“This is one of those times where what I thought this book was going to be about would have been a better book than what it is actually about.”
This is the opening sentence of an online blog review of a recent book. It encapsulates what is so often wrong about the world of blog reviewing. The reviewer presumes that what he/she thought about an unwritten book would have been better than the book he/she actually read. But, of course, the book the reviewer thought about does not exist. The reviewer is not saying, “I wrote a book about the same subject, and mine is better.” The reviewer is contrasting a non-existent book with a real book, and not only finds the real book wanting, finds his/her thoughts to be a better book. One often hears the expression, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.” But this is not opinion; it is self-indulgent vanity.
5 thoughts on “Huh?”
Exactly. Though maybe the book/title/opening etc. gave this writer an “idea”…but as a review? Really.
I just wanted to take this moment to tell you I recently read and adored Sophia’s War. I am a recently retired elementary teacher (40 years! plus still teaching as a sub and tutor). I hope you have many more books like this. We need great historical fiction. Since I ended my career with thirteen years in 3rd grade, I was not always reading the kinds of work I read as a 25 year veteran of 5th grade. Bravo on your fabulous book. I wish I had had it to read as a child. I think we need story to help kids “get” the bigger picture of history. Once they understand and care…well.…then they can go farther with the type of text in history books, which I never “loved” because there was just not enough great detail. (Different strokes, different folks, etc.) I must re-read Charlotte Doyle as I adored that when I read it.
I am telling all the people I know to read Sophia’s War!!
Ah ha! Or, when a blog ends up not being what you THINK it’s going to be about. For example, I thought you were going to speak on how sometimes you write a novel and it doesn’t look anything like what you had in your head before you created it… So then do you try to re-write to what you originally thought of, OR keep the new story that was actually written?
I think you should write the best story you can–as it unfolds–how ever the folding lines evolve.
Thank you! I am writing more for readers like you.
or when you don’t pick up a book (Confessions of Charlotte Doyle) because you think it’s a girl diary story and when you finally read it, it ends up keeping you rivoted for two days… and you even end up reading it in the bathroom while shaving before work…