Old News at Amazon?
I admit that I don't Google myself. And I don't visit Amazon all that often either. Once in a blue moon, I will check over there to see if a new book or cover is up, if the iPod or audible versions of a book are now available, or the download versions for e-readers (because I would say every two weeks or so a reader will write and ask when something is coming out on e-reader). So, I popped on late last night to respond to a question from a reader--and lo and behold, I discover that now when you see the number of stars a book has, way up at the top, there is a little down arrow. When you click on it, you get a graph detailing how many five-star reviews, four-stars, and so on--you can thus do so without having to read through a bunch of reader reviews.
I, for one, am impressed.
Why?
Well . . . when I read through reviews as an author, or, as I often do knowing so many writers, as a personal friend of an author, I never cease to be amazed at the sheer venom with which some people will review. Case in point . . . you can read through 11 good reviews of one of my books . . . and there is 1 atrocious review. Not just atrocious--but NAME-CALLING. As I was perusing this new thing over on Amazon, I saw one review in which the person threatened to throw the book at me. I have a friend, a writer I adore, who got one review that said "I'm sorry I spent money on this book and encouraged this hack to write." WHAT?
Now, I cannot imagine going through life feeling so compelled to write bad reviews. Many books aren't my cup of tea, but I know SOMEONE likes to read them. So more power to them. I know, because I am in this biz, how personal a business it is. But the great thing about this little down arrow--which for all I know has been there for ages--is that if I click on a book's stars and see that 20 people gave it a five-star review or a four-star review, and ONE person gave it a one-star review, that chances are, that lone reviewer was looking for something different. And chances are, because I've never seen a one-star review written in a dispassionate voice, it's a petty review or it just is so filled with rancor that I won't really get a sense of the book.
Do reviews sway me? Sometimes. When I choose books for my book group, I will generally go and see what kind of reviews are there--sometimes it's to make sure it's not an overall lukewarm-reviewed book, sometimes reader reviews will tell me a few spoilers that let me know that it might not be thematic enough for a book group, or it might have something too political or controversial about it, and maybe I don't feel like dealing with that with other readers at my group. So yeah, in that sense they sway me. But, as I've detailed here, I'm savy enough to know what certain types of reviews mean. Nonetheless, this new arrow key lets me cut to the chase.
What do you think? And do reader reviews ever sway you?
I, for one, am impressed.
Why?
Well . . . when I read through reviews as an author, or, as I often do knowing so many writers, as a personal friend of an author, I never cease to be amazed at the sheer venom with which some people will review. Case in point . . . you can read through 11 good reviews of one of my books . . . and there is 1 atrocious review. Not just atrocious--but NAME-CALLING. As I was perusing this new thing over on Amazon, I saw one review in which the person threatened to throw the book at me. I have a friend, a writer I adore, who got one review that said "I'm sorry I spent money on this book and encouraged this hack to write." WHAT?
Now, I cannot imagine going through life feeling so compelled to write bad reviews. Many books aren't my cup of tea, but I know SOMEONE likes to read them. So more power to them. I know, because I am in this biz, how personal a business it is. But the great thing about this little down arrow--which for all I know has been there for ages--is that if I click on a book's stars and see that 20 people gave it a five-star review or a four-star review, and ONE person gave it a one-star review, that chances are, that lone reviewer was looking for something different. And chances are, because I've never seen a one-star review written in a dispassionate voice, it's a petty review or it just is so filled with rancor that I won't really get a sense of the book.
Do reviews sway me? Sometimes. When I choose books for my book group, I will generally go and see what kind of reviews are there--sometimes it's to make sure it's not an overall lukewarm-reviewed book, sometimes reader reviews will tell me a few spoilers that let me know that it might not be thematic enough for a book group, or it might have something too political or controversial about it, and maybe I don't feel like dealing with that with other readers at my group. So yeah, in that sense they sway me. But, as I've detailed here, I'm savy enough to know what certain types of reviews mean. Nonetheless, this new arrow key lets me cut to the chase.
What do you think? And do reader reviews ever sway you?
Labels: Amazon, reader reviews
posted by Erica Orloff at 6:19 AM
10 Comments:
I used to choose books based on reviews but I haven't in some time. I found them vastly misleading. Often books getting a lot of hype were, in my opinion, nothing BUT hype, and just as frequently, stories I enjoyed got trashed.
Now, if I'm going to read a review, I do it after I've read the book, so it doesn't influence my perception of the story.
I'd have to say the biggest thing that has swayed my book purchasing habits and my relatively new willingness to pick up an author I've never read before is author/agent blogs/sites.
I've found its a decent barometer. If the blog is friendly, informative and I like the overall tone of things the author has to say, I generally find I view the book more favorably.
That's not to say just because I like someone, I'll like the book...although I do like you and all your books, but I think ya know what I mean??...hmm, rambling for sure now. Time to go!
Hey Lainey:
I also pick up friends' book, and sometimes when a blog raves about something . . . and I like the blog author, I am more inclined to check it out.
E
I like to read reviews to get a general feel for the book, esp if I'm on the fence about buying it. And like Lainey I've definitely bought more new to me authors because of blogs. I think, as she said, if the blog author is fun or funny, or the review on the blog makes it sound good/great, I'm willing to give a new author a chance. BUT I hate hype. About anything not just books. I think I'm weird like that.
Hi Amie:
I don't mind some hype--for instance, I heard The Kite Runne was extraordinary--and it truly was. And some authors like Gaiman deserve every bit of their hype. But then again, when it comes to hype, even as it's happening, I can tell if it is "my" kind of book or not--so that, more than anything, determines whether I will buy it. I don't, for instance, read serial killer books. Used to, but now . . . not so much into the violence. So no matter HOW hyped a book like that is, I won't get it.
E
I like reviews that give enough info to tell me whether this book could work for me or not. Some reviewers just say they didn't like it, and that's not enough to sway me. I never look at Amazon reviews, some of them are downright scary
ava:
That's EXACTLY it (and much more succinct than I!). I want just enough to tell me if it's possible that this is a book I would enjoy.
E
I often look at reviews from the trades on Amazon. Customer reviews, not so much. Maybe I should.
Tell you the truth, though, I can't remember ever buying a book based on a review--pro or amateur. I usually buy from browsing or recommendations from friends.
Jude;
Interesting . . . thanks for that perspective. I've gotten great Kirkus reviews, and decent PW ones. But again . . . I've never had ANYONE write me and say they bought my book based on that. They usually say a friend told them to buy the book--or they found it in the bookstore.
E
I'm like Ava. I look to see if the book will interest me. I'm never swayed by them.
It's a bit like author blurbs. If my fave author blurbs on a book I will look to see if it's something I'd like, whereas before I might not have picked it up.
sara:
I have to be honest about author blurbs . . . being in the biz, I now see 99% of them are based on two friends/acquaintances/authors who met at a conference, doing something nice for each other. I don't think they have any merit . . . it's a popularity thing. I will blurb books I like . . . and I will politely decline with something vague those books I try to get through for a blurb but simply hate . . . but I just see that it's so often just an exchange of kindnesses--not that there's anything wrong with that. I just don't think they tell me much about a book (now that I am on the "inside" vs. when I was a bookbuyer without knowing what went on).
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