How to Write a Standout Book Review in a Saturated Market
Book reviews are a crucial tool for the reading community — it’s via these that opinions are exchanged, ideas discussed, and recommendations found. But though the growth of book review sites is promising for readers, a saturated market also means that it’s getting increasingly difficult to make your mark as a book reviewer.
If you’re looking for ways to freshen your voice and make a stronger impression, I’ve got a few tips that might help. As an avid reader of book reviews, I’ve noticed that the ones that stay with me usually follow these three guidelines.
1. Don’t be afraid to get personal
Part of what makes books beautiful is how they’re interpreted in different ways by different readers. A reader’s perception of a story is influenced by their experience — which means that for any given book, there will be certain aspects you notice that others will not.
On that note, try moving beyond the standard synopsis-analysis-recommendation formula for a good book review; instead, fold in comments about your relation to the book on a personal level. Did it reflect something you’ve seen or experienced, or something that you know others have? Remember, of course, that a book doesn’t have to be “relatable” to be valuable — even if you don’t see yourself in the story, what else does it have to offer? How did you feel yourself reacting to various elements of it, and what do you think that says about you?
If this sounds more personal than you’re comfortable with, another option is to talk about your literal reading experience. Where did you read this book? Did you peruse it in long stretches or small bursts? Was it a cozy murder mystery, best enjoyed with a steaming mug of your favorite beverage? Or was it a thrilling fantasy that goes well with a certain playlist? Seasoning your thoughts with a sprinkle of atmosphere is a great way to make your review stand out.
2. Compare the book to similar titles
This isn’t a particularly uncommon thing to do — many reviewers include recommendations of similar books for fans of the title. However, you can take it a step further by comparing certain details to other books (or television or films). For instance, if Book A and Book B seem to have sprung from similar book outlines, or if the worldbuilding in Book A reminds you of a popular TV show, go ahead and compare — noting the relative strengths and weaknesses of each work.
The more books you mention, the more engaging and relevant you’ll seem to your bibliophile audience, while also helping them genuinely get a better sense of the book at hand. Including literary (and other pop cultural) references throughout your review also serves as a more natural, intriguing recommendation list for those who haven’t yet enjoyed these works — one that’s potentially more diverse and useful than bullet points at the end of your review!
3. Prompt interesting discussions
Again, this isn’t uncommon; lots of reviewers have a “let me know your thoughts!” prompt at the end of their reviews. But this alone generally isn’t enough to stir up a profound discussion — which is a shame, because readers often have pretty interesting post-review thoughts.
As a reviewer, you can set your discussion prompt(s) apart by asking questions about specific aspects of the book, like the themes or the believability of certain details — and be ready to participate in the comment section yourself. Make sure to do this in a fair and balanced way if you’re critical of the detail in question! Readers will enjoy the discussion and appreciate your open-minded approach to different perspectives — which, again, is exactly what makes reading and reviewing books so great in the first place. It may help to think of your review not merely as a piece of writing, but as an extension of your mind: something intimate and conversational, which comes with a personal touch. This attitude, coupled with the tips above, means it will stand out among countless other reviews — and hopefully lead to more opportunities for you as a reviewer.
