Ms. Gokturk

How to Write a Book Review

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The purpose of a review is to make your point of view known. You hold the power to make or break whether or not others will spend the time and money to read a book. YOU MUST CONVINCE PEOPLE of your valid point by covering all the bases as demonstrated in the following format. This is a persuasive essay that utilizes literary analysis to make your point.

Part One: (Introduction) Describe your overall opinion of the book. Be sure to name the author of the book and the title. Basically, this section also states whether or not you liked the book and IN GENERAL TERMS what was good or bad about it. You should do so in a sophisticated way: create a thesis that incorporates your point of view with some element of the book.

Also: This is the part of the review that you include any unusual elements or most striking aspects of the work. For example, the book was written by an adult who only recently learned to write, or by a very famous journalist known for her cutting interviews. Examine the book and decide whether there is anything unusual about it that makes it stand out.

PART Two: (summary) Briefly describe the content of the book in order to get someone interested, just as a movie rental box or book jacket might appeal to you. If the book is story-driven, DO NOT GIVE AWAY THE ENDING! This part should be an overview of the content. It’s also a great place to incorporate quotes from the book to keep the summary engaging.

***PART Three: (best/worst part/aspect) This is the bulk of your review. This is where you will use text-based evidence to illustrate aspects of the writing and story. Quote directly as well as paraphrase. Give your reader a taste of the style!

Concurrently, give your opinion of the writing and content. Be sure to give good as well as bad points. Be clever. This is the literary analysis part of your review.

PART Four(Conclusion) You should conclude your review with any final thoughts on the work as a whole. To WHOM would you recommend this? Why? Please don’t just write a minimal final thought. Be thorough! Tip: BE careful of saying things like, “This book is perfect for all teens.” You might exclude an entire audience. Think in terms that target an audience without excluding other potential readers

TIPS TO CONSIDER AND INCLUDE IN YOUR REVIEW:

Style of writing, target audience, previous works, publisher, cost, number of pages, content summary, best/worst aspects, and overall opinion.

DO NOT USE “I” and remember that this is not a 5^th grade book report: “I liked the book I read because….”