This week’s question is suggested by Puss Reboots:
How much do reviews (good and bad) affect your choice of reading? If you see a bad review of a book you wanted to read, do you still read it? If you see a good review of a book you’re sure you won’t like, do you change your mind and give the book a try?
This is a tricky question and one I've been thinking about lately. I mentioned yesterday that I stopped reading a book that I wasn't enjoying, yet when I looked up the Amazon reviews nearly everyone who read it gave it five stars. No one had any of the complaints I had about the book. What was I missing? I try not to look at online reviews (like those on Amazon) for the simple reason I don't know the reviewer. They may have valid arguments, but what if their reading tastes are completely opposite mine. Should I not read a book that at first glance sounded appealing for the simple reason a stranger didn't like it? One thing I don't like about these sorts of reviews that are found on Amazon is the dismissive attitude that is very often found there. I tend to be a pretty forgiving reader, and if I really don't like a book I usually won't talk about it in my posts (or try to balance the negative with positive aspects of the book). Obviously there is nothing wrong with not liking a book (not every book is going to appeal to all readers) and offering a fair criticism is a good thing, but I don't like reviews that completely slam a book. And I'm not one to want to throw a book across the room if I don't like it or pitch it in the first garbage can I see, or even tell other readers--'don't read this book' (which I come across all the time on Amazon). What someone disliked, someone else might love.
What about a review in a newspaper or magazine? Trickier. These are supposed to be the experts, right? The people paid to read and critique books. Should I be guided by them? I even have an example. I've heard very good things about Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier. I first read about it in my library's freebie book magazine Book Page. It has been a bestseller in Europe, and the story appealed to me. Plus it was originally published in German, and I am on the look out for novels in translation. I've even seen it mentioned on a few blogs. So I added my name to the library queue. As it turns out Amazon reviewers have torpedoed it, and then a few days ago I spotted this at The Literary Saloon. Bad reviews for the book from big American newspapers. This made me think perhaps I should take my name off the list. Ultimately I think I will borrow the book and give it a try and decide for myself.
I do like to read reviews by bloggers I am familiar with. Since I read their posts regularly I have a sense of what types of books they like and what we have in common. And if someone raves about a book that is completely new to me (or even one that I thought didn't really appeal when I first heard about it) I quite often will add it to my book list or check it out from the library. I've found that other book bloggers are an excellent source for learning about new (and even old) books.