Book review manual
INDEX
What is a book review and what do we use it for?................................................................ 2
Content and Structure............................................................................................................. 2
Introduction........................................................................................................................ 2
Body:....................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................2
Language................................................................................................................................... 3
Bibliography............................................................................................................................. 5
Irati Rabanal,
Naroa Márquez
and Erta Kastrioti
1
What is a book review and what do we use it for?
A book review is an essay which describes and gives an opinion about a book.
Content and Structure
The structure and contents can vary depending on the review but this is more or less the
general ones:
Introduction
This usually includes information like the title, author and genre of the book. We could also
give some extra information about the author, like who they are and some relevant details
about them. Background information on the book could also be useful, such as its fame. Were
it to be a historical book, we would have to include some type of context.
Body
This could be divided in two parts which would be the description of the book and critical
information about it. The first part is recommended to be shorter because it is less important.
However, the amount of description needed could vary depending on the context needed.
- Description
This part will summarize the book without giving away any important information but
also explaining the outcome of the book and how it develops. Some of the points
included here would be the content, organization or themes of the book. We would
include information about the main characters too.
- Critical information
In this section, the reviewer will have to give their reaction to the book, supporting it
by using some quotations of the book while mentioning your own point- of -view.
Another way to do this is to value the weaknesses and strengths of the book. A useful
tool could be comparing it to another similar book to support your opinion. This
section could also be divided in subparagraphs according to the content included.
Conclusion
This part will have to include a summary of your thoughts on the book as well as the main
reasons to defend your arguments. Finally, you will have to say whether you would
recommend the book or not and you could rate it from 1 to 5 stars. You may also include
which kind of the audience the book is targeted towards and how you felt while reading it.
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This paragraph should not include any new information since it’s a summary of what was
written beforehand.
Language
The language used in a book review should be of easy comprehension. It is also very
important to distinguish our view from the author’s perspective. Here are some concrete
examples of the language that could be used for a book review:
Describing the book characters ● positive: approachable, eccentric, resourceful,
charming, quick-witted, ambitious, reliable,
optimistic, open-minded, hardworking, responsible,
reasonable, cooperative, good-natured…
● negative: absent-minded, demanding, cynical,
immature, superficial, selfish, indecisive, timid,
narrow-minded, judgemental, negligent, irritable,
bitter, reckless, greedy, indiscreet, Machiavellian…
Describing the time and place ● Describing time:
where the plot unfolds ○ Temporal terms (era, period, age… )
○ Time-related adjectives (timeless, enduring…)
○ Seasonal References (autumnal, wintry… )
● Describing place:
○ Geographical features (panoramic, urban… )
○ Architectural characteristics (gothic, rustic…
)
○ Environmental descriptors (serene, hectic … )
○ Cultural atmosphere (provincial, modern… )
○ Spatial relationships (remote, intimate… )
○ Time-period specific (ancient, victorian… )
Evaluating the plot/story thrilling, an extremely powerful story, to complicate matters
even more… ,
Evaluating the psyche of the this supporting cast of characters is excellent, x character is a
characters throwback to another time, x author creates a relatable
protagonist…
Evaluating the style of writing ● Narrative voice:
○ Distinctive voice (unique narrative tone,
distinct authorial tone, personalized
storytelling style… )
○ Engaging narration (captivating storytelling,
compelling narrative flow, absorbing
narration… )
● Descriptive language:
○ Vivid imagery (paints a vivid picture,
evocative descriptions, descriptive
eloquence… )
3
○ Conciseness and precision (sharp and to the
point, crisp and concise prose… )
● Dialogue:
○ Natural dialogue (authentic conversations,
true-to-life speech patterns… )
○ Stylized dialogue (unique linguistic
interactions, stylized verbal exchanges… )
● Tone and mood:
○ Consistent tone (cohesive narrative tone, tone
that aligns with content… )
○ Varied tone (versatile narrative tone, mood
versatility… )
● Literary devices:
○ Effective use of literary devices (skillful
metaphorical language, effective use of
symbolism… )
○ Innovative stylistic choices (innovative
narrative structure, experimentation with
form… )
● Cohesiveness:
○ Unified writing style (cohesive stylistic
approach, unified narrative technique… )
○ Disjointed style (disconnected narrative
elements, lack of coherence in writing… )
Criticizing an aspect of the ○ The only drawback was…
book ○ I felt less happy about…
○ The plot didn't live up to expectations.
○ It probably won’t appeal to teenagers.
(Not) Recommending the book ● Recommending the book:
○ Enthusiastic recommendation (a must-read
for, strongly encourage reading… )
○ Praise for engaging plot (gripping storyline,
intriguing plot twists… )
○ Character appreciation (characters that
resonate, relatable protagonists… )
○ Positive evaluation of writing style (skillful
storytelling, beautiful prose… )
○ Impactful themes (thought-provoking themes,
relevant and timely themes… )
● Not recommending the book:
○ Cautions or disclaimers (may not be suitable
for, contains sensitive content… )
○ Critique of plot development (slow-paced
narrative, predictable plot twists… )
○ Characterization concerns (characters that
feel clichéd, underdeveloped characters… )
○ Negative evaluation of writing style (overly
verbose prose, lack of clarity in expression…)
○ Disappointment in themes or message
(messaging is unclear, themes that feel
forced… )
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Bibliography
Admin.(11th of July of 2018). Character Adjectives in English: Character Adjectives in English -
English Study Here
Beare, Kenneth (5th of November of 2019). Building Character Vocabulary: Personality Adjectives
Practice for ESL Students (thoughtco.com)
Cress, Janell (2003) Book Reviews
https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=49
Kramer,Lindsay (29th of June of 2023), How to write a Book Review:
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-book-review/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20book
%20reviews%20aren't,focus%20on%20analyzing%20the%20book.
Pn,Daniel( 1st of May of 2022) How to Write a Book Review: Awesome Guide:
https://essaypro.com/blog/book-review
Sedaris, David ( 23rd of February of 2022 ) How to write a book review: 3 main elements of a book
review
%20review%20is%20a,of%20the%20author's%20writing%20style.
Smith, Sheldon ( 27th of December of 2022 ) Book reviews
https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/other/bookreview/
Student Learning Development University of Otago, (2017). Writing a Literature Review:
writing-a-literature-review-615355.pdf (otago.ac.nz)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,(23rd of September of 2021)Book Reviews:
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/book-reviews/
