To satisfy my random curiosity, I have a question to ask – has anyone ever written a book review they’ve wanted to take back part or all, either after some time spent thinking about your reaction, talking to people, reading others’ reviews, or even rereading the book itself? I feel this way about a review I wrote awhile back in my pre-blog days on a book which won’t be named because it still haunts me and I cringe at the idea of anyone running out and finding it on GoodReads. A part of me wants to delete it completely, but at the same time, after I finished said book, I to this day cannot deny that the reaction I had at the time was completely honest.
Beyond the criticism, I acknowledged the book was well-written, its awards well-deserved, and that it had many excellent qualities. But at the time I read it, overall I didn’t feel the same specialness that everyone else around me seemed to feel. It’s not like this has never happened to me. It’s happened to all of us. For example, I didn’t think Robin McKinley’s Beauty was amazing, I had some problems with Perfect Chemistry, and I couldn’t finish City of Bones. This time was different, though, because my opinion has never been so far from the norm. It made my issues seem nitpicky and silly. It made me feel like there was literally something wrong with me, and I was ashamed to have had the complaints I did in front of my reader friends, of which no one agreed with me. This feeling has muted with time, but still lingers. I think if I ever have the guts to reread it, I may feel okay with changing my review, mentioning my previous misgivings as well as my changed thoughts. I’ve learned a lot since then about not slogging through a book that continues to disappoint you or returning to a book that you’re having difficultly getting into later and have a completely different experience. For now I suppose the self-hated review will just exist, shame and all.
Anyone else have a review or blog post you regret, see as a mistake, or want to pretend never existed?
I mostly just want to take back many of my first reviews on my blog from back in the day when I had no clue what I was doing. BUT, I still have no clue what I’m doing, so I guess it’s all good.
Suey, lol, thanks. So guess what? I was at Angie’s the other day and she told me about your surprise meeting at the library. Funny thing is, I work there, too! I love Sheron dearly and knew she had an assistant, but I had no clue it was you! Such a small world. Since I’m always at the circ desk now, I’m never up there. I will stop by and say hi sometime!
I’m trying to think of times when I’ve regretted my reaction. Many times I’ve been in the minority. I’ve often wished it were otherwise. I wince at the negative reviews, if just at the thought of the author reading it and feeling bad. I hate that. But I’ve never gone back and changed a review. Though, like you point out, by the time I started reviewing I’d done my share of forcing myself to finish books I didn’t like. And as I don’t review books I never finish, there have been fewer of those instances. I cut loose faster these days, I guess.
I definitely feel similarly about my review of THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER. It is a beloved book with a capital B and I honestly cannot understand the love. I mean, I cannot. All of her books are just highly forgettable to me. But few to no other people feel that way. Don’t feel the need to go back and re-read it though. I may give one more of her newer ones a shot. Someday…
I’m really sorry you feel that way about your one review. It’s a sucky way to feel. There is nothing wrong with you. You just didn’t gel with it. If you do happen to go back and re-read it and things honestly change somewhat you could update it for sure. Otherwise, forget about it. Easier said than done, I know.
Holly, don’t feel bad about your review! Like you, I’ve felt bad about not liking a lot of books that other people loved. I did finish reading City of Bones and all of the other books in the series but I can’t say that I loved it. I was put off the whole series because of that one major twist. I think it’s okay to feel like this about certain books. After all, we’re bound to have different reactions to the same thing. And you can change your opinion about a book because of a re-read so maybe it’s a good idea to edit that review with an update on why you changed your opinion. But I don’t think you should feel ashamed of how you felt about the book when you first read it.
Oh, this is reviewers regret. I would say if you feel like your review is what you honestly felt at the time, then it is an honest review and it’s OK. There are other kinds of regret too. I’ve written a review and held back on mentioning something for some reason or another and then people read the book and pointed out hating this one thing and I’ve felt bad about not warning them. It’s a learning process sometimes.
Oh and the more I think about it.. there are times where I’ll read old reviews and cringe a bit. Like where I have complaints on the first book of a series I now LOVE, and I think how could I have been so picky about that book? Meanwhile there are series where I try, and I STILL am not as impressed as everyone else is and I really don’t mind (sorry Melissa Marr and that whole series). Maybe one day I will grow to appreciate them or a book in that series will finally win me over, but my reviews will stay as how I felt at that time in my life when I first read those books.
Angie – I know. I think I WANTED my review to be wrong, so badly that I almost began to feel that I was wrong. But it’s nice to know that even now I still feel like it was my honest reaction to how I felt at the time I first read the book, so it should definitely stay that way. It seems like there’s a fair amount of people who don’t like Sarah Dessen? I don’t know. I wouldn’t feel too bad. Btw, do you know which review I’m talking about? I think you do, and I think I’m almost ready to come out with it. You people aren’t too scary.
Chachic, this makes me feel better. I do think sometimes there is that little twist or character trait or circumstance that can get to you and can affect your overall opinion of a book. Sometimes it’s the little things that just aren’t you’re cup-of-tea, no other explanation, and I guess you shouldn’t feel sorry for them.
Janicu, what you said about holding back is so true. Before the blog I wrote a lot of reviews on Goodreads, and there were one or two of them that I really felt I should’ve mentioned some things that irked me in retrospect, that I actually went back and added. I think it was a case of wanting to love something so hyped and well-reviewed that I went into denial about some of the problems and subconsciously failed to mention them. You’ve got to feel very regret-free if you have given a series more than a fair chance and you STILL aren’t into it. I’ll admit that I’m OK with the fact that I’m not a huge Robin McKinley fan. I’m still open to trying her again though.