Reviewing Unread Books

I once wrote a review that started with, "I quit reading this book at the first ten pages." The author emailed me and was furious. The first ten pages were graphic descriptions of a woman being tortured, hearing her cartilage cracking, feeling....never mind. I assumed his target audience was limited to sadists and I didn't qualify.

I started another book recently but only made it about 50 pages into the book when I decided it wasn't going to get any better.

If someone says they didn't finish the book and then goes on to explain why they didn't finish the book, do you consider that a valid book review?

Patrickt said:

I once wrote a review that started with, "I quit reading this book at the first ten pages." The author emailed me and was furious. The first ten pages were graphic descriptions of a woman being tortured, hearing her cartilage cracking, feeling....never mind. I assumed his target audience was limited to sadists and I didn't qualify.

I started another book recently but only made it about 50 pages into the book when I decided it wasn't going to get any better.

If someone says they didn't finish the book and then goes on to explain why they didn't finish the book, do you consider that a valid book review?

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As long as the review wasn't misleading then I would say its valid. Whoever that author is I would say he has no business writing if he cannot take criticism.

Patrickt said:

I once wrote a review that started with, "I quit reading this book at the first ten pages." The author emailed me and was furious. The first ten pages were graphic descriptions of a woman being tortured, hearing her cartilage cracking, feeling....never mind. I assumed his target audience was limited to sadists and I didn't qualify.

I started another book recently but only made it about 50 pages into the book when I decided it wasn't going to get any better.

If someone says they didn't finish the book and then goes on to explain why they didn't finish the book, do you consider that a valid book review?

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No. I consider that an excuse not to read the book - an absolute prerequisite to reviewing (grading?) a book. If you don't like the subject, plot pace or writing style to such an extent that you will not read it then decline to grade (evaluate?) the book.

This reminds me of an incident from my junior college English class days. The given assignment was to write an informative essay on any subject. I wrote about venomous snakes in the US and the instructor refused to accept or grade my essay based on her extreme fear (phobia?) of snakes.

She suggested that I write another essay on a different subject as a replacement and would grant me a week to to do with no loss of grade for late submission. I asked for that "review" in writing and took the matter to the dean, explaining that I had no intention of doing double work for single credit in any class. He resolved the matter by reading and grading my essay himself - I got a B for it.

I'm a big fan of cutting my losses, but if you're writing a review for any sort of audience, I expect you to sit through the whole thing.

When I covered baseball games, I couldn't peace out in the fifth inning because the game was a clunker.

Patrickt said:

I once wrote a review that started with, "I quit reading this book at the first ten pages." The author emailed me and was furious. The first ten pages were graphic descriptions of a woman being tortured, hearing her cartilage cracking, feeling....never mind. I assumed his target audience was limited to sadists and I didn't qualify.

I started another book recently but only made it about 50 pages into the book when I decided it wasn't going to get any better.

If someone says they didn't finish the book and then goes on to explain why they didn't finish the book, do you consider that a valid book review?

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I can understand you're reaction to poor writing, and I don't blame you. However, because you are doing this professionally, you have an obligation to complete the reading. You can criticize the writing after you've finished. It's painful perhaps, but necessary.

humbolt said:

I can understand you're reaction to poor writing, and I don't blame you. However, because you are doing this professionally, you have an obligation to complete the reading. You can criticize the writing after you've finished. It's painful perhaps, but necessary.

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I am not doing it professionally. I'm chronically unemployed and plan to stay that way till I die. I write reviews so others who are thinking about getting the book can see my opinion. The one time I reviewed a book without finishing it, it was ten pages of sickening torture and then nine men came in to rape the woman who was being tortured. That was enough for me. The review was basically what I just said and if that appeals to you, fine, it's a book for you but I don't think I'm the only person who would rather skip that.

Patrickt said:

I am not doing it professionally. I'm chronically unemployed and plan to stay that way till I die. I write reviews so others who are thinking about getting the book can see my opinion. The one time I reviewed a book without finishing it, it was ten pages of sickening torture and then nine men came in to rape the woman who was being tortured. That was enough for me. The review was basically what I just said and if that appeals to you, fine, it's a book for you but I don't think I'm the only person who would rather skip that.

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In that case, I don't blame you at all.

Patrickt said:

I once wrote a review that started with, "I quit reading this book at the first ten pages." The author emailed me and was furious. The first ten pages were graphic descriptions of a woman being tortured, hearing her cartilage cracking, feeling....never mind. I assumed his target audience was limited to sadists and I didn't qualify.

I started another book recently but only made it about 50 pages into the book when I decided it wasn't going to get any better.

If someone says they didn't finish the book and then goes on to explain why they didn't finish the book, do you consider that a valid book review?

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Yes I do,
War and Peace, I have never gotten very far because the Russian names are just too dang confusing.
Mein Kampf, Ive tried this one a few times but it is so poorly written I always give up

Kobie said:

I'm a big fan of cutting my losses, but if you're writing a review for any sort of audience, I expect you to sit through the whole thing.

When I covered baseball games, I couldn't peace out in the fifth inning because the game was a clunker.

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I was under the impression this was Internet reviews like Amazon or some such thing

It's totally fine. The only thing I wonder though, is how you didn't know what the book was about. Not that you did anything wrong if the title/genre/etc. was misleading. Then that's just bad advertising. But at only ten pages I wouldn't bother to review it, unless you were misled. I once bought a book about the history of slackers that looked to be really entertaining. And for the first 20 pages it was. But by the time I hit page 50 though it had turned into a slogging social studies lecture utterly devoid of any of the wit and humor of the opening. So s**tcanned it and gave it that review (great first few pages, then sucks).

I personally give a book every last chance, but I have given up on books halfway through because if it ain't happening by then, it ain't gonna happen. I've given them negatives review on Amazon, but I always say that I didn't finish it.