Confession: I struggle with writing reviews. I am always worried about trying to do the book justice or of properly trying to express my feelings and opinions of this work, but I also struggle because I strive to keep my reviews spoiler free.
I very rarely read reviews prior to reading the book. I will go to GoodReads and check the overall rating, maybe see if anyone I am following it has shelved the book, but I tend to stay away from reviews. I do, however, love to read reviews after I finish a book. I like to see what we agree or disagree on, or to see if they gleaned any addition meaning from the text than I had. Often I find myself shaking my head, because I see spoiler after spoiler in the reviews. At first I was frustrated. How dare they spoil the story for the next person. Then I took a step back, and thought, perhaps, they don't think that is a spoiler.
For instance, I read Lessons in Falling, and after I finished the book, I reviewed the synopsis and was shocked to find a plot point revealed, which I felt was sort of spoiler-like. I then took it upon myself to research spoilers, and I found this great poll on WIRED discussing possible indicators of spoilers.
I also had what I considered a spoiler, revealed to me during the Cassandra Clare panel at BookCon. When the moderator let this one loose, you heard a collective gasp from over half the room. Now, this is not necessarily a plot point, but it was something major about a character in the book. I felt betrayed, angry, and as if I was robbed of the experience.
When I write a review, I always re-read the synopsis to try and gauge if what I want to say could possible be construed as a spoiler. It is therefore obvious that I consider information beyond the synopsis to be in the spoiler zone. I also asked myself, if this "thing" was surprising, an important catalyst for events that transpired in the book. This bit of information could be something that contributes to the shape the story takes or expose too much about the ending. I try really hard not to reveal too much, and that is the biggest challenge for me when I try to formulate my thoughts in a review.
I want to know what you, readers and bloggers, think about spoilers.
How do you classify a spoiler?
Let us know in the comments!
I like both, actually. There are times where I want to read a spoiler review before I buy, and there are also times that I absolutely don't want to read spoiler reviews.
ReplyDeleteThe tip, I think is just to include in your review that it is a spoiler review. With Wordpress, there is an option to actually hide the spoilers (like how Goodreads does it), so when I do include spoilers, it's covered. But I have also reviewed a book which I absolutely hated and I couldn't review it without spoilers. In this case, I added "spoiler review" in the title of my post and also in the short intro and enough warning to let the reader know that it I have shared spoilers in the review.
That's exactly what is so difficult. If the reason you loved or didn't love a book is related to something spoiler-like. I think I write spoiler-free reviews (I hope so), but I sometimes feel I have to be so vague, and maybe even seem evasive?
DeleteI am SO sensitive to spoilers. I don't even read synopsis most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI know which Clare point you are referring to and when a friend of mine said something while I was reading LOS I wanted to cry because it took all the tension and possibility away and I sulked for a good week ... I'm still salty about it.
I also struggle with reviews because I want to know literally nothing about a book before I go into it ... so I feel like almost everything is a spoiler lol
So I came up with a system "mild spoilers" which are things about pacing, emotional progression, character personalities or little things that don't give any plot points away. "Medium spoilers" which may point out character pairings or give away plot points that are not as important. And "Major spoilers" which give away something huge and could ruin the book for you to know ahead of time. and I mark them in my reviews.
It's such a fine line to walk though!!!
-Frankie Lovely
Hmm mild, medium, and major. I kind of like that, and definitely agree with what you placed in each category. Yeah, me and about half the room at BookCon were devastated, and the moderator tried to justify it, but even CC had a little skeptical look on her face. I was robbed!!!
DeleteUgh, spoilers are the worst. I am always so conscious about keeping my reviews spoiler-free. And there have been times when I have rewritten a review or removed a line or a section that I liked just because I was concerned it could be construed as spoilery. It can be a fine line but I'm all about erring on the side of caution.
ReplyDeleteI know, it is a very fine line. I will sometimes bounce something off my co-blogger, if we had both read the book. She feels, if it's in the synopsis or revealed in the first chapter, it's fair game. So, vague reviews are what I will do to protect the integrality of the reading experience. =)
DeleteSpoilers stink. I use the blurb as a guide as well. Sometimes I think that gives away to much and will say even less in my review!! I hate when I read a review and feel like something has been ruined for me. Great discussion!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I think sometimes, but I don't realize the blurb is giving away anything important until I read the book. I need some surprises in a book, even if I can see if coming from miles away.
DeleteI like reading reviews of books after I've read them too, to see what other bloggers think. :) And I'm not quite as averse to spoilers as some- that doesn't mean I like to be spoiled, but you're right sometimes the blurb gives a spoiler away for crying out loud.
ReplyDeleteThat event at BookCon would be shocking, I agree, and I think I'd be mad too in spite of what I said above. Something like that I do NOT want to know in advance! And when I'm trying to decide on a book I will check Goodreads, and even though I'm afraid I might see a spoiler I do sometime read reviews, just to get a feel on if I want to spend money on it. It is a fine line I agree.
That is where I rely on star ratings, because I am a person who does not re-watch or re-read. I will not read a book after I have seen an adaptation, because I feel like all the major plot points have been revealed. I live for getting confirmation on my hunch or even seeing a predictable storyline play out. But I understand wanting to check reviews when it comes to purchasing or even just investing time in reading a book too. The dilemma.
DeleteI'm the same way when it comes to adaptations! If I see the movie first I rarely go back to read the book. I guess Divergent was an exception, I was genuinely curious, but a lot of book to movie adaptations kinda ruin me for the book for the same reason you mention- I feel like all the plot points are revealed. :)
DeleteExactly and..... there are so many books I want to read that I know nothing about. 😜
DeleteMeh, I'm actually not bothered when I read spoilers. I usually seek them out when I'm deciding if I want to read a book that is part of a series. Spoilers are the best thing when trying to make those decisions! (For *me*.) On the flip side, I try not to post details past the 50% of the book, when writing reviews. If so much. I think people should seek out spoilers if they want them (in private, of course). But to post them explicitly is a little rude (though it does suck when you don't realize what you posted is a spoiler - or when you know it's not a spoiler but people get mad about it). Gah! It's tricky. But at the end of the day, reading a spoiler unintentionally is n o o o o o t the end of the day. It's such a first-world problem, if you think about it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Sam! Have a wonderful weekend. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
I appreciate when someone states that the review contains spoilers. One blogger I follow, Bang Bang Books, posts reviews and spoiler reviews for the many of the same books. They are clearly labeled, so I know NOT to read them. But some people just cannot tell the difference, and that is why I was wondering if maybe we define spoilers a little different. And yes, first world problems. =)
DeleteI totally agree with you the hardest part of writing the review is leaving out any spoilers. Sometimes I am like was this revealed on the backcover can I say this when writing too. Great points!!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a struggle
DeleteI always try to keep my reviews spoiler free and I get frustrated when I see reviews that practically tell how the entire story went. I struggle with writing reviews so for me the shorter the review the better. But I'll remember to think about what is revealed in the synopsis. That's a great tip!
ReplyDeleteGlad it helped. I sometimes read reviews, that are more re-cap than opinion, and I wonder, what's the point of that anyhow?
DeleteI struggle with writing spoiler-free reviews too, especially if something that would be a spoiler really upset me or was problematic. In that case, I want to mention it so people are forewarned, but how do you do it without spoiling things? It's tricky for sure!
ReplyDeleteUsually I prefer spoiler-free reviews, but I actually seek them out if I'm only so-so on finishing a series, or if I've heard some sketchy things about a book or author. I don't want to waste my money or time on a book that I won't enjoy, and sometimes spoilers can help me make the best decision. I totally understand why lots of people hate spoilers, though!
So tricky, and the really difficult thing is how subjective it all is. I may think something is a spoiler, but someone else may not. I know there are the major ones, which everyone can see, but there are other things that could seem insignificant to one person and very significant to another. It stresses me out. I worry that I will reveal too much sometimes. It is good if you warn people though, because then they read it at their own risk.
DeleteI try really hard to not include any spoilers in my reviews. It can be so hard to write a review without giving anything away in a lot of cases but I try to be as vague as possible. I will read a book's blurb when deciding if I want to add it to the pile but don't look at it again. I like to go into a book as blindly as possible.
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes I feel like I am being so vague, but I would hate to spoil something for the reader. I won't lie, I pick a lot of books based on the cover and will read it without even checking out the blurb, but I always peek at the overall star rating. It usually works out, because of the trends with covers.
DeleteI hate hate hate spoilers so I try to avoid anything that can be one in my reviews as well often leaving them to be quite vague and generalized I think. lol It's harder with series I think too, especially sequels and endings when even someone's feelings can be an indicator. Series reviews I avoid and only skim until I've read myself but I find standalones to be easier to write and read beforehand.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great strategy with series. I feel so vulnerable when I pick up an older series. I have to be super careful with those
DeleteOh I agree with checking the synopsis to see if it helps gauging what might be too much information! For me, a spoiler is something that takes my enjoyment away from finding it out for myself. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to tell if a spoiler WILL do that. The obvious ones would be character deaths and who someone chooses in a love triangle or something. Otherwise, it's a little hard to tell. But, the synopsis as a guide definitely helps! Although, even a synopsis can have spoilers! WHICH IS THE WORST. hahah
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion!
The struggle! It's so subjective, and I have to say it stresses me out when I write reviews. And I know, I cannot believe when I see a spoiler in a synopsis. I know the blurb is hard to write, but really? Now you know why I pick most of my books based on the cover alone.
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