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How to Write a Book Review

Read the page on essay writing--all of that stuff applies because 
a book review is a special category of essay. 
This site also includes a worksheet
to help you gather the necessary information before you begin.

When you have your information gathered, write, following the familiar three-part form of the essay:

Introduction
Include the complete title and the full name of the author
State the thesis (main idea) of the work.
Optionally, comment on the author's other work, qualifications background, or other pertinent information. 
Body
Make your critical points about the book, both positive and negative.
Both content and style are subject to comment
Optionally, comment on supplemental material, such as illustrations, maps, appendices, etc.
Include examples supporting your points, either describing them in your own words, or using short quotes from the original.
Conclusion
A thoughtful evaluation of the book.

Pitfalls to avoid:
Over-long quotations
Referring to the author by the first name
Artificial rating systems, such as "thumbs up" or "3 stars out of 5"
Writing about yourself instead of the book.  This one is tricky, because the review is your personal opinion, after all.  The point is to avoid statements such as, "I liked it." or "It was boring," which are your personal reactions to the book, but do not describe the work itself.  Better: "The writer's comical descriptions will delight readers," which explains why it is likeable; or, "Obscure words, strung into long sentences make for tedious reading," which explains why I was bored.