My Thoughts is a feature where I attempt to write bookish discussions. If you had spent any time with me in real life you would learn I have this habit of blurting out random thoughts from time to time when I allow my mind to wander. It’s from these random thoughts these posts emerge as I attempt to write some coherent thoughts about what’s been on my mind. I am trying to combine this with my attempts at participating in the Discussion Challenge this year.
Do You Wish You Could Re-Review Books?
I recently read a review for Lair of Dreams by Genevieve at The Reading Shelf and I liked the review but it made me think about the book some more. I had read that book about 6 months ago and I remember struggling to fully formulate my thoughts after reading. I had enjoyed the story but a lot of things felt off from the first books and I felt a little let down after the long wait. I couldn’t fully pinpoint why, but after reading that review and thinking about the book I could identify the introduction of so many new characters and too many storylines being the source of my unhappiness with that book.
Now this isn’t a re-review of that book, so I won’t go into detail, but it did spark my thoughts now. Is is it ever okay to amend your review of a book? I know Rachel at Confessions of a Book Geek asked this question last year about reviewing your reviews but I am asking the same question now. Should we be able to go back and add an amendment to our original review because I know your thoughts change with time.
Maybe we should all wait a couple of weeks to write our reviews? This would give the book time to settle in our mind and our initial intense emotions to die down, allowing for logic to prevail. Who wants a logical review, though? The great thing about being a book blogger is that we are passionate about our feelings, that wouldn’t come through if we waited.
The other issue is we may forget significant points about the books, or even forget the story altogether. Surely that says something about the book if the story is so forgettable? But that happens to me all the time, because I read so much, sometimes books blur together, writing reviews actually helps me retain the story better. Sure, not all books are memorable and the story utterly unique, but that doesn’t mean they were any less good and enjoyable. Maybe what my reviews really need is a little amendment at the end with how memorable the story has been and whether or not I would reread. Rereadability is a thing I can not always say straight off, I have to wait and see if I am having cravings for that story once more.
I don’t know, it's just a silly thought I’ve been having, partially inspired by reading a review for a book I read a while ago, but also from listening to a Smart Bitches podcast where it was raised as a thought when looking back on their year of reading. At the time of reading and reviewing, with the book fresh in your mind, you do love (or hate) a book and have a lot of strong emotions about it, but in six months or a year later you may not even remember that book and I wish there was a way to tackle such a thing.
Does anyone else contemplate re-reviewing books? Do you add amendments to your reviews for anyone who may go back through your reviews? Tell me your thoughts on this matter.
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