Most students turn green in the face when they hear the words “book review”. In reality, however, there really isn’t much to fear when it comes to writing a book review.  The two words say it all: you just read a book, process it and then write down what you think about it.

That’s what you do when you review a book.

But then teachers start mentioning these guidelines that include terms like synopsis, exposition, plot, structure and students start going wild with fear.  What should’ve been a simple and straightforward opinion piece turns into the next magnum opus of the world.

Those literary terms don’t have to be the bane of your existence, though, as long as you figure out what they mean.  They’re just there to help you discuss the book in a more focused manner.  After all, completing a ten-page paper on The Grapes of Wrath with nothing more than gushes of “I loved it, wonderful novel” is a pretty impossible and pointless task.  You want a book review with substance, not fluff.  To do that, you need some help exploring the jungle of literary jargon.

A short guide to writing a book review after the jump.

1. Begin with a synopsis. The synopsis, of course, is just a fancy way of saying “write a brief summary” of the book.  A concise run-through of the highlights of the story should suffice; be careful not to go frothing in the mouth.  Keep your focus on the relevant areas and scenes in the book.  And oh, do remember to mention the book’s title and the author before you proceed.  It’s hard for readers to be interested if they can’t even figure out what book you’re talking about.

2. Describe the setting. Key to understanding any literary piece is the time and place wherein the story occurs.  The timeline is significant in identifying the general tone of the novel, as well as the intellectual and emotional climate that surrounds and influences the characters.  Try to link the setting to the aforementioned summary, giving the review a more coherent structure.  Everything is connected, so stay focused.

3. Provide in-depth characterization. Often times, you can just focus on the protagonist.  There are several characters in every story, so discussing them all could be tedious.  Here you can focus on the protagonist alone, or include a brief description of other notable supporting characters.  Most people think this means you just describe the physical attributes of the character and you’re done.  When writing this part of the review, mention how the protagonist is affected by the time period and how he, in turn, changes or is changed by the circumstances in the story.  You have to look at the protagonist from a wider point-of-view, seeing him as the catalyst or the victim of change.

4. Fill in the plot structure. This part can be a little tricky.  After all, you already gave a synopsis, and describing the plot can seem like you’re telling the story all over again.  This is why you should not provide a very detailed discussion in the synopsis.  When providing the plot structure of a story, keep these areas in mind: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.  Every story has these parts, so just fill in according to what you read.  This should be easy provided you actually read the book.

a. Exposition - the introduction.  This often contains clues that become quite significant to the story later on.

b. Conflict - there is always a conflict in every story, be it man-vs-machine, man-vs-woman, etc.  Take note of this, as the conflict must find resolution at the end of the story.

c. Rising Action - a chain of events that set off the climax.

d. Climax - the highest point of the story.  The conflict comes to fruition.  This is the most emotional and most intense part of the story.

e. Falling Action - events post-climax.

f. Resolution - the conclusion.  What happened to the protagonist?  How is the conflict resolved?

5. Discuss symbolism. Writers are fond of using similes and metaphors to embellish their stories.  More often than not, a few symbols appear throughout the story, mirroring the journey of the protagonists.  In Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, oranges symbolize death.  C.S. Lewis’ Aslan stood for something far more religious than expected.  Discuss these symbols in a logical manner (no wild guesses please) and find supporting evidence for your argument from the text itself.

6. Theme. The theme of the story is the central thought that runs through it.  In George Orwell’s 1984 for example, the themes are treachery, man’s weakness and loss of freedom.  The theme is inferred.  It is easy to find, once you digest the message of the story completely.   A story on stray dogs, for example, could actually be speaking of man’s innate compassion for the weak.  Don’t just stick to the obvious details.  Be intuitive and grasp the encompassing thought of the story.

7. Give your opinion. This is perhaps the most important part of a book review.  When all is said and done, what’s most important is what you, the reader, felt.  The book’s goal is to move you.  How you felt after reading it is just as important as all the other technical details.  Your personal take on the book is valuable, and do allow your own opinion to color your review.  It makes it a lot more personal and relevant.  Be specific when discussing how the book affected you, and highlight key areas in the book that sent you into an emotional rollercoaster ride.

And that, darlings, is how you write a book review.

XOXO,