What do you think of book reviews in which the reviewer gives away the book plot

1. 89

   Rock_njposted 12 years ago

   What do you think of book reviews in which the reviewer gives away the book plot?
   
   Does anyone else find it annoying when you go to Amazon or some other place on the Internet to see book reviews, and you find reviews that rehash the story plot?  For one, it seems unecessary.  We can get the jist of the plot from the teaser.  For two, what is the point?  They are making it less worthwhile to read the book.  Why do people bother writing such reviews?

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2. 60

   Ladyfairzposted 12 years ago

   Perhaps folks who write revealing reviews are the type who hardly ever finish a book. They think they are helping

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3. 57

   ruffridyerposted 12 years ago

   I agree. its like movie reviews and trailers that reveal too much.  I refused to watch Titanic when it first came out because some one ruined the ending.  They revealed that the ship sank.lol.  Seriously it is aggravating to reveal too much plot.

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4. 60

   rabeckerposted 12 years ago

   I agree, and try my best to avoid any type of review. I dislike movie/TV show reviews for that same reason. People who allow a critic to decide for them, maybe doing themselves a disservice.  I have seen plenty of movies the critics hated, and I enjoyed. Same with books.

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5. 61

   lbramosposted 12 years ago

   Yes, it's really annoying! With books and movies... But some people do that in purpose, just to spoil the pleasure for everyone else...

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6. 88

   lobobrandonposted 12 years ago

   I have no clue why they do that, it's really annoying. Hence its best not to proceed if you notice the story opening up.

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7. 84

   wychicposted 12 years ago

   I hate it, and tend to keep track of the reviewers who don't do it so that I can go to their reviews when I want some opinions on a prospective book or movie. In my own reviews, if there is ever a time that I just can't restrain myself from commenting on some important aspect of the plot (i.e. it had an ending you wouldn't expect) then I will offset such revelations with a ****SPOILER ALERT**** and give several lines between the alert and the portion of text that is a spoiler. Before the conclusion, I mark the end of the spoiler alert. Some people like spoilers, for whatever odd reason, but there is nothing worse than unwittingly stumbling over the surprise twists.

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8. 61

   Xenonlitposted 12 years ago

   This is why I never read book reviews!
   
   I will gaze and glance in order to get enough basic information for a buying decision.
   
   But it is terrible to read with ADD, knowing that a major part of the plot has already been revealed. Where's the surprise in that? How am I allowed to form my own opinions or to take my own journey through the tale?
   
   No thanks, I say.

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9. 76

   Moms-Secretposted 12 years ago

   This is a funny question.  It is like subliminal messaging.  It's like asking what I think of someone spitting in my coffee.  I hope everyone would say its poop!
   
   I guess a lot of people find it hard to give an opinion about something without telling you the details of the book/movie.  Not giving it away takes finesse.  That is a hard trait to fake (kinda like common sense & manners), if you don't have it you can't fake it.
   
   Thanks for the chuckle.  Light hearted reading and writing comes in handy these days for me.

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10. 61

    cosmicdustposted 12 years ago

    I find this annoying, I would like to figure it out for myself if I was going to get the book.

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11. 76

    JohnGreasyGamerposted 12 years ago

    I don't mind internet film reviews by Thatguywiththeglasses.com, who give a sort of commentary from beginning to end of the film. But with books, it can be annoying. Surely there should be some form of spoiler alert system, like iMDB?

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