I read an interesting blog this morning about DNF reviews and I was wondering how you felt.
I have a lot of books in my DNF pile. There's that Song of Scarab.... you know, the science fiction one that got great reviews and you loved. I couldn't get very far with it. And a few others that I just hated the voice of shortly after beginning.
I don't think it's important that I slog through a book to see if it gets better. But do I have an obligation to keep my comments to myself if I haven't finished it?
We agreed not to do reviews on this blog but we'll happily share our mad love of books and authors. Loretta Chase, I'm talking about you when I say mad love. I want to have your babies ma'am, and wash your dishes and be your cabana boy. Mad love.
I have comented on Goodreads though about my DNFs. But to me Goodreads is well, I don't know. A social book shelf.
If you haven't read to the end then maybe you miss the author redeeming a character or a situation. Is it fair to do a review of something you haven't finished because you basically don't know the whole story?
No matter how professional a blog or blogger might get, reviewing a book still remains something that's very subjective. Song of Scarab... is a good example. I liked it enough to get the next in the series. For you, it didn't work.
ReplyDeleteSo, maybe there's another mini-Lori out there whose tastes coincide with yours. Wouldn't it be helpful for her to know how the book struck you?
Even a DNF means something. Characters might get redeemed, but it's not much use if you're not enjoying the process.
I wanted to add something else.
ReplyDeleteAs always, it makes a difference how the review is written. "This book sucked so much I couldn't finish it", is not a review.
Check out Jill Sorenson's last review on DA for a good example of how to write a DNF review. She got far enough into the book to give valid reasons why it didn't work for her.
Was this helpful to you? Or did you rush out to buy the book. ;-)