Author Linda Acaster reacts to her most heart-lifting and most comical reviews
"This book is tedious at best..."
So said a USA reader commenting on Linda's historical romance, Beneath The Shining Mountains.
Linda reflects, "This sort of response is why many authors refuse to look at reviews of their own books, which I can quite understand.
"In truth,
reviews aren’t for the author; they are reader-to-reader recommendations, part
of the three-step pre-purchase ritual, at least when buying from one of the Amazon
stores: skim through the product description, read part of the ‘Look Inside’,
hit random 5*, 3* and 2* reviews. Followed, perhaps, by the Buy button."
Buy Beneath The Shining Mountains
Of course, not every reader does this. A surprising number buy on the look of the book cover alone, though it seems this reader didn’t even do that.
"This book is tedious at best. I guess my preference
for books that relate details of Indian customs and actual historical accounts
trump my enjoyment for this book, a coming of age style love story. A lot of
drama between the characters in their love relationship. I had to force myself
to get through this book."
"So, did the reader dismiss the conveying of customs because they were wrapped in a fictional story?" Linda wonders, adding, "What I didn’t understand then, and still can’t now, is why anyone would force themselves to finish a novel that didn’t resonate with them. The most comical aspect of this? Despite the tongue-lashing, the reader gave it a 3* review. Go figure."
"Book of the year so far!"
This came from a UK reader commenting on The Bull At The Gate, the second in the Torc of Moonlight trilogy of contemporary mythic fantasies.
Linda says, "What pulled me up short here was the fact that the review was uploaded mid-June. Had the reader only read one book in five and a half months?? Er, no. His reviewing was reasonably prolific."
"Mystery and multiple twists in a wonderfully written tale by a first rate author. Loved the fact there are some links to the old history (especially Roman!) of York as well. Book of the year so far!"
Linda's most cherished review happened to be for the same novel, but three years later and from Australia:
"This is the second book in the Torc of Moonlight trilogy. Every bit as captivating as the first. Linda Acaster's style of writing draws the reader in until nothing exists but the story."
Linda's reaction? “That - 'nothing exists but the story' - any novelist would take as a job well done."
Explore more from Linda Acaster’s multi-genre output
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