After I finish reading a book I always go to Goodreads and Amazon to read the reviews. Why? Because I enjoy reading other people’s thoughts and opinions of the book.
It’s almost like my own little book club. If I liked the book, I can gush and squee with everyone else who also liked it. It’s always validating to read the 4 and 5-star reviews of books I enjoy. I always have a lot of fun reading other readers’ reviews.
But even if I loved a book, there’s usually one thing I always do: I read the 1-star reviews.
Yes, it’s true that some of the 1-star reviews are just readers saying they DNFed the book or the “book was bad”. But I like reading the reviews that actually critique the book. I find that a lot of them are detailed and insightful and they usually make me think about some aspect of the book that I didn’t consider.
I almost trust the 1-star and 2-star reviews more than 5-stars reviews. I often feel like they tell me more about a book instead of just raving about it.
That’s not to say that if I am reading a 1-star review of a book I liked that I suddenly change my mind about the book or get bummed out. I fully recognize that not everyone has the same taste in books and that there are always going to be people that hate the books I love. The majority of the time, I disagree with the 1- star review. But I do like it when something is pointed out that I didn’t think of that makes me go hmmm.
Now, it is also justifying to read 1-star reviews of books I hated? It sure is!! There’s nothing better than reading a scathing review and agreeing with everyone the reviewer has to say.
What do you think? Is it weird that I read the 1-star reviews?
I like to read a selection of reviews after I’ve read a book and typed up notes for my review. Mostly to see if other readers shared the same opinions… maybe I completely misinterpreted something… see who has the same personal reading tastes as my own to get future book recommendations. All the reviews are helpful – even the one star ones. It’s all about getting a balance of information. Plus its fun to connect with other readers and see where you opinion falls in the pantheon of reader feedback.
One thing I see around the internet is authors asking not to be tagged in one star reviews; which I can understand because it can be soul crushing. But on the other hand, the review usually isn’t meant to contact the author directly and say ‘hey come and read how I tore up your novel,’ but merely acknowledging the fact that the author wrote to book. Plus I’ve heard it said so many times that reviews are for readers, not authors. Like anything that is published widely, it’s always going to be open to public scrutiny.
What’s your opinion on tagging authors in one star reviews?
I totally agree! I always read the reviews to see if there is something I missed or misinterpreted. And it’s just fun reading what other people have to say. I usually tag authors in my reviews, just because I think it helps other readers find the review. If I am criticizing a book, I always try to be respectful and give specifics as to why I didn’t like something. Similarly, I do try to find something that I liked about the book so that the whole review is not negative. I feel like authors have to know that not everyone is going to love their book and as long as I am not mean in my review, in the end its just an opinion and constructive criticism.