The Good Bad Review

Really, I want everyone to love everything I write.  There’s some part of me that still believes that each new story I produce will be the ultimate all acclaimed novel. But the thinking part of me sadly realizes this won’t happen.  Usually there’s some pattern, a few reviewers like your work, hopefully many, and then one or two pan it. Some vitriolic ally.

Blogging critiquers can be the worst. I once had a librarian, who was completing her thesis while applying for jobs, stop everything to begin a new blog solely to diss crush. candy. corpse. (Hers was the first review and the book later earned much love from many.)  She admitted she only skimmed the first three chapters but went on to say I was lazy in my research. She never added to this blog again.

I was lazy.

That was not a good bad review.

A review that accurately summarizes the plot and offers a thoughtful opinion with specifics as to why the book does not work for the reviewer, and yet may work for someone else, that’s a good bad review.    I like this one  http://sisterslibrary.blogspot.ca/2014/04/kill-fly.html

Mary-Esther at Sister’s Library wishes my main character would have other hobbies besides catching flies, that the book would be funnier, have more conflict,  that sidekick character Ginny Malone, would actually be the main character.  But she says I’m a subtle writer. She likes main character Will’s inner conundrum.  She also suggests she may be too picky a reader, that middle grade readers may even try training their dogs to catch flies.

This is a much nicer way of saying essentially the same as that longtime standby phrase book reviewers usually use “kids may like it anyway.”

I can live with this review.  I can even choose phrases that make it sound like Mary-Esther loves the book.  I won’t though.   

What I will say is, Mary-Esther, you will love Best Friends Through Eternity (Tundra)  February 2015.  Everyone will love it!

I wish.