I started posting book reviews on IG a little over 2 years ago. My reviews at first were rather short - no more than a paragraph. Over time, they got longer, more detailed, and more analytical. IG’s character limitations for captions felt restrictive, but for a while I kept my reviews within the character limit. Now, I don’t care. If I have to have 5 additional slides of texts to say what I want to say, so be it. I just really like to write thorough reviews.
If you are seeking to add more “meat” to your reviews, it’s not as complicated as you may think, but it does take practice. The more I write reviews and explore the ideas that pop into my head as I’m reading, the more I’m able to “beef” up my reviews. Here are some tips to help you become more analytical as you read:
- Let your own life experiences enhance your books reviews. Do you relate to a character because they are introverted? Extroverted? Have the same cultural background as you, etc? Then explore that in your review and add some personal context to help support why you feel the way you feel about something in the text. This will also helps your reviews be unique to you.
- Incorporate supplemental texts. While I was reading The Brothers Karamazov, I referenced my Marx-Engles Reader from my university days. I also majored in Sociology, and we spent some time studying Marxism/Socialism/Communism. Dostoyevsky blatantly denounces Socialism/Communism (these terms are synonyms - don’t @ me), so I was able to draw connections between these texts to not only enhance my reading experience, but also my reviews. Yes, this takes more time, but for me, it’s more rewarding. If it was important to the author then it’s important enough for me to dive deeper.
- Draw connections between different novels. The more I read, the more I pick up one similar themes across books, which makes me want to discuss these themes and explore why certain themes are so prevalent. Even if it seems obvious, go on and chat about it! If you find it interesting, then mention it. The more you get in the habit of drawing connections between different texts, the easier it is to detect more patterns. Compare and contrast these texts and you may find even more interesting things to discuss in your reviews. This also sparks interesting conversations with others.
- Read and watch diversely. I don’t necessarily mean “diverse” as in “AH! I’m only reading dead white guys! So that must mean I need to add more BIPOC authors.” I mean, if that’s what you want to do, do you and depending on what perspectives you are seeking, this may be applicable. But by “diverse” I mean various genres, time periods, philosophies, histories, etc. For example, Stoner by, John Williams is an existential novel. If I had no idea what existentialism was, which is critical to this novel, my understanding of this novel would be more shallow. However, by reading articles, essays, and books on existentialism, then my data base of knowledge expands and I can now have a more coherent and eloquent discussion on the existentialism in Stoner. Another good example is The Secret History by, Donna Tartt. She drops so many nuggets from Ancient texts in this, it’s insane. A reader doesn’t necessarily need to know anything about ancient texts to appreciate this novel, but if the reader does have a deeper understanding of these texts, the reader will be able to make more connections that can be used in the review. This doesn’t have to be complicated - the internet is a wealth of information. Birds are very significant in The Secret History. If you start noticing this, but have no idea what this would have meant to the ancient Greeks or Romans, then do a quick search: “What did crows represent to the Ancient Greeks?” You’ll find a wealth information to substantiate and support what you are picking up on in the text. Also, never underestimate the power of documentaries! I’ll often watch documentaries on a topic I may be reading about to add depth and understanding that I can use in my reviews.
- Read and watch more analytical reviews. I find that the more I read and listen to others’ reviews that are detailed and analytical, I get inspired to do the same. I find that this also helps to train my brain to pick up on things in texts I otherwise would have missed, so then I can keep an eye on themes or ideas as I read moving forward.
I hope my tips inspired you! If you have any tips, please feel free to share!
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