Todays guest post is the second post from Bookgeeks reviewer, Mike Stafford.
Mike has been a regular contributor over at Bookgeeks since January of 2011. He reads predominantly crime, and one day hopes to make the fabled transition from blogger to author. Today’s guest post has been written about how he actually goes about reviewing books. A topic I’m sure many of us are interested in.
Over to Mike.
Nobody likes a critic. The word itself has powerful negative connotations – a critic is someone who sits on the cultural sidelines, sneering smugly at those who think and dream. To me, it also sounds like a word befitting of professional intellectuals, rather than we humble bloggers. For these reasons, I’ve never considered myself a critic, and never will – but our function is the same. Matthew Arnold argued that criticism was necessary in order to bring the best of culture to the fore, and I agree – though in contemporary terminology it would probably be known as “building buzz.”
So what’s the thought process of a reviewer as they set about their work? In practical terms, I’m a note taker. It’s a somewhat perverse approach to literature, especially in crime fiction, and I’ve often frustrated myself by stopping halfway through a paragraph to scribble down some insight I’ve had. Having said that, real life has a way of interrupting the thought process, and what can seem so crystal clear at the time can often be forgotten days later when the time comes to write a review.
As much as writing in genre offers crime writers some conventions to put their backs up against, it offers me certain elements to look for. For me, the big three are character, place and mood. If an author can create a complex or endearing hero(ine), wrap them in a convincing environment, and engage me on an emotional level, I consider that a roaring success. In degree terms, I consider it a 2:1, comfortably doing all that might be expected of a writer at the top of their game. An author who can achieve this can expect a glowing review from me (for a demonstration of how it’s done, check out Horace Silver’s Judas Pig, or Stav Sherez’s A Dark Redemption).
Of course, crime fiction isn’t just about this little trinity. There’s a great deal of social commentary, for example in the work of Denise Mina, and I’ve not yet come to mention style. While I’m a sucker for a book that peers under society’s rocks, I don’t think social comment is essential in the way character or place is, and while I go mad for a distinctive voice like Bruen or Sallis, I consider individual prose style an added bonus. Many fine storytellers produce triumphs without ever sounding truly unique. When I’m reviewing, I’m always on the lookout for these things, together with any recurring themes the author may be throwing in (for an author juggling several of these, check out Parker Bilal’s The Golden Scales).
I read with this mental checklist in place as often as possible. While it may sound dry and academic, I assure you it’s not. I like to think if you can squeeze every drop of meaning from a book, you’re not only getting good value, but doing the author the courtesy of appreciating a year’s graft on their part.
This brings us on to the dark side of the reviewer’s art – the bad review. For me, this is a rare thing. There’s a school of thought that suggests traditional publishing acts as some tyrannical gatekeeper, rejecting good work as if publishers loathe nothing more than selling books. For me, publishers do a fine job of quality control, and I’ve generally enjoyed about forty-nine of every fifty books I read. On the rare occasions I haven’t, or I’ve read books in which the negatives were too significant to be ignored, I’ve tried to be as clear and fair as possible. I work on the basis that one day I might come face-to-face with an aggrieved author – if you can’t defend your comments in person, then don’t blurt them out online.
For me, there’s also a mental checklist on bad reviews. If a book achieves what it sets out to do, I’d argue you need to give credit to the author for that. If a book wasn’t for you – don’t waste your breath. I wouldn’t give house room to a celeb autobiography, but seeing as I’m not the target audience, my thoughts are immaterial. Many readers will gleefully pick on factual errors; for me, if they’re not too glaring, I’m unconcerned. Satisfying pedants shouldn’t be a writer’s priority. Take note Amazon reviewers – if you couldn’t finish the book, don’t offer an opinion. Nothing enrages me more than seeing a 1* review followed by “I gave up at chapter three.” Books can shift gears on you at any time, changing your whole perspective on them. Brian McGilloway’s Little Girl Lost was a gradual starter, but the final two-thirds were phenomenal. Simon Beckett’s The Calling of the Grave packed a colossal punch into the final few pages. Thomas Enger’s Burned finished with a single killer line to whet the appetite for the sequel. If you didn’t read the whole book, you waive the right to have your opinion taken seriously.
Finally, don’t revel in it. I’ve never believed the act of finishing a novel entitles a writer to freedom from criticism. After all, as Hyman Roth said – “this is the business we’ve chosen.” Sportsmen will sometimes lose, and artists will sometimes fail to strike a chord with the audience. But there’s a difference between constructive criticism and self-satisfied bashing of a writer’s work. Good art comes when the artist pours their soul into it, and it’s unedifying to trample over their efforts for your own amusement.
Overall though, I always try and enjoy it! Academically though I may approach it, there really is little more enjoyable than getting my snout stuck into a volume of crime fiction…
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I want to thank Mike for two great guest posts. An interesting and informative start to the guest posts on the blog. You can find Mike on Bookgeeks and Twitter.
Next week we hear from self published author Dave Sivers, who discusses Marketing.
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – Thanks for hosting Mike.
Mike – Thanks for your insights on reviewing books. I’m so glad that you distinguish between a book that’s not to the reviewer’s taste and a book that simply isn’t well-constructed, or where the character(s) needed more development, etc.. And I couldn’t agree more that “author bashing” or “book bashing” for its own sake – that self-satisfied sort of pan you mentioned – makes no sense. It doesn’t explain to potential readers exactly what worked and what didn’t. It doesn’t help the author reflect on her or his work, and it doesn’t show a lot of thought.
Rebecca Bradley says
Margot, Mike has yet again, been a pleasure to host.
Mike Stafford says
Cheers Margot.
I should be honest and admit I’ve often enjoyed a little schadenfreude when reading negative reviews of Hollywood blockbusters, but I think books are a completely different beast. They’re far more personal – and of course don’t have multi-million dollar marketing campaigns behind them.
You’re definitely onto something with the unhelpful content in a lot of bad reviews. I think a great deal of them are seen by the writer as an opportunity to showcase their own wit, rather than offer any insight.
lynn w. proctor says
great points!
Rebecca Bradley says
I’m glad you enjoyed the post Lynn.
Ann Best says
I bookmarked you, Rebecca and, now back somewhat to blogging, came over here to see what you’ve been doing. Your previous guest poster on marketing said what’s been said and what needs repeating often; But Mike’s analysis of “reviews” really speaks to me as I’ve been approached recently to “review” some crime fiction. You have to distinguish between “true” criticism versus “author bashing,” to echo Margot above. Yes. Someone leaves one star and says “boring. Couldn’t finish it.” (This happened to me with my memoir.) This isn’t a review!! Truly maddening, as Mike says. I don’t do this to my fellow writers. If I don’t like a book, I don’t write a “review.” Even if I see problems with plot, character, development of the story….well, someone else, supposedly, before publication has already “edited” it. Maybe. But what can I say about that now? I simply move on to the next book on my TBR list….
Thought provoking posts, Rebecca.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Ann. It’s great to see you here. Thank you for bookmarking and visiting!
I completely agree. It drives me insane when I see people being mean just for the sake of it and if you look at the “reviewers” previous reviews, you generally find, they aren’t happy with anything. Some people just like to hurt others from the safety of a computer screen.