A Case for Negative Book Reviews

Last Updated on February 23, 2023 by ThoughtsStained

Y’all, I’m not sure why I’m on a kick of talking all about book reviews. (And I’m not done, as we’ll see on Friday when I discuss book review etiquette). Last week, I discussed the audience for book reviews. Prior to that, I discussed engagement and how that tends to go. Today, I want to talk about something (perhaps) a little controversial? Perhaps not. But, I wanna make a case for negative book reviews.

Tl;dr: negative book reviews should exist, they have a purpose and it’s okay to write them.

Let’s dive in deeper, though.

What’s The Beef With Negative Book Reviews?

So, once again, I’m not directly linking to anything. This time, it’s mostly because I’m being lazy and just going off of memory of some critiques I’ve seen about writing negative book reviews, let alone posting them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It includes things like:

1. It’s unfair to the author and bad publicity
2. Reflects poorly on the reviewer/considered not professional
3. Opens up opportunity for the reviewer to be attacked (by community or author), especially if book is well-received

I’m sure I’m missing some arguments. But, for those listed above? Well, I…disagree with all of these things. I’m not going to refute them exactly, but instead, dive into why negative book reviews should exist to begin with.

Why They Should Exist

Here’s why I think negative book reviews are important and have value. Many of these reasons are why I have my own “dislikes” columns available for all of my reviews. That doesn’t mean that I always fill that section out. That also doesn’t mean I always share or even write full negative book reviews. But, it’s important for each blogger to make their own choice when it comes to the type of content they write or share.

Honestly is important

As reviewers, it’s important for us to be honest. If you didn’t like something about a book (including the book in its entirety) and you want to post about it, you can. Gatekeeping book reviewers serves no one. You also shouldn’t fear being attacked because you didn’t enjoy something and said that. (Though, with the lack of nuance related to social media, not surprised this happens all the time regarding opinions on everything.) Also, you are absolutely not any less “professional” if you share you didn’t enjoy a book. This is an opinion about a story, not a fucking job interview where you roast the entire panel live or some nonsense.

Reviews are subjective

Just because a negative review is posted doesn’t mean the book is deemed a failure. Nor does it automatically tank an author’s career. There is going to be a range of opinions from a range of people. All opinions are valid and deserve a safe space to be shared.

They can help others avoid dislikes and still sell to potential readers

In the vein of subjectivity, there have been times when a negative review has helped me avoid a book that would have been triggering for me. Or, helped highlight elements I’m just not interested in, saving me time and money.

However, there have also been negative book reviews where someone has listed a trope, element or aspect of the book they hated, that I eat up like candy. There have been negative book reviews that have caused me to buy books.

The idea that a negative review immediately equals a negative connotation, result or response from readers of said review is flawed, I think. Too simplistic, not taking into account various tastes, interests and opinions.

I also don’t think reviewers should be thinking of the author’s career first and foremost, when thinking of sharing our reviews. That’s not our job. We’re not part of the author’s team. We’re readers. We read books and write about our thoughts. Sometimes, those thoughts can help sell books and affect algorithms, sure. But a single negative review is not going to make or break an author’s career. Just like a single glowing review isn’t going to suddenly elevate them to fame and fortune.

So, be honest, but be kind.

A Few Quick Tips

Sometimes, reviewers decide not to post negative book reviews for a handful of reasons. Which is totally fine! You should be allowed to set the boundaries you want to set.

However, if you do find yourself wanting to publicly post and share negative book reviews, I think there are a few tips to keep in mind:

Be tactful

I think you can be honest about a negative opinion without being horrid. Sometimes, it might be harsh. But there is a difference in writing, “I hated this book because of X,” and “I hated this book and, because of that, this author and their person is trash and deserved to be hated, because my opinion is supreme”. Don’t do that. One, you’re reviewing a book, not a person. Two, that’s kind of behavior is just being an asshole.

You can be honest, informative and kind, even in a negative review.

DO NOT TAG THE AUTHOR

Likewise, if you write a negative review and then post it on social media, DO NOT TAG THE AUTHOR. Why, why do we still need to have this conversation!? Authors are human, too.

Sure, it’s not your job worry about how your review affects an author’s career, because you’re simply sharing an opinion. But it’s also not your job to teach an author anything about writing, force your opinion upon them without being asked or parade your negative opinion around until you get a response. Authors do not owe you explanation, interaction or engagement, negative or positive. Period. They deserve their boundaries. Asking to not be tagged in a review that is negative against a book they cherish? That’s a boundary we should all easily be able to respect.

But also, authors? Attacking a reviewer for not liking your book? Especially if they *didn’t* tag you in it and you sought it out yourself? That’s a bad look. Don’t do it.

A negative opinion is different from a problematic call out

It is very different disliking a book because you hate love triangles and this plot hinged upon that trope. Versus the book you just read being completely racist and one you should be cautioning readers to avoid supporting because it’s damaging. Yet, you can still be tactful calling out problematic behavior and writing.

In Sum

So, I think it’s pretty obvious I’m in favor of writing and sharing negative book reviews. But, with obvious caveats. Like recognizing your role as a reviewer, your audience and respecting boundaries. Learning to write negative opinions with tact. Remembering to not target authors with your negative reviews.

I think the gatekeeping that sometimes happens in the bookish community is a bit foolish. You’re allowed to share your honest opinions, even if they’re negative. Even if it’s for a well-loved or hyped book. Even for an ARC. And share it without fear of backlash and being attacked (whether by the community or the author in question).

Like I mentioned before, reviews are avenues for sharing thoughts and allowing others to form opinions with those thoughts. Including negative ones. Also, I really appreciated Celeste @ A Literary Escape’s thoughts on this topic, too! Especially bringing up points I didn’t even consider here.

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