‘Book Reviews’ will no longer be…reviews
I've realised that I'm not actually very good at book reviews.
I like books, and can tell you why, but then I read some reviews on Reddit or a dedicated review site and I'm blown away with the insight some people have when reading and their ability to convey it. You’d be much bettter served by their natural skillset than mine.
However, I'll still be reading fantasy like it can reverse ecosystem collapse.
So, from now on, my reviews will be targeted to what I, as a writer reading, learned or found especially impressive (or shit). This will change from book to book, but some techniques I'll be looking at will include:
story
characters and voice
pacing
excitement/boredom
plausibility
worldbuilding
magic systems
clarity/confusion
sub-text
themes and lessons
prose
digestibility
coolness
While this is a way for me to collect my thoughts on a book and to see what can help my writing, it still might help you choose a great book to read or recommend, and ideally, help your own writing journey.
The first book to suffer my scrutiny will be…
