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In criminal law, the issue of intent or lack thereof can be the difference between guilty and not guilty verdicts. However, as it pertains to books, intent, while not criminal (mostly) and doesn't carry a possible sentence of 25 to life, should matter in book reviewing too.
Not too long ago, I read an article by Robert Pinsky titled "How Not To Write a Book Review" and distillation of that piece by Keir Graff. Pinsky's article quotes an 1818 review of John Keats's works - a review so scathing that it was rumored to have killed him. Not only was it plain mean, the reviewer rather proudly admitted that he HADN'T ACTUALLY READ Keats's poetry.
Pinsky follows with a trident of rules regarding a reviewer's "Golden Obligation":
"1. The review must tell what the book is about.
2. The review must tell what the book's author says about that thing the book is about.
3. The review must tell what the reviewer thinks about what the book's author says about that thing the book is about."
As an addendum, preceding these three fine rules should be the requirement that the reviewer has READ the book. Just a thought.
Graff states that #1 & #2 have to do with intent. What did the author intend for the book to be? If I'm reviewing Twilight, I shouldn't savage it because it doesn't compare to, say, To The Lighthouse. It's meant to be a vampire novel for the YA crowd and I should review it as such.
That's why I can give 5 stars to a chick lit book one week and 5 stars to a well-received literary novel in the next. If they both succeed in their intent, then they should be lauded accordingly.
That's as far as I go with intent though, because I believe that once a book is out into the wild, it has a life all its own that sometimes has nothing to do with the author's conscious intent.
Take, for example, this negative review of Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce by The Book Smugglers. [I don't always agree with their reviews, but they do write very detailed, thoughtful ones so I respect them]. Among other things, Ana and Thea jointly felt the book presented a theme "that associate girls that are self-confident and beautiful with being shallow and superficial and deserving of bad things happening to them." They also quoted passages to support this.
In one of the 118 comments [spark a firestorm much?], the author respectfully replied that "MY INTENTION WAS, BY NO MEANS, TO INSINUATE THAT ATTACKS ARE THE FAULT OF THE VICTIM." I have no doubt that the author was truthful in this; yet the passages quoted also buttress the reviewers' analysis. Then again, there were those who read the passages a different way, and their analyses are valid too. In this case, author's intent and qualified reviewer's opinion are at odds yet I cannot disregard either.
But have I picked up Sisters Red, which I had been excited about prior to the Smugglers' review? No.
What rules do you follow when reviewing?
Do you take the author's intent into account?
Do you believe a book can be taken in a way that is contradictory to how the author meant for it to be taken?
Which trumps the other, reviewer's opinion or author's intent?
I think I do consider "audience" as part of the author's intent. This past week I allowed myself the fun of reading graphic novels, some of which I would give 4-5 stars for not because they are 5-star-on-par with say . . . Woolf (to use your example) or Shakespeare. However, given the author/artist intent, some of these books merit a high rating. Plus, I consider the audience. One book I gave 4 stars to because the audience is clearly someone who doesn't have time to read a classic text. Ummmmm . . . Okay. That hurts me to my core because I love classics but I read the graphic interpretation of the classic and, within the context of its aiming for the reluctant (dare I say "lazy"?) reader, I was willing to give it 3 stars. From the same publisher I gave a similar book 4 stars (because it was just a better interpretation throughout).
ReplyDeleteI think these are good guidelines and I've no doubt that many authors don't "intend" things when writing a novel. Tolkien repeatedly said that The Lord of the Rings had no Christian themes and yet volumes have been written showing that there are Christian themes suggested within the text. Intentional or not, this is where the relationship between reader and text serves as a reminder to all writers out there that once your text is "out there" it truly is no longer your own.
Satia - I’ve never considered the Christian themes in Tolkien’s works! That’s never even occurred to me! Tolkien might not have consciously intended his works to be taken as such but his Judeo-Christian perspective revealed itself nevertheless. No matter how imaginative or creative, an author is still subject to his subconscious and background.
DeleteUnless you contact the author directly prior to reading, it's impossible to know what their true intent was. With that in mind, the best you can do is read for yourself, and react the way you do.
ReplyDeleteIn another review on the same site, TBS, the reviewer didn't care for one male protagonist and his flippant attitude towards sexuality and race. They supported their analysis on him with quotes from the book, and the author commented that it book was intended to be a farce! A FARCE! Really? How could anyone truly know that was the intention?
You make a good point about the intentions and the audience. That is something I try to keep in mind when review, but when you feel strongly about something, it can be easy to forget.
Missie – I think a farce is a very risky thing to pull off. Was he aiming for satire? Satire only works if at least one character in the novel stands in for reason and/or the audience. The readers have to be in on it and know that they’re in on it. Outright farce without deliberate irony leads to gross misunderstanding.
DeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteI do take in account intent. For example, the last book I read I could see why the author chose to make the beginning very bland. The character was bland. It really enhanced the character even though I recognized it may put off people. I also look at who the intended audience happens to be. YA is different than adult. UF to biography and so on.
I also try to be constructive rather than destructive in my review for the author. A mean review speaks more to the reviewer than the author.
I also believe that what I get from a book may not be what another person gets from the exact same book. I always look at it this way. Put a still life in front of a bunch of artists sitting in a circle. Every one of those paintings will be different depending on the perspective and also what each artist brings to the art. To me this is comparable to what we read. We all bring something to the table in our personal experience that another does not. That is why I do like civil discourse. Sometimes I get a new perspective that changes the way I see something. I love that.
However, a review is an opinion. We all have one. It is good to help judge your decision, but should never be seen as the sole word on a subject. We all need to remember that when we put ourselves out there for whatever reason. I also hope that an author can see that a bad review can sometimes be a good thing. Some people buy it because of the bad review. Sometimes it can lead to greater things. Whenever I've gotten a critique of a painting that I immediately disagree with (and it's not mean) then I just keep my mouth shut, think on it and usually see something in that critique. It improves my work.
Melissa (Books and Things) – I love your example! A novel is, or should be a work of art. It’s supposed to entertain or delight or provoke; hopefully all three. But each beholder/reader’s relationship with it is direct and unique from any other’s and no less valid. I try to always highlight anything I delighted in any novel I review because I do want to be fair and balanced.
DeleteOk I should say something smart but I do not understand point 2...o_O
ReplyDeleteYeah, he kinda got a bit confusing, didn't he?
DeleteInteresting post. I rarely take an author's intent into consideration when reading their books, mostly because I don't know what it is, but even so, I don't know if I really care. Satia's comment about Christianity in Tolkien made me think about C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is intended to have strong Christian themes in it. If I allowed that to sway me than I would have trouble enjoying what is one of my favorite fantasy books.
ReplyDeleteThough I do make an exception when it comes to the intended age group of a book. Kid's books and adult books are naturally different and it would be a disservice to my readers to judge them both the same way.
I thought of the Narnia books as well. Although when I read them as a kid, I didn't pick up on the overt Christian theme (at least it's over to me now). I don't know if I would have enjoyed it any less. I know when I read it out loud to my son for the second time, I was flat out sobbing when it came to the scene with Aslan.
DeleteI find that if you look too closely at a book, you'll miss the forest for the trees. A book is mainly written for entertainment. However, when I read a book, my main hope when I open to page one is that the author can hook me in good'n'fast and keep me interested all the way through. This doesn't necessarily mean they the book has to be on the move the whole time... as it does have to have a lull in it.
ReplyDeleteAnd being a writer as well, I have had my fair share of problems when writing my own books and stories. However, it's a matter of taste when it came to others reading my stuff... some liked it, while others didn't.
When I review a book, I have found that look at the book for what it is first, then I remember what I got out of it. If I didn't like it for a particular reason, I'll say so. If I feel as though the author could have done better - because their previous books were better than this one - I'll say so and why. I will go into my reasons as to why the book worked for me - or not - and that it may interest others who enjoy this author's work. For example, SK has been getting into literature more and not horror. I love his horror work and find his literature, well, not that great as he's been able to engage me for the first 3/4 of the book, but bores me to death after that; and I don't know why. However, it's his storytelling ability that I love... the way he turns his phrases, dialogue and his description that makes me go back for more. I know that sound ludicrous but it's true; whereas other people will devour his books like a massive meal, I can only take small bites and I'm done (strangely enough I used to be the massive meal person with SK). But reviewing different genres means making sure I have covered all my bases... but it also means I don't lead my followers down the garden path, I tell the truth and I don't boost a book just because everyone else is. If I think it's horrible, because it bored me to death, I'll say so.
I understand what you mean about doing too close of a reading. A review isn't a critical dissertation after all! That should be one's first concern: did I enjoy it or didn't I?
DeleteI think the author's intent and reviewer's opinion are both valid. The author may very well have intended for the book to have said something but the reviewer has every right to believe that the author has not achieved that intent. I can't tell you how many times something has come up in a bookclub interview with an author and the author has been surprised by something one of our members found in the book but acknowledged that the book did, indeed, support that idea. It just had not been his/her intent but somehow it was there, nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteThis actually reminds me of a story I heard about Anne Rice once. She wrote Interview with a Vampire soon after losing her young daughter. Whenever anyone brought up the fact that her grief may have influenced the novel, which has a vampire forever frozen as a young girl, Rice would vehemently deny such a thing. Even though all these people could clearly see it.
DeleteOh, this is a topic of all topics. Isn't it. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I share what the book is about in my reviews. And what I think the books summary is. I try to share good things about books. yes, there are pieces I have harder times with, and I might point those out, but I know others my not think twice about what I picked up on. And with rights, vise versa for me as well.
I try to share a well writen book with many of people when I review. But I know the people who visit often will know if the books are for them as well. I try to stick with the book happenings, and my level of love for it. :) It's a hard thing to do. So many do reviews a little differently. :) So we learn who is like us in taste, and who's not. :)
Really a well thought out post. Wonderfully done.
Thank you, Melissa! Yes, I should have a disclaimer prior to posting any reviews: "It's just my opinion. One of many!"
DeleteFascinating post, Stephanie. I'm not a reviewer, but I do write my thoughts on books on my blog. I don't consider author's intent when I'm reading a book. Once a book is out there, it will be seen through different lenses by numerous readers. When I look through Goodreads at reviews of books I read, and at the reviews (not stars alone or brief reviews, but when someone writes their thoughts in length), I see that people noticed different things, had various feelings, picked up on things other readers may not have picked up on, etc. I've also experienced the case of rereading a book and either enjoying it more or disliking it when I hadn't at first. So, emotions and opinions come into play when reading a book.
ReplyDeleteNot only does the writer's background and subconscious influence the creation of the book, but the individual audience comes to the book with perspectives as well. It almost makes it seem like novels are living, dynamic things which change even after the writing is long done.
DeleteI love this post chick! See I HATE writing bad reviews... and rarely waste my time doing it, but IF I have to- then I WILL explain why I thought the book sucked!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ashley! I do wish that I fate only threw me great books that I can't rave enough about; but sadly, the mediocre and outright bad books somehow make their way into my hands and I unfortunately have to be truthful.
DeleteAuthor's intent can be taken into consideration, but I don't think it must be. The book should stand on it's own. But, like you, if the book is a fun book about vampires it should not be held to the same standards as say, Jane Eyre. I like knowing the author's intent, it's like background information, but I don't think it has to be included in a review.
ReplyDeleteFun food for thought!