Let’s admit it. We all are crazy about some particular subject in our life to a point that it becomes a center of our every conversation. We love talking about it everywhere: parties, meetings, family functions, no matter where we are, we don’t mind discussing about it. We are so obsessed with it that we hardly care who is interested in listening about it and who isn’t, we keep on babbling. We read books from cover to cover but still, the craving to learn more doesn’t get satiated. We look for more books and sometimes, in our quest, end up finding a book that makes us completely lose our interest in the subject matter. To save ourselves from any such situation, we prefer to search for a book review. A book review is not merely a summary of a book, but a reflection of reviewer’s own understanding of the subject matter. It helps us decide whether we want to read that book or not. It leaves a big responsibility on the shoulders of the reviewer. So, if you are a book reviewer, you know what a mighty task you have on your hands: you have to paint a clear picture of the book for the reader. In this article, I will guide you how you can write an interesting book review for the people. Start off with a story It is always a good idea to start a review with the story of your own quest with the reader. This will help build the interest of your reader in your review, and he will continue following your reviews. Share with the reader how you stumbled upon a particular book and what was your opinion about the book prior to reading it and whether it changed after reading it or not; and also discuss the relatability factors if there Focus on your content to demonstrate the understanding of the subject matter It is important, however, to pay heed to your content since it plays a vital role in showcasing your level of understanding to the reader. But to demonstrate that level of understanding, you have to attain it first, by compiling all the important data and information in the form of notes. This will help you tell the reader that you have fully comprehended the subject and are ready to share your understanding with them. Add value to your work with facts and data You have to make sure that your content is grounded in important data and facts so that it can help you convey the relevant information to the reader without giving them any spoilers. For example, if it is a book review about a book that deals with the subject of women empowerment, you have to share with the reader what you have learned from it, what change it brought in your life or personality, what infuriated you about the book and what intrigued you by citing the references from the book in a way that it doesn’t spoil the process of reading for the reader. Analyze the setting, characters, theme, and plot of the book carefully There are four essential elements of a story that decide its fate. These elements include the setting, characters, theme, and plot. Make sure that you analyze each of them individually in your review, making it easier for the readers to decide whether they want to read a particular book or not. Add strengths and weakness of the book Make sure to always focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the book that you’re writing about. Read the book thoroughly to a point that you get to know all its strong and weak points. Compile a list of these points and incorporate them into your review. It will enhance the quality of the review and will also give readers a better idea of the book. Add caveats Make sure that you always add caveats to your book review so that it becomes easier for the people to pick up a right one. For example, if there are any provocative scenes in the book that some people might deem inappropriate, warn them about it. They will know that it’s not a right kind of book for them and will search for another one. For parents, especially, this will work wonders. Identify the target audience We all have different interests and like to read about the subjects of our own interests, leaving us having different kinds of books. Some of us might like to read on astronomy, some on histology, while some on literature. That, however, doesn’t mean that a person who likes to read on literature cannot read on astronomy; it simply means that it is not mandatory for him to do so. Make sure to identify the target audience of the book in your book review so that people get to read more books on their subject of interest. Don’t slather on the praise for the author If you are writing a book review, make sure that you neither overestimate nor underestimate the qualities of the author. Just be honest. Write exactly what you know about him/her without adding your opinion. Also, analyze the literary techniques they have employed in their writing along with the autobiographical connections if there are any. Get a feedback from others too Once you finish writing a book review, have a fresh pair of eyes look at it and help you fix your mistakes. Train yourself to be open to criticism because that will help you stand out from the other reviewers. Avoid making judgment calls As a book reviewer, your job is to analyze the writing style, structure, and content of the book so limit your focus to the storyline. Don’t engage yourself in some other business. You are not supposed to make any judgment calls by formulating an opinion about the writer on the basis of his/her parentage, cast, creed, culture or race. It will add no value to your work; instead will affect its credibility. Add a movie clip, if there is one Movies are the reigning queens of today’s world. None can deny the impact that cinematic experiences leave on the people. Nowadays, all good books are being turned into movies whether it is Bronte’s concoction Jane Eyre or Austen’s masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. So, if you are writing a review about a book, research whether it has been turned into a movie, and if it has, add a short clip to that movie to your review, provided the fact you are writing for the online audience. However, if you are writing it for the audience other than that, don’t forget to add a two-liner about the movie in your write-up. Trust me, it will not only make your book review an interesting one but will also let people know that they can consume the content of the book from another media too, for not all people like to read. Some like to watch or hear more so they will get something of their interest and you will get a better readership. I hope the list will help you produce a review that would empower the process of reading for your readers.