How to write a book review

Getting started
Below is a list of questions about your book. If
you answer them carefully and in detail you can
use your answers to form a detailed book
review which gives your opinion of the book.

Answer in sentences to form paragraphs under

the following headings rather than numbering
your answers or using bullet points.

Plot
What happened in the story?
What was the story about?
What length of time did it cover? (This is the amount of time that passes during the
course of the story, not how long it took you to read it)
Was what happened unusual? Ordinary?
What was the opening of the story like? Exciting? Slow? Dramatic? Dull?
How did the events of the story follow on from each other?

Characters
Who were the main characters?
What were they like?
Were they described in much detail?
Which did you find most interesting?
What kind of relationships and / or conflicts were there?
Did these characters change throughout the story?

Comments on style
Was the story written in the first or third person? ( ‘I’ or ‘he / she’)
From what perspective was the story written?
How important was this to the story?
Was the setting described in detail?
Were feelings and attitudes described in depth?
Was it a good story? Why?
What was your favourite moment in the story? Why?
Were there any moments (or characters) that might have been improved? If so,
what changes would you make?

General
Do you think the writer had a particular reason for telling this story?
How did you feel during and after reading it?
Do you think you learned anything from the book about people? Ways of life?
How would you compare it to other books you’ve read?
What else do you think is important to say about it?
Would you recommend this book / read another by the same author?
 How to write a book review
Answer in sentences to form paragraphs.

Plot

The story is about ......................................................................................

This is normal / unusual because ....................................................................
It all happens during the course of .........................................(a day? week? year?)
The story begins in a .......................................... way (slow? exciting? mysterious?)
The events of the story follow on from one another by ..........................................

Characters

The main characters are ...............................................................................

I would describe _______________________ as ...................................................
.............................................................................................................
The other character, ______________________, is ...............................................
.............................................................................................................
The author described them in great / little detail. For example ..............................
.............................................................................................................
The character I most liked was ___________________ because.................................
.............................................................................................................
I did not like ________________ because ...........................................................
.............................................................................................................
The main relationship was between ...............................................................
I would describe it as...................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
The characters that changed during the story are ................................................
.............................................................................................................
This is what happened .................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................

Comments on style

© 2008 www.teachit.co.uk bookrev - 7627 Page 1 of 2

 How to write a book review
The story is written in the ....................................person (first ‘I’ / third ‘he/she’)
This is (not) important to the story because .......................................................
The setting is described in great / little detail, for example ....................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
How the characters felt and behaved were described in great / little depth, for example
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
It was / was not a good story because ..............................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
I would like to have changed .........................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................

General

I think the writer wanted to tell this story because ..............................................

.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
The book made me feel ...............................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
It made me think about ...............................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
I think it is important to say that the book is ......................................................
.............................................................................................................
I would (not) recommend this book / author because ............................................
.............................................................................................................

© 2008 www.teachit.co.uk bookrev - 7627 Page 2 of 2