- Joined
- May 14, 2005
- Messages
- 12,862
- Reaction score
- 2,846
- Location
- A Small Town in Germany
- Website
- www.sharonmaas.co.uk
I'm a weirdo. I usually only read book reviews for their own intrinsic entertainment value (or to console myself that there are other people in the world who hated a book as much as I did.)
This. Especially if I hated an immensely popular book -- I will read the longer 1-star reviews AFTER reading the book, simply to find the reason for my dislike put into words. I often end up smiling, realising that no, I wasn't crazy to dislike this book, and that my dislike had a solid foundation! most recent case in point: The Fault in Our Stars (26+k 5*s vs 300+ 1*s).
Often, in such cases I just have an instinct that something is off but I haven't got the time or inclination to analyse the reasons for my dislike myself -- it's often (as in the above case) purely instinctive -- so reading a good critique helps me to understand my own reaction -- and maybe, even, make me a better writer. I seldom read reviews before buying a book.
Last edited: