How do you write a book review?

• Establish a Background, Remember your Audience: Remember that your audience has not read the work; with this in mind, be sure to introduce characters and principles carefully and deliberately. What kind of summary can you provide of the main points or main characters that will help your readers gauge their interest? These reviews help ME!  I simply cannot read them all!

• Minor principles/characters Deal only with the most pressing issues in the book. You will not be able to cover every character or idea. What principles/characters did you agree or disagree with? What other things might the author have researched or considered?

• Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you in an emotional or logical way?

For more guidance on writing book reviews visit:

Owl Online Writing Lab: Book Review