Have you read a book that you NEED to talk about because it was so good, bad, or it had a lot to process?!
To write a book review for Dungeon Letters (the monthly Uni High Library newsletter) and the Uni High Reads Blog!
Email submissions to alexaep2@illinois.edu
What is requested for your review:
- 200 – 300 words!
- Two paragraphs
- A few tags/keywords that describe your book (fantasy, romance, diverse, etc.)
- Submit your review to Alexa (alexaep2@illinois.edu) (where it will be subject to editing)
Paragraph 1: Plot Description
- Who, what, when, where
- Characters – name only the ones you are going to analyze later (if you’re not going to talk about them later, avoid naming)
- World – probably most important in fantasies but still necessary in realism
- Pivotal points:
- Darla makes a fatal mistake that puts everyone in danger
- Perry the bear encounters a surprise upon his return to his hidey hole
Paragraph 2: Your Analysis
- Opinion (NOT what you want): more like joy, anger, disgust, sad (my heart hurt)
- Analysis (MORE what you want): sounds more objective; this will make up the bulk of and sometimes all of your review. Some questions to consider:
- How well was the setting portrayed? Did the plot pace well or were there lulls? Were characters introduced and given nuance? Was the structure of the book helpful? Was the narration effective?
- Concluding sentence on if people should read it!
Other Reviewing Tips
- Consider your audience – you are writing for your peers, and you want to give them an honest opinion about what you’ve read
- Be accurate – double check names, title, etc. consistently.
- Be economical with sentences
- Be professional (avoid sarcasm)
- Avoid spoilers!