Book reviews for fiction - do you read them? What do you look for in a review?

[Catlady]

I generally read reviews only after I've read the book in question. I don't want any spoilers.

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I hardly ever go browsing randomly through the virtual stacks for reading material anyway.

I love random buys - I do it with ebooks the same way I used to when browsing pbooks in a bookshop. When a title catches my attention, I read the blurb. If the blurb is good enough, I'll have a look inside and then based on that decide whether to buy or not. I do occasionally end up with a piece of dross but most of time I enjoy my random buys.

Reviews are just there to be ignored

[soulfuldog]

After reading the plot summary of a book, I tend to look at the overall number of reviews first. If there are a significant proportion of 1 or 2 star reviews compared to the overall total, then I'll probably just give the book a miss. Otherwise I'll have a read at some of the critical reviews, then the 4 star reviews before making my mind up.

As well as people having differing tastes, some of the reasons for not liking a book are a little strange. For example, I was just looking at a review of a crime book set in the Shetland Islands, and one review states "I enjoyed the first book, but I just can't get into this one. I really can't imagine living on Shetland." Which I suppose is better than a review for one of Anne Cleeves other books I was looking at: "don't know have not read it yet"!

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

As well as people having differing tastes, some of the reasons for not liking a book are a little strange. For example, I was just looking at a review of a crime book set in the Shetland Islands, and one review states "I enjoyed the first book, but I just can't get into this one. I really can't imagine living on Shetland."

That reminds me of something I've seen in reviews but can't get my head round at all: when people say they didn't like a book because the characters weren't likeable; or that they couldn't identify with any of the characters.

Why should characters be likeable or why would you want to identify with them That just seems such a weird thing to me.

[tompe]

I read reviews but usually not the ones on Amazon and Good Reads. Telling the plot in a review seems to be a very bad thing to do. A review should not spoil the reading of the book.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Yolina

That reminds me of something I've seen in reviews but can't get my head round at all: when people say they didn't like a book because the characters weren't likeable; or that they couldn't identify with any of the characters.

Why should characters be likeable or why would you want to identify with them That just seems such a weird thing to me.

Yes,why would I want to read only about characters who I identify with as being like me? Reading about a character very different from me is like a temporary escape from real life.

[Cinisajoy]

Now I can understand someone saying the character is not believable, likeable or unlikable is another story.

[Dusky Rose]

Originally Posted by Yolina

Why should characters be likeable or why would you want to identify with them That just seems such a weird thing to me.

I can see it. Although I don't think that being to sympathize with a character means they're 'like' you. Just that you can find something in the human experience you can relate to.

It all depends on the plot, and the scope of the story. If the plot, the world building or what ever else is going on isn't all that engaging, then I need to have something going on with the characters that interests me, or I'll be bored to tears with it. A good plot/story arc will get me past characters I don't care about. Because, of course, not all are likeable, nor meant to be.

For example, for me, Dune fits the bill when it came to wanting to read how it all played out. Great world building, politics, layers of society at war with one another, all the scifi elements... But I didn't particularly care for any of the characters. Many people list the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant for a great world building fantasy, where the main character isn't likeable at all. Wasn't meant to be. But the story still works.

But take a story where you don't like the main characters, and the main story arc isn't doing it for you, then there's nothing left to stay for. I was just reminded of one the other day, that I read to the end years ago, and still remember it as a waste of time. Fantasy, young, spoiled angry young prince forced to flee for his life as his faithful retainer and a few supporters struggle to keep him alive along the way. He was a smart mouthed, mean, ungrateful little bastard at the start, but through seeing the trials and suffering of those around him, how they put his life above their own, turn into a... well, nope, he didn't change at all. At the end he was still the hateful little bastard he started out as.

Ack. In this situation, the trip through the story just wasn't worth it. Let alone wanting to read the second in the series.

Sometimes you don't need to like the characters, but sometimes it's the only thing you're there for. Without it, there's no point to reading it.

[pwalker8]

I will sometimes read the reviews, but only for books that I'm ambivalent about and am looking for a reason to either buy it or not.

[disconnected]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

...better than a review for one of Anne Cleeves other books I was looking at: "don't know have not read it yet"!

I've seen quite a few reviews like that, for other products as well as books. I occasionally get requests from Amazon, or from third party sellers, to review things I've bought. I don't generally bother to do reviews but possibly some people think it's rude to ignore the request even if they've not yet used the product or read the book.

That would also explain some of the answers on the "question" section of product pages. A few times I've gotten email from Amazon saying that someone has asked a question about a product and since I'd previously bought that product could I answer the person's question. I've seen some of those where someone will ask about things like the measurements of a product and a couple of people will answer and say "I'm sorry, I haven't measured it".

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by disconnected

I've seen quite a few reviews like that, for other products as well as books. I occasionally get requests from Amazon, or from third party sellers, to review things I've bought. I don't generally bother to do reviews but possibly some people think it's rude to ignore the request even if they've not yet used the product or read the book.

That would also explain some of the answers on the "question" section of product pages. A few times I've gotten email from Amazon saying that someone has asked a question about a product and since I'd previously bought that product could I answer the person's question. I've seen some of those where someone will ask about things like the measurements of a product and a couple of people will answer and say "I'm sorry, I haven't measured it".

And usually within a day or two of receiving the product or book.
Why yes Amazon a normal person reads 500 pages a day.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by disconnected

A few times I've gotten email from Amazon saying that someone has asked a question about a product and since I'd previously bought that product could I answer the person's question.

I get quite a lot of those. I always try to answer them if I'm able to do so.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I get quite a lot of those. I always try to answer them if I'm able to do so.

I answer the questions about a product IF I know the answer.

Those are totally different from a 'Review' request.

I consider it rude for a 3rd party seller to request a review. IMHO a user review should be from the heart .

My Immediate Reviews almost always happen because of issues (and the occasional OMG this is really great).

Some products need a good shakedown period to get a good feel. Books and other media may end up in the big TO BE... pile .

[Tarana]

I read brief reviews for authors I do not know. Otherwise, at best, I might read the one line review by various people (such as PDurrant in the Challenge thread). My own reviews on Goodreads are soley for my benefit. Keeps me from buying a book from an author that I personally found ho-hum, so that I can gear my $$ towards someone I really enjoyed.

I am more likely to read a recommendation from someone I have had interaction with on Goodreads (or here) than a review. Why? Because I have an idea whether our tastes are similar.

[Lima Bean]

If I buy anything online, I always read the reviews. I know some people are cynical about them being fake, but I figure they're on the up-and-up in most cases.

I usually check out the 3-star reviews first. In my mind, they're the most balanced. It's a weird psychological thing, I suppose. Then I check out out a few from each level.