The review that I chose to analyze was one on Upton Sinclair's novel "The Jungle". The review can be seen at http://www.curledup.com/thjungle.htm. I believe that it is being reviewed to try and advertise it and also to inform people. Another thing that the author seems to be doing is trying to gain more respect for the book. The review does offer some good insight, yet one thing that I did not like right from the start was that it was confusing and not strutured well in some regards. For example punctuation and sentence fluidity.
It gives some background which is good for those who have never read it. Also it is nice to have if you have not read it , bot not for awhile. There is one part where the author of the review refers to a tradgedy in the book, yet does not give much information. I thought this was well done because it hooks the readers and make them want to find out what happens. Well of course reading the book may come from this curiosity. At the same time though I almost think that the author gives too much information so that the book just seems depressing-who wants to read such a book? Then again the book is not a happy one so it is a good representation and will warn readers of what they are getting into with this book.
The author both praises and points out flaws with the book which is good to see he is not teribly biased. Yet I think there is still a sense of the author's overall feeling of the book. This review does give a good idea of what the book is about, yet I think it could be done better. Also it tries to connect it to the current times which may touch those debating whether to read it or not. I think this review gives a unique review of the book which would be helpful to those who have read or heard about it, but not thought of all it's depth.
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I like that you pointed out where the reviewer could have done a better job - there have been times when I've almost passed up on a good book just because I didn't like the review. It does turn out that the two don't always correlate.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully I could never get through this book, because I didn't like it at all. But I did not think the review was that good at all. He starts off saying how important of a book it is but he never makes me feel of its importance. I feel like the rest of it he just makes statements. It never made me feel like it was a good book to read or to not to read...just that it was important. So it almost seemed like he didn't prove his point of how it was important, besides the second sentence.
ReplyDeleteI remember learning about this book in high school and how Upton Sinclair was an influential "muck raker", exposing the Progressive era for what it really was. That being said, all I have ever heard about this book was praise for its exposure of our corrupt system. I'm glad that the reviewer pointed out strenghts as well as weaknesses of the book, it makes the book seem more real.
ReplyDeleteThese are good points. The author of the review tries to make a point of how the book itself is so great and that unfortunately it is just known for the impact it had on our nation. Yet then there is not much that he or she says that makes it seem like a book people would want to read. The author even seems to backtrack when he or she speaks of how the ending is not good.
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