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A REVIEW A review is a short description of a book, film, play, website, magazine, concert, game, tv programme, shop, etc. It is written to inform readers to give them our opinion/recommendation. Reviews can be formal or informal, depend ending on the target audience and the publication, e.g. If we write for a lighthearted magazine/newspapers or as part of a letter/email. This introduction should contain some background information about the book, film, play, etc.(i.e. the name of the author/director, type, setting, name of the main character etc). The main body normally consists of two paragraphs: one about the main points of the plot of the film, book, etc. we are reviewing in chronological order; the other contains general comments on the plot, main characters, acting, directing, etc. We should never reveal the end of the story to the reader. The conclusion contains our personal opinion and wether we recommend the film, book, etc or not to the readers. We should justify our opinion with reasons. Present tenses are mainly used to describe the plot. We can use a variety of adjectives to make our review more interesting to the reader. General description for reviews. Paragraph 1. Article: background information. Letter/email: opening remarks, reason from writing, background, information. Paragraph 2. Main points of plot (book, film, play game) regular features (magazine) tracks (album). Paragraph 3. General comments Paragraph 4. Article : personal opinion with reasons, recommendation. Letter/email: your opinion with reasons, recommendation, closing remarks. BOOK REVIEW EXAMPLE 1. Gone Girl is the third novel by American writer Gillian Flynn. A thriller
set in the present day in a small town in Missouri, USA, it immediately became an international bestseller. 2. The main characters in the novel are a couple, Nick and Amy Dunne, now living in Nick's hometown of Carthage after Nick lost his job as a journalist in New York City. Nick owns a bar, opened with his wife's money, which he runs with his sister Margo. On the day of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick discovers that Amy is missing. For various reasons, he becomes a prime suspect in her disappearance. The first half of the book is told in the first person, alternately by Nick and then by Amy through extracts from her journal. The two stories are totally different: Nick describes Amy as stubborn and antisocial, whereas she makes him out to be aggressive and difficult. As a result, the reader is left guessing whether Nick is guilty or not. In the second half, however, the reader realizes that neither Nick nor Amy have been telling the truth in their account of the marriage. The resulting situation has unexpected consequences for Nick, Amy, and the reader. 3. The great strength of this bcok is how the characters of Nick and Amy are revealed. Despite having the typical devices common to thrillers, for example, several possible suspects and plenty of red herrings, the novel is also a psychological analysis of the effect of failure and unfulfilled dreams on someones’s personality. My only criticism would be that the first half goes on too long and perhaps could have been slightly cut down. 4. Not only is this a complex and absolutely gripping novel, but it also tackles real problems in society, such as the unhappiness that is caused by economic difficulties, and the effect of the media on a crime investigation. For all lovers of psychological thrillers Gone Girl is a must. TIPS FOR WRITING A BOOK/ FILM REVIEW Choose a book or film that you know well Organize the review into clear paragraphs. Use a suitable style, neither very formal nor very informal. Give your reader a brief idea of the plot, but do not give away the whole story. This is only part of your review, so choose only the main events and be as concise as possible. Use the present tense when you describe the plot. Using participle clauses will help to keep concise. Use a range of additives that describe as precisely as possible how the book of film made you feel, e.g. gripping, moving, etc. Use adverbs of degree to modify them, e.g. absolutely gripping. Remember that an effective review will include both praise and criticism.