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So, how many reviews does it take?
I was visiting a review site the other day and there was a review for the new release of a book by one of my favourite authors. This author is one of the very few who, for me, has never written a ‘bad’ book. I have read her entire back list and enjoyed every single one to one degree or another. This is a very rare thing for me as just about every other author has written at least one book I’ve considered a clunker.
But the reviewer gave the new release of this author a low grade. Now that didn’t bother me whatsoever – we readers have wide and varied tastes and the low grade didn’t really phase me as I trust this author to write something I will enjoy – she hasn’t disappointed me yet. But what did – for lack of a better word – miff me, was a thread a reader started on this author saying oh – well because this reviewer didn’t like the book, I certainly won’t be reading it – or words to that effect. A couple of others joined in a said pretty much the same thing and the nasty bitchy part of me muttered “sheep”. Yes, there is a nasty bitchy side to me. I try to keep it hidden but it’s coming out a here. Here is what one of the posters had to say:
“She’s one of my few favorite authors that I have left, oh well it pains me but after reading the review I’m not touching it.”
And I’m left wondering why????? Because ONE reviewer didn’t like the book? This person has enjoyed this author in the past. Why be such a sheep and not try it yourself if you like this author? I’m not saying you have to go out and buy the book; rent it from the library or try it from Paperback Swap or something, but to right off an author? To me that’s just nuts. What if most readers were so easily swayed? What if when some of the classic romances came out and a reviewer didn’t like the book; a book such as Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase or Windflower by Laura London? Believe it or not, there are readers who don’t like those books – and that’s fine.
That’s why I am so glad there’s been explosion of reader blogs that do reviews. They counter balance some of the less impressive reviews at review sites. After all is said and done, it’s only one person’s opinion and before I rule a book out that I want to read, I need a heck of a lot more than one review. I don’t trust, never have trusted and never will trust Amazon reviews. While I know there are some readers who give honest and heartfelt reviews there, time has proven it’s a corrupt system. But reader blogs have no hidden agenda – I don’t think most anyway. They just love books and want to share their thoughts on a book they’ve enjoyed or in some cases not enjoyed.
I’m somewhat of a gambler when it comes to book buying. I love buying books by new authors and trying them out. And I like to think that grades don’t really affect me – even though I give grades myself. They are more of a guideline for what I thought of the book. I hope if it’s a book I’ve enjoyed, someone might be tempted to give it a try, but if it’s one that didn’t work for me – I still hope someone will give it a try and like it more than I did. In fact I don’t even really like calling what I do a review. I prefer to think of it as my thoughts on a book.
So, I’m curious. Would you be swayed away from an author you’ve enjoyed by one negative review? Do you pay attention to reviews or prefer to make up your own mind? How many reviews does it take for you to decide not to try a book you were interested in – or will you go ahead and try it anyway?
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Would you be swayed away from an author you’ve enjoyed by one negative review?
Nah. I would check all my usual sources. I don’t rely heavily on single reviews–tastes vary, and many reviews aren’t persuasive to me.
When in doubt, I look for both a consensus and outliers who disagree with the flock. I find Amazon useful for that, and I trust my judgment of the reviews there.
OTOH if the review quoted an excerpt that made me cringe, one review might do it. At least it would prompt me to read a chapter before buying.
by RfP
on July 21st, 2008 at 11:20 am
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Do you pay attention to reviews or prefer to make up your own mind?
I generally like to make up my own mind. At this point, I know what I like and what I’m burnt out on. The sad truth? I’m really, really tired of paranormal anything. Truly. So no matter how many glowing reviews I see for a paranormal book/series? I’m likely to remain unmoved. I just am. Likewise, if I generally enjoy an author’s work - several bad reviews (let alone just one) isn’t likely to sway my decision to buy the book and read it for myself. Unless…..
These negative reviews detail one of my hot button pet peeves. Even then? If the author is a favorite, I’ll still the read the book. Case in point? I still read Fairyville by Emma Holly even though I’m really tired of paranormal (I might have mentioned that already  ). Cuz dang, Emma Holly! I love her.
by Wendy
on July 21st, 2008 at 11:35 am
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I won’t be swayed from an author I enjoy by 100 negative reviews, much less one. If the author is new to me, the only way a review would sway me was if the summary didn’t interest me. I’ve read way too many negative reviews of books I love to be swayed. Personal tastes vary.
Now, a couple of really great reviews WILL sometimes win me over as far as trying out a new author.
Maybe those naysayers aren’t planning to read the book anyway. A negative review gives them the excuse they’re looking for to pass on it.
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A review is nothing more than one person’s opinion. I always try to take that into account, and I hope that readers remember that when they read my reviews, too. Some reviewers sway me more than others — usually the ones whose recommendations have worked for me in the past. But if the author’s books have consistently worked for me in the past, I would not be dissuaded from reading them by a negative review.
A couple of years ago, a major review site gave three books I loved D range grades. I subsequently reviewed two of those three books to offer readers a different perspective.
I can’t say that I hope to dissuade anyone from reading any book, no matter how much that book doesn’t work for me. My main motivation in reviewing is that I enjoy spreading the word about books I adore. The reason I also write negative reviews is that it helps readers understand my tastes and know whether or not my recommendations would work for them. Without negative reviews, positive reviews lose their credibility. Reviewers start to look like they are rubber stamping every book with an automatic seal of approval.
But still, I enjoy writing about and dissecting the books that work specatcularly for me much more about the books that don’t work so well for me. And the key words are “for me.” My reviews are just one person’s opinions, nothing more and nothing less.
by Janine
on July 21st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
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If it’s an author I like, I won’t read any reviews - I’d rather come to a book with as few preconceptions as possible.
If it’s a book I’m not sure about - at the moment, I’m deeply unsure whether to buy the new Brockmann - I’ll read several reviews, but I won’t give them all the same weight. (For instance, Mrs Giggles and LLB at AAR are anti-reviewers for me - experience suggests that if they love a book, I should avoid it.)
I’m much easier the other way round - I’ve bought books from a single interesting review, or a single recommendation. I’m a book slut - always looking for reasons to say yes to an author, rather than reasons to turn them down.
by Marianne McA
on July 21st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
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If it’s an author I like, I won’t be swayed by a truckload of negative reviews (like Marianne, I tend not to read reviews of books I know I’ll definitely be reading, my ‘autobuy’). I’ll buy anything Abe, Goodman, Chase, K Cole et al produce, until I find I’m personally dissatisfied with their work.
If, however, the writer in question is one who has started to slip up, or I’m unsure about, I’ll check out some of my favourite review sites and gauge their reactions.
Incidentally, I love reading negative reviews of books, especially if the review is well written and explains what doesn’t work. Sometimes I’ve bought a book on the basis of a detailed negative review. Other times, I’ve chuckled, and other times still, I’ve known to stay away. Before buying a book I’m not sure about, I’ll always read the negative reviews.
That’s why I am so glad there’s been explosion of reader blogs that do reviews. They counter balance some of the less impressive reviews at review sites.
I would say that this works both ways, though. (As in, they counter balance some weirdly, disproportionately positive reviews as well.) But yes.
by Meriam
on July 21st, 2008 at 8:02 pm
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~Without negative reviews, positive reviews lose their credibility.~
Totally. The reviews I appreciate most are the honest ones, not necessarily the most favorable.
~The reason I also write negative reviews is that it helps readers understand my tastes and know whether or not my recommendations would work for them.~
I don’t know if this jump can be made. I read a lot of reviews, but I’ve never found a reviewer or reader whose taste coincided with mine in a predictable way.
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I’m swayed much more by a good review to buy a book than a bad review. Also after being around the blogsphere for awhile there are readers whose tastes mirror mine that I’m likely to give a bit more weight to their opinion than say some stranger for a review site.
by Rosie
on July 22nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
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I think the jump can sometimes be made — at least, I have made it with some reviewers at other sites. Not based on any one review but based on a large body of reviews. If I look at a reviewers favorite books and at the ones they didn’t care for, I can tell how closely we match. Sometimes, as Marianne McA said above, it works in the reverse — I know I will love books that reviewer doesn’t care for, and that her positive recommendations won’t work for me. But that is useful information too.
by Janine
on July 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
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~ “Would you be swayed away from an author you’ve enjoyed by one negative review?” ~
No.
~ “Do you pay attention to reviews or prefer to make up your own mind?” ~
I have very few auto-buy authors. So for most books, I read reviews to decide if I want to read them or not. It has nothing to do with grades (there’s so much subjectivity involved), it’s the feeling I get while reading a review that says “this story/character seems interesting.”
For example, I bought one book based on just one review even though I really didn’t like the first one in the series. Other positive reviews for this book didn’t sway me, but reading this one review, I was pretty sure I would like the book. And I was right.
~ “How many reviews does it take for you to decide not to try a book you were interested in – or will you go ahead and try it anyway?” ~
If a lot of the things that tend to irritate me get mentioned in a review, I’m more likely to not read the book. But to be sure, I’ll be looking for more reviews which mention the same things most of the times. If still in doubt, I turn to Amazon and look at the negative reviews. Some of them I find quite useful for that.
by Taja
on July 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 am
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Even if you and another reader/reviewer love most of the same books, there will always be some you disagree on. Gut level reactions are personal and unique. I enjoy finding other readers whose favorite authors are similar to mine, and I love making recommendations. But there’s always that point where tastes diverge.
Isn’t there?
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Jill — Oh yeah, absolutely. Even with the closest matches there are still differences of opinion at times. But if I know that someone has tastes that are similar to mine, I am much more likely to get excited about abook that person recommends than I am about a book that someone whose tastes are further from mine recommends.
by Janine
on July 23rd, 2008 at 1:56 pm
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It depends on the reviewer and how well their tastes have meshed with mine in the past. Also, if the review describes elements I usually hate, that’ll influence me. For example, if the reviewer says, “I hated the way the couple bickers constantly,” chances are good I’ll agree. On the other hand, if they say “I got really bored by all the sex scenes,” that could go either way.
I would probably still try the book if it was by an author I usually loved, but I might wait to get it from the library instead of buying it.
by willaful
on July 29th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
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