This is a question that I think to myself with any book that has heavy criticism. Books like It Ends With Us, American Dirt, Fifty Shades of Grey, and the Harry Potter series are novels that I often think about. Do I want to read them and review them on my blog? Would I get “cancelled”? Is it worth the clicks and traffic on my site? Many book reviewers are choosing to silence the criticism and read the book, and conclude their own thoughts. 

As readers, we turn to book reviews to consider whether or not to read a book. If there’s a negative review, depending on the book and the reviewer, we turn away and choose to read a different book. If there’s a positive review, we choose to add that book to our to-be-read list. Or if you are cynical like me, you choose to buy and add it to your never-ending physical to-be-read pile despite the criticism.

But what if it’s a book that has too many negative reviews, but we still want to read it? Do we listen to our gut, and waste our time to read that book? Books like It Ends With us fall into this category. Colleen Hoover is often criticized for “glamorizing physical abuse,” in her book It Ends With Us (book review coming soon).

This kind of question is answered depending on the book, but let’s talk about American Dirt. If you haven’t read my book review, I mentioned that I disliked the book because it relies heavily on Mexican stereotypes. Before reading this book, I read about all the hate and criticism and I was so curious to read it. Knowing on what you know, will you consider the criticism? Or will you neglect the criticism, read the book, and praise the book because you loved the story?

A fellow book reviewer captioned her review on American Dirt and said, “Knowing that American Dirt caused heated controversy, I decided NOT to read any articles about the book before completing it. I am glad I did! As a purely fictional work, I was engrossed. Strength, power and solidarity!”

Call me rude if you’d like to, but that is just being ignorant. There’s a reason why American Dirt is getting heavy criticism and as a book reviewer, you’re not considering the stereotypes?

The larger question here is, should criticism surrounding a book effect our review? 

I believe as a book reviewer it, yes. Not that being a book reviewer is a big responsibility, but it’s our job as a book review to present to the audience with all of the facts. Choosing not to address the controversy, is to say that you are being ignorant to others thoughts and feelings. It’s important that we do as some readers have certain triggers and thanks to StoryGraph, we rely on reader’s reviews to remind us of what content lies ahead.

Book reviews help potential readers become familiar with what a book is about, give them an idea of how they themselves might react to it and determine whether this particular book will be the right book for them right now.
https://www.readerviews.com/blog//book-reviews-and-book-criticism

One of my favorite authors, Flannery O’Connor, has a quote that I live by and she says, “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” The truth is the truth, and the way in which we react to it does not change the truth. When we review books or recommend books, I believe it’s important consider the criticism rather than become ignorant to it. 

In an article titled, “When Should We Ignore Criticism?” Tanner Christensen says, “Of course criticism is important: it can expose us to perspectives we weren’t aware of, uncover flaws in our work, and help us identify areas for learning and growing. Criticism can be generative and help us create a more complete picture of whatever it is we’re trying to do.”

When it to comes to choosing whether or not to read a book, we should use criticism as a tool. 

I for one, do tend to ignore criticism when it comes to certain books because sometimes, they could be far fetched. 

I read American Dirt considering the criticism, because I wanted to read in the way our stories being told in the eyes of those who aren’t in the Latinx community. I read It Ends With Us because I wanted to know what all the hype was about. And I’m choosing to read the Harry Potter series, despite J.K. Rowling’s transphobia, because I’m curious to know if these books still hold up. 

I’m just hoping, at the end of the day, whether a book is negatively or positively criticized, it continues to connects us rather than divert us away from one another. 

There is also some irony that I chose to publish this post on the 4th of July, but I think this discussion fits in with the holiday. American Independence is a holiday that celebrates the idea of freedom, and there is a freedom to be chosen when choosing to read a book or not.  

What do you think? Do you believe criticism really matters?  Comment what you think down below!