm probably more likely to be swayed by a review from a blogger whose opinion I trust, or friend/family recommendations.
DeleteThis is a fantastic discussion topic, Eugenia. When I constantly see people raving about a book -- say, for example, Dangerous Girls -- then I'm going to want to pick it up, especially when people are continually encouraging me to read it. I'm not going to pass up on the opportunity of reading a fantastic book! Yet on the other hand, I'm not that put off by ranting or negative reviews. It will make me wary of the book, sure, but it wouldn't actually stop me from reading it. Why: pretty much because I love books that other people have ranted about, so I figure that it's impossible to tell if I'm going to like a book based on other's review. (Unless, of course, the reviewer is someone I have very similar tastes to them; then I might reconsider it.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kara, and I suppose I'm the same in that negative reviews won't usually *completely* turn me off reading a book, since there is that chance that I might still like it.
DeleteI don't know how I missed this post but I'm glad I went back and found it! Yep, rave reviews persuade me more than ranting ones, definitely - especially if I've seen positive reviews for a negative review as well. I very rarely post ranting reviews - I seem to have a knack for requesting/borrowing/buying books that I'll like. When I get unsolicited copies, though...well, sometimes that's when the two-star reviews arrive :P
ReplyDeleteExactly - there are usually positive and negative reviews around for any book in any case, and generally with review copies I'll try to pick things that I'm pretty sure will appeal to me. Unsolicited copies can be hit-and-miss, but even if it looks like something I may not like, an open mind usually helps to find the positives.
DeleteI'm one of those people where, generally speaking, if the book exists, I want to read it.
ReplyDeleteIf other people have said that they love it, then I'll expect to love it too.
If other people have said that they hated/disliked it, then I'll want to read it to see if I share that opinion.
Recently, Cait (Notebooks sisters) read Hush Hush, and she didn't really like it, but she made it to the end of the book.
Now, I hated that book. I gave up at chapter 9. But now I want to read it again. It's so irritating.
I probably won't read it again, though. There are too many other books to read.
Great summary Cassie - to a certain extent other people's opinions can influence our reading choices, and that Hush Hush example proves that we can possibly even remember books to come back to that we could perhaps give another chance (although there are so many books and so little time!)
DeleteIt depends on how critical they're being. I think even in the crappiest book, there's still at least one positive we can take away from it. It's hard to review something that you've absolutely hated, but I think it's important to also include the points that have been done well, or something you enjoyed about it as well. It gives a review more credibility and balance. I've been on a roll lately and have been reading so many incredible books... Until now. Red Rising. Errr, it's not looking too good so far.
ReplyDeleteAwesome discussion Eugenia <3
Definitely - even with books I don't like, there is always at least *something* that I could compliment. I've been on a reading roll as well at the moment, though I know it probably won't last forever. Hopefully Red Rising improved for you Kelly, or at least that your next read is amazing!
DeleteFantastic topic for discussion, Genie! <3 Very entertaining and well thought-out and written. I must admit, as much as I wish they didn't, ranting and raving reviews do affect my decision to read or not read a book, but usually only if I've read several similar reviews. If I just read one ranting review, for example, but the other reviews I've read for the book are more positive, then the ranting review probably isn't going to make me not want to read the book anymore.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ebony! For some books that have a 'trend' going in either the ranting/raving direction then that does definitely have an impact on me too, rather than if it was just a one-off and that book has heaps of 'raving' reviews going for it anyway.
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