How to write a book review

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book. While it would definitely include a

description of the different aspects of the book, what you need to keep in mind is that it is
not a summary. Your review should focus on your analysis and opinion of the book, and
should guide the readers decision of whether to read or not to read the book.
Writing a book review involves the following steps:
. !ist down preliminary information about the book. "efore you begin to read,
consider the title of the book and what you think it conveys. #o some research on the
biographical details of the author, the setting of the book, the genre it belongs to, the
authors purpose in writing the book, etc. $oing through the preface carefully is also a
good way to understand these aspects.
%. &ead the book carefully. As you read, make notes about your impressions on the
setting, theme, genre, style, plot, characterisation, structure, etc.
'. (nce you finish reading, give yourself some time to assimilate, so that you can think
about the story in perspective.
). *ry to form a single overall impression about the book. *his will form your central
thesis. *he central thesis generally revolves around the authors purpose and how far he
has achieved it. +n this sense, a reviewer appraises the success of the author in achieving
his purpose.
,. $o back to your notes and see what matches with this overall impression. -trike out
whatever you feel has no relation with the central thesis.
.. (nce this is clear, you are ready to write your first draft of the book review. However,
it is always a good idea to write an outline first and then start writing the first draft. /se
the outline as your base and keep referring to your notes as you write.
What goes in the first draft:
. *he opening paragraph0s1 give the authors name and title of the book, the genre that
it belongs to, some information about the author, the main theme of the book, and the
authors purpose behind writing the book.
%. *he body paragraphs logically develop your thesis. Here, you should e2plain what
you like or dislike about the book and why. *his is where you give your analysis of the
setting, plot, characterisation, style, structure, etc. +t would be a good idea to use one
paragraph for each idea that you want to develop in support of your thesis. However,
make sure you do not disclose too much of the plot. You can give a brief overview of the
storyline, but do not reveal the secrets3
'. *he concluding paragraph gives the reviewers overall impression of the book. Here,
you can sum up your thesis or give a final 4udgement about the book. #o not introduce
new ideas in the conclusion.
5inally, revise the draft. As you revise, look for the following:
. 6nsure that the main points are clear. All the main ideas should support your thesis.
%. Avoid repetition and redundancy. #o not repeat an idea for emphasis. &ather, state the
idea and e2plain why it is important.
'. 7heck for awkward and unclear sentences and rewrite them. +f re8uired, split them into
shorter sentences.
). 7heck for coherence. 6ach sentence and paragraph should naturally lead to the ne2t.
,. 5inally, proofread for spelling and grammatical errors.