Checklist for Writing Book Reviews

I have already written two posts with advice on reviewing: What do Readers need to know? 10-Point Guidelines for Reviewers  and  How to Write a Useful Book Review, on this occasion, I’ve prepared a  checklist to go through when writing, and before finishing a book review, to make sure all the main points are included.

The order of the items on the checklist is not meant to suggest that they should be addressed in this sequence in your review.  A checklist is a list of things that need to be done, it is not a suggestion for a review layout.

Checklist for Writing Book Reviews

1- Have you told the reader about the genre and style? Whether it’s a fun, easy or quick read, or a novel which will require effort, concentration or rock your world view? Will they be challenged, or amused, or shocked, in some way?

2- Have you mentioned the setting, and how it affects the plot and characters?

3- Have you spoken about the writer’s use of language? Does the writer use appropriate grammar, vocabulary, and style? Think about the quality of the descriptive elements, dialogue, and point of view.

4- Are events, characters, and themes, mostly ‘told’ or ‘shown’?

5- Have you told Readers whether the characters come alive? Do we know what they want, think, feel, and look like? Do we care what happens to them? And the secondary characters, do they feel real?

6- Have you told readers about the quality of the plot? Are there enough twists and turns, or tension and interest, to keep the reader interested? Does the action move forward towards the climax?

7- What about the conclusion, does the novel end acceptably? In spite of this does the reader want to know more about the characters and events? Is there a sequel?

8- Have we told the reader about the novel’s strong points? Something which makes it unique, innovative, or special?

9- Are there any weak points which will affect the reading experience?

10- Would you like to inform the reader about any sensitive aspects, such as the portrayal of violence?

11- Finally, have you been clear, impartial, fair, and concise?

I have not included a plot summary in the checklist. I don’t think it’s necessary to offer an exhaustive summary of the events and characters, because readers usually have that information in the blurb. The aim of the type of reviews I propose is to help readers decide whether it’s their type of book or not.

Although I make mental and written notes while I’m reading, and I write my review without a specific plan, I like to go back to my checklist while I’m writing and once I’ve finished, to make sure I haven’t left anything out. It helps me to focus, and I hope it will help you, too.

 

Flash! Friday–Vol 2 – 41

Today’s photo prompt:

Krak des Chevaliers/Qalat al-Hosn, Syria. CC photo by Jon Martin.

Today’s dragon’s bidding:

The Castle seen from the window is known as the Krak de Chevaliers (Qalat al-Hosn), in Syria.

Rules: Based on the photo prompt and including the Dragon’s bidding. Between 140 – 160 words. Enter your Flash fiction in the comments in the Flash! Fiction Blog, and add word count and twitter handle.

 

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My Flash Fiction for this week.

Her Eyes.

I’m back in the same hotel, overlooking the same Medieval castle, and lying on the same bed where I begged her to marry me and start a new life in another continent.

I met her when I was an international exchange student in Homs, preparing my PhD in petroleum engineering. I felt the unexpected thump of love at first sight when her supple fingers sunk into my stunned hand, and her warm honey eyes melted into mine.

My tutor, who introduced us, proudly announced that his only daughter was shortly to marry his brother’s son, her first cousin. I failed to dissuade her, and left, alone.

Too many years later, I read her letter one more time:
‘Although you are always with me, it’s time we meet again. Please come for me. Now I can leave’.

I looked at the picture in the envelope and sighed.

A child smiling at the camera.

Her eyes.

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Book Review: Mad Dog Justice by Mark Rubinstein

I enjoyed Mad Dog House so much, I couldn’t wait to read the sequel, Mad Dog Justice, and read it in two days. Unfortunately I had other things to do, otherwise I would have finished it in just one day!

Although I would strongly recommend reading both, preferably in the order they were written, it can be read alone, but that would be a great pity.

 

Mad Dog Justice takes up almost a year after the events narrated in the first book. The two ‘blood brothers’, Roddy and Danny, are once again thrown into a physically dangerous and morally complex situation, including mafia, gangsters, money laundering, violence, and murder.

They will have to give up everything they have: families, jobs, and risk their lives, in order to recover the privileged and comfortable, middle-class lives they had worked so hard to build for themselves, after managing to leave behind their disadvantaged and traumatic childhoods in Brooklyn.

It’s an exciting read, which is not meant for the faint-hearted! There are plenty of pursuits along the streets of NY, as ruthless, unknown killers hunt them down. Once more the climax is surprising and well unraveled, and the end is satisfactory.

The friendship between the two main characters is powerfully depicted, as we revisit their troubled minds once again. The respectable surgeon and the ambitious accountant, not only have to deal emotionally with past events, they also have to deal with their present daunting dilemma.

Readers are again challenged, through empathy with the main characters, to confront our views of what is right and wrong, and decide how far we are prepared to go to defend and protect our families, and our lifestyle. An even harder choice than in the first installment, because there are more lies, there is more danger, and there are more innocent people affected.

Just in case you didn’t read the previous review, I’ll remind you that Mark Rubinstein is an exceptional writer of action-packed stories, which include well-written descriptions, vibrant dialogues, illuminating interior monologue, and pulsating action, throughout.

The next book on my list is Love Gone Mad  a previous novel by Mr. Rubinstein which I haven’t read yet. I’ll keep you posted.

Book Review: Mad Dog House by Mark Rubinstein

Mad Dog House by Mark Rubinstein is not an easy book to read, however I started it yesterday and finished it a few minutes ago. It’s a disturbing urban thriller which needs to be read in one sitting.

In a previous post on what makes a good review, I suggested that novels can have three purposes: purely enjoyment, shaking complacency, or both. This novel is in the third category. It produces a sharp emotional and intellectual jolt, and it’s also a compelling read.

The three main characters, Roddy, Danny, and Kenny, are superbly portrayed. The author takes us right into their diverse and tormented minds, as we observe their distinct lives and backgrounds. The respectable surgeon, with a traumatic childhood and the ambitious accountant, both with seemingly ideal lives, meet the devious gambler, who had been their childhood friend.

The disturbing climax arrives when they find themselves in extreme circumstances, which will push them to the limits of right and wrong, and the reader has no choice but to understand their dilemma and even sympathise with their actions. We are as challenged as Mad Dog to confront the forces of good and evil and decide how far we are prepared to go to defend and protect our families, and our lifestyle. A hard choice.

There is a balanced amount of well-written description, dialogue, interior monologue, and action, throughout. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, and the stream-of-consciousness narration of their thoughts allows us to peek inside their minds and care about their plight.

Not only can we feel for the characters, we can also ‘see’ what is happening to them, as the plot moves along with suspenseful twists and turns from the first page to the last. Some of the visual images portrayed are violent and disturbing, because we may not be as uneasy with the illicit deeds as law-abiding citizens should be. What would we have done?

The reader is also challenged with other controversial themes, such as the limits of friendship, the complexity of family relations, genetic determinism, the value of honesty, and the justification of deceit.

The narrative is original and the plot is creatively developed by an author who knows his facts and his craft.

I’m really pleased I decided to read this novel, once more outside my preferred genre (do I have a preferred genre any more?), and I’m really looking forward to reading part two: Mad Dog Justice, which is already on my Kindle.

Book Review: Cold Blooded by Matt Cairns

I’m afraid I’ve done it again. I’ve read a novel I would never normally read, because it is completely out of my reading comfort zone, and I’ve enjoyed it!

When I downloaded Cold Blooded, three words led me in: thriller, debut, and supernatural.

I’m reading debut novels for two reasons, to support new authors who either self publish, or do so with small publishers, and secondly because I want to feel the pulse of contemporary literature. Being a debut author myself, I want to know the type of novels new authors and booklovers are currently reading and writing.

Thrillers or supernatural genres aren’t my preferred reading matter, but you all know how I like to stretch my creativity.

I was a little confused at first, because I had imagined that the supernatural element was paranormal, my mistake. The supernatural element is associated with scientific experiments related to genetic engineering in a paramilitary organization. I soon realized I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to follow the absorbing plot.

The idyllic setting, in a small rural and remote location in New Zealand, in the middle of a severe thunderstorm adds to the tension and atmosphere. The characters, even the ‘supernatural’ ones are well developed and described, so that we care about what happens to the ‘good’ ones and feel animosity towards the ‘bad’ ones.

Some of the scenes are violent and repulsive, but not more than is necessary to put the point across. I didn’t feel it was unwarranted. The issues of good and evil, and how far violence can be justified for a ‘good’ cause, comes up in the narrative, and is summarized in Tom’s paraphrase of William James’s famous quote by saying: ‘The difference between a good man and a bad one is the choice of the cause.’

The plot is well-woven, well-written, and most importantly, well-unraveled and concluded. There was a moment towards the end when I was worried, dreading a happy ever after, or ‘easy’ ending, but that didn’t happen. I don’t want to give anything away, but the ending is very unexpected, partly poignant, and wholly satisfactory.

I highly recommend it for an exciting, action-packed, surprising, and thrilling read.

In spite of the specific ending, there is a small window open, which could possibly lead to another novel, which would no doubt be an interesting read, too. In any case, Matt Cairns is an author to look out for.

 

Book Review: ‘An Independent Woman’, by Frances Evesham

When I chose An independent woman to read and review for Rosie’s Review Team, I was thrilled even before I started reading it, because when I read the blurb I realized it’s my favourite type of book. I enjoy reading neo-Victorian novels, so although I’m easy to please with this genre, it’s also not easy to surprise me with something new.

Well, I’m glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised, because I found an entertaining, moving, exciting, and romantic novel, set in Victorian England, which I would highly recommend.

The novel is beautifully written with prose that flows smoothly, enticing the reader to turn the pages. There are just enough descriptive elements to submerge the reader comfortably in Victorian England, moving effortlessly from foggy, filthy London, to the tranquil countryside.

Philomena’s intriguing character keeps the reader connected to the story, feeling for her plight from the first sentence, as she creeps up the twisted stairs and flees from London, to the last line.

I loved the first chapters, when she was disguised as a young boy in order to escape from London, and her ‘chance’ arrival at the country estate on Christmas Eve after a fateful train accident.

We also feel we get to know the other characters such as the mysterious Lord Thatcham, his mother, the demanding Dowager Lady Thatcham, her frivolous yet charming daughter, Selena, and the kind Mrs. Rivers and Mrs. Bramble. There’s naturally a despicable villain, who causes havoc, and whose real motives are not revealed until the end, keeping the plot moving forward with mysterious twists and surprises.

It has many gothic elements which will remind readers of Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and Oliver Twist, three of my favourite novels. Firstly, the mansion where the action takes place, Thatcham Hall, becomes a character, with its servants’ quarters, main living areas, bedrooms, and the dark, forbidden wings. The reader will also find a gloomy widower, a wife deceased in unclear circumstances, a rich and lonely child, an exploited and abused child, and a well-read governess, among others, all leading to an eventful and enjoyable read.

Frances Evesham shows expert knowledge of Victorian England, which she transmits wrapped up in an enjoyable parcel of mystery, action, and romance.

Princess Tina, Dick Tracy, and Daniel Beckett: Review of ‘Kiss me When I’m Dead’ by Dominic Piper

When I was a young girl, I read Princess Tina comics weekly. What can I say? I still look at those beautiful covers and sigh! I loved them!


I never had a brother, and for the few years my father lived with us, I never saw him anywhere near a comic. I think I was convinced that comics were for girls only.

Many years later, although Madonna taught me that Dick Tracy had a square jaw, a handsome face, and a gun in his hand, and I loved the album, I never saw the film, and still wasn’t interested in ‘boys’’ comics.


I would never have imagined that yesterday I’d be reading, and enjoying a book about a ‘larger than life’, private detective called Daniel Beckett in a debut novel written by Dominic Piper, Kiss Me When I’m Dead.

I have already written about why writers should read beyond our comfort zone in another post, what writers should read,  so for all those reasons, yesterday I decided to download a book which was something I wouldn’t normally read and give it a go, not really expecting to even finish it, because it’s not my type of book.

This is one of the (many) times I just love to be proved wrong.

I surprised myself by reading non-stop (except a brief break for lunch) and finishing it at 1.30 am. Fortunately it was Sunday, otherwise I don’t know how I would have got through the day without reading…

It’s a contemporary detective novel narrated in the first person stream-of-consciousness style, by witty and authentic (almost primal) Daniel Beckett, in the classic style of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

The language flows on its own as the reader is literally immersed into Beckett’s mind. I thought it was fun, as this type of mind is somewhere I’ve never been.

There were times I thought I was reading a comic (yes, one of those comics I never read as a child!) because the characters were larger than life, but hey, this is a novel, not a detective manual, isn’t it?

It kept me turning the pages and concerned about what was going to happen in an involved but detached way, as if I were watching a film. It was easy to imagine I was there due to the vivid and sensual descriptions. Is all this ‘people smelling’ a detective thing? In any case, it adds to the authenticity of the reading experience. I’ll be going to a department store to get a whiff of Mitsouku by Guerlain asap.

One of the most successful aspects of characterization in this novel is that all characters, primary and secondary, are important to the narrator. Everyone has a distinctive smell and characteristic, and that adds to the suspense, because one never knows who is going to become a major player in the action.

Beckett himself is a mystery. In spite of narrating the whole story, we learn very little about his past, and a character like him must have an eventful history, but he’s obsessively secretive which makes him even more interesting. There will no doubt be prequels and sequels where we will find out more (please, Mr.Piper!).

Another major achievement is that one of the main characters in the novel is the setting itself: London. We are immersed in this unique city, where the action takes place, mostly central and south, my own favourite parts.

Every single word, line, paragraph, page, and chapter moves the story on, or tells us something about Beckett and his co-stars. Nothing is wasted. This keeps the reader alert, just as Beckett is, throughout.

There is a lot of action and sex, but it’s not graphically told, which I was grateful for. Every scene that is in the novel has to be there, and that’s considerate of Piper, because the readers’ time is precious.

I suppose Princess Tina is still looking for her ideal man, and Beckett comes pretty close. Is that why he seems so unreal at times?

Finally, the plot is full of twists and turns. Some you may have suspected, and others you definitely won’t. You’ll never know how perfect the title of the novel is until you read the last chapter.

It’s great entertainment, exciting, fun, and I got an interesting peek at a male mind through male eyes, which is always interesting, as men don’t often ‘open their hearts’ when they’re actually speaking, so it’s hard and to know what the hell they’re thinking.

I could go on, but I’m going to stop here. Just read it!

 

September 1st: ‘We must love one another or die’

I have mixed feelings about September.

As a child I hated September because I had to go back to school, and I was one of those children who didn’t like school very much before the age of 12, and although it improved after that, I never really got to like school, which is why it’s so surprising that I became a teacher, which leads me onto the next point.

As an adult, I also dislike (hate is such a childish word) September because I have to go back to school, and although I enjoy my job, I prefer to be on holiday, because my time is my own.

September is truly a wicked and cruel month, and not August, as Edna O’Brien claimed, or April, as T. S. Elliot proposed.

I have always thought Auden’s poem September, had a good point when he used words such as ‘hopes expire’, ‘anger’, ‘fear’, ‘odour of death’, of course he wasn’t talking about school. He was describing his feelings regarding the outbreak of the Second World War, marked by the invasion of Poland on that day, in 1939.

The following is the first stanza:

September 1, 1939 

I sit in one of the dives
On Fifty-second Street
Uncertain and afraid
As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest decade:
Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth,
Obsessing our private lives;
The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night.

This depressing poem, which expresses anger, fear, and sorrow, due to the outbreak of the war includes Auden’s darkest and most foreboding line: “We must love one another or die”.

On the other hand, September is also a delicious month, which is mostly warm and welcoming, as the summer languidly blends into autumn.

Fortunately, Helen Hunt Jackson, (1830-1885), US poet, born in Amherst, the same place and the same year as Emily Dickinson, although she moved away in her youth, wrote a delightful poem called September, which reminds us of the beauty of this month.

Hunt recreates a harvest month of mellowing fruit, and golden meadows and butterflies.

The final two stanzas remind us how beautiful September is:

But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.

‘T is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

I’m beginning to change my mind about September.

I have to change my mind.

September is a beautiful month, which we’ll be sharing with plenty of posts, because Auden was right. We either create positive energy or perish.

Finally, a present for the first day of September: a beautiful song by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Enjoy!

Flash! Friday–Vol 2 – 38

Today’s photo prompt:


Today’s Dragon’s bidding:

What really happened.

On August 29, 1965, US spacecraft,  Gemini 5, landed back on Earth after an eight-day mission. The return crew were Astronauts Conrad and Cooper.  The crew had to use the re-entry thrusters to orient the spacecraft due to system failures. The retrofire and re-entry were conducted in darkness by the spacecraft computer. However the computer had been misprogrammed with an erroneous rotation rate of the Earth. Cooper’s efforts compensated for what he recognized as an erroneous reading and brought the capsule down closer to the ship than they would otherwise have been, and probably saved their lives.

 

My Flash Fiction inspired by the photo and Dragon’s bidding:

The Alien (158 words)

‘Officer!’

‘Yes, Captain?’

‘Are we going to tell them what we saw?’

‘Sir?’

‘What really happened?’

‘Of course, sir. The information is recorded in the log books and databases.’

‘I mean who we saw: the alien.’

‘We didn’t see anyone, sir. It was just you and me on board the spaceship for eight days and eight nights. It was a boring, routine, flight.’

‘But you saw her, too!’

‘No, sir. I saw no one.’

‘But it’s thanks to her that we’re still alive! She told me to change our course. You heard her, too!’

‘We readjusted the data on the landing device because we saw an error, sir, and we recalculated.’

‘But the alien…’

‘With all due respects, sir. We can be acclaimed as national heroes, or become the laughing-stock of the media.’

The captain reflected for an agonizing moment before replying.

‘Of course. What’s the point of telling them?’

‘No point, sir. They’d never believe us.’

****

Would you like to read some of this weeks’ other entries?

This short piece makes me think about truth and lies.

We all lie sometimes, for well-meaning reasons, such as not to hurt people, or to make a point by ‘bending’ the truth. We sometimes decide that certain information can and should be withheld, for a good cause, like to protect someone who is not ‘ready’ for the truth.

In this case of my flash fiction story, the astronauts decide to lie due to fear of the consequences. They don’t want to be laughed at. ‘They’ll think I’m soft’, or ‘They’ll think I’ve gone mad if I say that’.

If you think you won’t be believed, why tell the truth? It’s hard to convince someone of the truth, without proof, so it’s easier to retreat and lie.

People get used to lying, that is, to saying what others want to hear, until they forget the truth. They forget who they are and what they really think. They are the sad, self-destructive lies.

It takes courage to say the truth, when you know no one will believe you, or when you could become a public laughing-stock. It’s easier to say what people want to hear.

Other times there are darker reasons to lie or hold back information. Somebody may want to deceive, confuse, or manipulate. Those are the blatant, dangerous lies.

Truth or lie? Did the astronauts make the right decision?

Liquid Sky

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Liquid sky.

Indigo melting

Quietly, sinking into the

Underworld. Colourless

Ink,

Dissolving air into

Soft steel,

Kisses the sand.

You in my mind.

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There are summer evenings when the sky and the sea dissolve into one. The horizon blurs. Air and liquid melt into a calm steel sea. It’s mesmerizing.

My eyes and thoughts are lost in the hazy mist, and although the stillness seems eternal, the colours slowly fade from sapphire to dark grey. Night sets in irrevocably.

The dream slips away once more…

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