Hello everybody! Today I write to share something that has been in my
head for a couple of days now. As you know, I’m currently reading Murakami’s
1Q84, and I love it. However, when I was reading some of the reviews about it
in Goodreads I was mind blown.
The language! OMG, when I first reviewed From Adam to Noah or Knife ofTruth, two books that I didn’t like, I felt I was being harsh. But reading some
people’s comments I sadly quote, “a steaming pile of hot garbage”,
“I’ve been assaulted enough” and “Get out, all of you: 925 pages was more than
your fair share, and more than its fair share was squandered on wordy mediocrity”.
I get it; you people didn’t like the book. Do you need to be so insulting? Have any of you attempted to write a book? Has it reached so many people? I do not mean to say that everyone should like the book. No, is not for everyone, I realize that. Just as I do not enjoy Self-Help books, people are entitled not to like a particular book. But is the level of aggressiveness that shocks me. I’ve read other bloggers that didn’t like it either, but most of people dedicated to books who didn’t like it didn’t seem to need to bash it, to use demeaning words. I’ve found “too-long for it’s own good”.
I get it; you people didn’t like the book. Do you need to be so insulting? Have any of you attempted to write a book? Has it reached so many people? I do not mean to say that everyone should like the book. No, is not for everyone, I realize that. Just as I do not enjoy Self-Help books, people are entitled not to like a particular book. But is the level of aggressiveness that shocks me. I’ve read other bloggers that didn’t like it either, but most of people dedicated to books who didn’t like it didn’t seem to need to bash it, to use demeaning words. I’ve found “too-long for it’s own good”.
As I mentioned in my “about me” box, I am working in science, and yes, reviewers of articles can be particularly harsh, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such terms in these types of reviews! And even then, when you read what might be considered professional reviews (New York Times’ Kathryn Schulz called it “psychologically unconvincing and morally unsavory”) they use blunt, direct words, yet not aggressive or vulgar, and they always acknowledge the good points.
I just don’t feel I have the right to be offensive with any author that took the time to write a book and managed to be published. I think one think is to dislike someone’s work and other to bluntly brutalize it. Freedom of speech is one thing…but I think there is a limit, no? Also, nobody is forcing you to read the book, if you don't like it, don't finish it, if is not for you, there is no need to denigrate someone else's work. On this subject I would recommend Jacob Schriftman's post: Judging Books: The Golden Rule of Criticism.
So what do you think?
