How To Write A Book Review

Once in the life of every student, he is required to accomplish a book review for an English or Literature class. A book review is a little like a book report. The only difference is that book reviews have a pinch of you as a writer. It is where you are able to give your views and opinions with regard to the book you are reading. A book review is an explanatory and estimating report about a book. While a book report is writing about the contents of a book without any biases, a book review is about discussing and analyzing the entire book. 

How can you write an effective book review? Everyone wants an A+ for a school book review or a double thumbs up from the big boss for a job well done right?

1. Get a book! Skim, scan and read it. Try choosing a book of your interest. This will boost you and will make the book review more of a pleasurable activity than a task. Be attentive to all the details that are necessary. Be familiar with the author, the setting, the plot, the theme and the characters. These details are very significant and will influence your book review. It is very important that you read the entire book, looking upon its creative and artistic merit and its moral and technical aspects. Don't just focus on book summaries, you should read the whole book and criticize its details.
2. Understand what you are reading. Writing a book review is not only condensing what you have read. It is not only about narrating or summarizing the book that you have chosen. Writing a book review is about describing and at the same time analyzing and evaluating what has been read. It is but important that you understand completely what you are reading. Be imaginative and try putting yourself in every scene. This way, you get a comprehensive grasp of what you are reading.
3. Write an outline. The most important element of a review is argument. Here, you are able to give a critique and commentary on the book that you are reading. Get a piece of paper or go to your computer and write every idea and detail that you have extracted out of your reading experience. This is actually where you organize your thoughts and give your opinion about what you read. Expound the positive and negative features that the book has presented. Express your ideas on how the book was written, how the story developed, how the characters were presented and how the book affected you as a whole. Feel free to put it on paper.
   
4. Present your best. After writing your outline, now is the time that you write it formally for submission. Be reminded that this is still technical writing. Be very conscious of your grammar and pay attention to what you are writing. This is an application of constructive criticism and not criticism alone so be courteous and be reminded of your reader. 
   
5. Recommendations. After giving all the pertinent information about the book, it is very important to give your recommendations, praises, criticism, etc. about the book. Take into consideration the title of the book, the book's informative and creative style, etc. Say something about the writer's format and style and the book's affectivity. A rumor about the book will not help at all.
   
6. Conclusion and Proofreading. Never forget your conclusion and always proofread your work. 

Always be aware that you have options. With the right book, well formulated ideas and hard work, an A+ is just a tilt of the ballpoint away. Good luck.