Saturday 10 January 2015

Bookish Musing - I'm Just Being Honest

Bookish Musing is a feature here at Beautiful Bookish Butterflies that allows one of us to share our thoughts and opinions, talk or discuss things happening in the book and blogging community or share a personal book related conversation. Today, Stacie is going to tackle an issue that has be bothering her for sometime, the fine line between being honest and harsh in review..


I like most all other book reviewers out there pride myself on being honest about how I feel when it comes to books, be it one I'm reviewing early or one I've bought myself. I try my hardest to be as nice as possible but sometimes it's impossible and things just have a way of slipping through, does this make me horrible for just pointing out the flaws? Should I have rephrased what I said even though by doing so, I'm being dishonest about the faults of the story? I will admit that the ridiculous article involving Kathleen Hale had me thinking when it came out, but it's something I've always been rather conscious about and recently I was reminded of how much.

A blogger I seem to think is nothing but honest, has on a number of occasions had their review taken down on goodreads, just because the author didn't like it and probably wanted nothing more than positive feedback from people who rated their book highly thus making more people want to buy it. Well I don't know about you but I think that's completely wrong, why is it ok for authors to pick and choose what we say or who reads it. Now I know that she would have the review on her blog, exposing it to people still but what about those on goodreads who don't have a blog and just like to keep track of what they are reading or be up to date with what's coming out, shouldn't they have the opportunity to see reviews from both sides of the story? We've gone from being able to have an opinion to being told it's wrong and held over the coals for it.

Regardless of what you think of the interview with Miss Hale, there was something in it that I found to be rather interesting. The talk of websites that are used to name and shame book reviewers who are deemed trolls because they write a few reviews that are honest, if that means they are critical or not they are the one thing they are supposed to be, honest! Up until I read the article I was blissfully unaware that websites like that exists, but do you want to know what I did when I found out about them? I went straight on them to make sure I wasn't victim of the ridicule. I didn't find my name on it thank god but I did become very paranoid about my reviews after that. I and other bloggers shouldn't have to feel like they must scrutinise every last bit of their review before posting it in case it offends anyone.

When did we lose the freedom of speech? When did the terms and conditions of receiving a book for review come with the added line 'review must be honest only if you really liked it, if you disliked the book please refrain from posting your feelings anywhere for anyone else to see.' Sometimes it feels like the only way to not worry about if I'm being honest or just 'trying to make a personal attack attack on authors and their hard work' is to demote their book to the DNF pile, not write a review about it and move on.

Am I crazy for feeling like this? If so by all means please tell me so I can stop. I don't for one second think that I'm alone though.I know this is more of a rant, just seeing the removed review reminded me and I thought I would get it off my chest.

16 comments:

  1. I think we all have those thoughts now. I hate hurting feelings, so I hate when authors contact me and I have to say something bad about their reviews. But at the same time, I feel like a trickster if I don't give an honest review. I have never commented directly about the author himself/herself in my reviews, and unless it's a true, autobiography, I never will. So I am not slamming anyone by talking about fictional characters. But I wont hold my thoughts. If it's boring or needs editing I will phrase it as nicely as I can. But I'll tell the truth. Candy coating negative reviews to not offend anyone does a disservice to other readers and ruins our integrity because we become liars.

    Dreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books

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    1. I'm go glad you agree. I would never say anything that wasn't true bout the author but like you said, if the characters are only fiction and I'm talking about my feelings on them I don't understand why I can't say how I perceived them. Yes I know people don't like getting criticism but if you put your work out there for the sole purpose of getting someone's opinion you need to be prepared for someone along the way not to like it.

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  2. I agree with you that we should be allowed to post our own opinions in our reviews. And if we didn't like the book, we should be able to say so.
    What I don't think is ok is attacking the author directly, because you didn't like a book. I see a lot of this happen to particular authors on goodreads, and it makes me really sad.
    Just because you didn't like the book, and just because the author is continuing to write sequels to that book you didn't like, that does not make the author a terrible person.
    Some people seem to think it does...

    Anyway, as for the taking reviews off goodreads because they are negative...I haven't actually seen or experienced that personally, but if the only thing that review did was talk negatively about the book, then that's not ok. We should be allowed to dislike books, and make our feelings known in our reviews.
    It's why we write the reviews.
    And while I find negative reviews are a lot easier to write than positive ones, I try not to be mean about it. You will never see me write "this is the world's worse book, avoid it like the plague" in a review. And I think as long as we aren't nasty about it, and as long as we accept that there may be people out there who love the books that we hate, and vice versa, it's all good.

    I don't know if that actually relates to your point in any way, but that's what I think after reading this post.

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    1. No I know and agree with what you mean, I don't think its right at all the attack and another because you didn't like the book and I know some people take it way too far sometime but there are others when I feel like they haven't even been that negative about someone’s book an try to tip tow around the obvious, if you didn't like a book that don't sugar coat it, just be honest because that way the author knows what to change (if the feedback was nearly the same ll the time).

      I know, a lot of people cant accept that others don't like the same ones as them or that they've given it a lower rating. At the end of the day we all have different opinions and our thoughts about what make a good book aren't always going to be the same.

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  3. You're so right and I'm feeling this as well, especially after that big blow up. I was unaware of those websites as well and, like you, I went and had a peruse. And I was horrified. It was fighting fire with fire. Calling out bullies via bullying. Way to be the bigger person. Horrendous. And the worst part was, the people they were "naming and shaming" have written nothing but HONEST and valid (as everyone has a valid opinion) reviews. I know there are those that can personally attack authors etc, but I'm talking about those who make points that are evidentiary support. They've presented their argument and they've gone a step further to prove it. I appreciate that. Transparency is the one thing I look for when it comes to reviews. And tbh, I'm much more of a negative reviewer than a positive one. BUT seeing that complete and utter disregard for our inherent right, the freedom to speech, made me sick. And it's left a lingering thought at the back of my mind. While I don't allow it to affect my personal obligation to being transparent and honest, it has plagued my mind. So yes, definitely agree, 10000% with you, Stacie!

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    1. Thank you Jess, it is really ridiculous that websites like that are out there, not only not that but one of the 'worst offenders' on there are some of the most popular bloggers out there. If someone goes out of their way to make an authors life a living hell and to make sue no one buys her or his books then they deserve what they get, because that’s not just being honest in your review, that is making it your mission to stop people reading the book and I don't think thats fair. When I don't like a book I am always going to say that I hope others do, because I don't want anything I say to sway someone opinion on to buy or not to buy.

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  4. I am with you! Bloggers/Reviewers should be able to post their opinions on books freely. As long as reviewer is not attacking author personally in the review or spreading lies, authors should have no power over reviews. We all have different opinions and once book is released, author should expect positive as well as negative feedback. It is no science, it is reality.

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    1. Agree, sadly it doesn't like that will happen anytime soon because anytime someone comments about how bad a book was or why, they are at risk of being called a troll or something worse.

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  5. When the whole Hale thing blew up I felt the exact same way, and I did go check that site too in case I was on it (lol) I wasn't either, but I did spot a couple of bloggers on it who I know, and who I have to say never wrote a hurtful review, they may have labelled the book "bad", "didn't like it" etc. but they didn't bash the author. I think some authors and bloggers are taking the whole thing too far - people have opinions, deal with it. Similarly though, I have to say that we can express those opinions constructively, without being unnecessarily scathing. I've read one or two reviews that have been so over-the-top that it has made ME uncomfortable, never mind the author. Also, I could be wrong here, I believe Goodreads has a pretty decent policy for reviews (that was one of the things that black-list bloggers website was annoyed about) and that negative reviews are pretty much always kept up unless the review specifically targets or ridicules the author in some way that is in breach of their Terms and Conditions?

    Once the Hale incident settled down, I considered my reviews and decided to keep doing what I was doing, but also to be a little more mindful when writing that I should critique the book and not the person. I take a lot of pride in my work, so I can imagine how it feels when someone tears it to shreds, and no matter how bad I think it is, I won't go out of my way to rip it apart publicly. I'll do that with my friends at home instead ;)

    I also rarely agree to review a book if it comes straight from the author. I want to try and be as uninfluenced as possible in my reviews, and sometimes I feel a little bit of pressure if I know they'll be waiting on a review and definitely reading it. As it stands, I know a couple of authors who have read my reviews, I don't know how many actually do in the grand scheme of it, but I don't want to feel I can't write an opinion just because the creator of the work will see it. Does that make sense?

    R x

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    1. I like yourself found so many bloggers to there that I wouldn't consider to be rude at all. I agree that there is a different between being honest and not harsh about it and being just nasty. Though I don't know about the policy, I have read the review that was taking down and I don’t recall anything in thee that target, attacked or ridiculed the author in anyway ( I could be wrong)

      I know what you mean, I'm just trying to still write the reviews as honest as I can without being too over the top or mean in any way, and when I have something to complain about I either do it at home and chew my other haves er off or I'll do it in messages to other people who feel the same, I try to leave anything out of my review that can make it feel like I am attack the authors writing..

      That makes a lot of sense. I've actually only be approached by an author once, and it was funny enough after I posted a review of her previous book and how I really didn't like so that made me feel better about my reviews because even though the author could see that I didn't enjoy the book or the characters, she still want to hear my opinion about another. I didn't however get the chance to read/review it for her as it was around the time I took a lot of time off, but I know what you mean. When writing a review I tend to write it as if the author will see it regardless of it being a review copy or not and that way I know I'm not being biased about review copies haha.

      Thank you for commenting Rachel, I really enjoyed reading what you had to say :)

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  6. That site is a whole heap of butthurt feelings. I think along the way, "Be nice" became a sort of mantra, and some people take it a step too far. There is a difference between criticism and flat out acting mean, but a HUGE majority of people who have been attacked, threatened and ridiculed have done nothing other than sharing their opinions in humorous and honest language. That site is the result of people believing that women need to sit down, smile, and always come across as polite. Just my two cents.

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    1. I agree with you 100%, I felt a bit silly for having a look to see if I was on there but I felt I had tonlook. Now I don't care if I am because I know deep down I try my hardest to just be honest and not mix that with the unkind feelings I might have towards the book so I know I'm not doing anything wrong, and I'm sure the people who are wrongfully on there do too.

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  7. Wonderful post Stacie! I think as a reviewer we owe it to ourselves to be honest, otherwise others can kind of see through it you know? I know some review with a more positive or snarkier angle, and as long as you aren't personally attacking the author or being offensive in any way, it should be perfectly fine. I'm glad other bloggers support each other, but I've been here to see a lot of author vs blogger debates and I'm so sick of it. We all love books, they create them and we review them, shouldn't it be a loving relationship?

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    1. It should be a loving relationship, and for the most of it I think it is. I just wish it was ok for people to feel like being honest wasn't going to get them scrutinized by the authors. I don't intended for my post to come across as a authors vs bloggers debate so I'm sorry if it did, its more about my own feelings I guess.

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  8. Great post. I was curious when I heard about that site too. But I can't help but be honest as you probably already know. Most of the time I'm reviewing books by well known authors or books that have so much love for them. So why can't I have my opinion on them. I couldn't censor my feelings if I tried. If I have spent my time or/and money on a book then I can say whatever I want about it, haha. I try never to author bash in my reviews, I concentrate on the book itself and nothing else. I feel like you can't put any product out into the world and not expect criticism from someone. Everyone has different tastes and things they like and dislike, no one person can please everyone. I don't know... I'M RAMBLING!!! HAHA :) But, yes, you're not crazy. But I shall continue to review books I love, books I loathe and those inbetween ones.

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    1. Well it's good to know I'm not crazy and I think you are right, if you have paid for it or the author has asked you to review it then you are entitled to your opinion. Haha you wouldn't be able to censor your feelings, you and Cait show more feels in your reviews than most others :P haha.

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