Learn2Write

In the last blog about review writing, we talked about writing movie reviews (https://learn2write.co.uk/Blog/post/a-review-on-your-mind-today). What movies have you watched lately? For the second part of the series, let us look into writing book reviews. 

Part 2: Review of a book

For a book review, we start by mentioning the name of the book and the author. In addition, we mention the genre of the book (adventure, mystery, fantasy, historical, etc). While reviewing the book, we might also want to mention if the book is an individual one or a part of book series. Consider the following example:

Wearing the Sorting Hat!

‘Alohomora!’ folks—open your mind and heart to dive into the world of magic (Alohomora—means unlock in magic world). Originally published in 2007, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone tops the charts of favourite books (between the age group of nine- to twelve-year-olds) even today. It has undergone many revised editions (to include an attractive book cover). Interestingly, the book was adapted into a movie too, and it gained so much popularity that all the books were adapted as movies. When the book was first released, author J.K Rowling became nothing less of a movie star. ‘Choo, choo’—there comes the Hogwarts train to take you into the whimsical land of adventure, fun and magic, where everything seems possible: facing demons, three headed monsters, drinking magic potions, flying on brooms, encountering ‘friendly’ ghosts (and some not so friendly), mystery mirrors and much more. 

Note that the review begins with a mystery word to attract readers’ attention. It also informs readers about the name of the book, genre and name of author. For the body paragraphs, take the readers through the plot (not revealing key details), some characters and the parts of the book that you liked as well as disliked.

The protagonist of the book is a ten-year-old boy named Harry Potter and his so-called mundane, frustrating life with the humans (referred to as Muggles—rather has a catchy ring to it, doesn’t it?). Harry thinks his life at Privet Drive is all he could ask for; however, one day, out of the blue, a surprise awaits his eleventh birthday. The brilliant unravelling of the character's background to the magical world is somewhat emotional, yet uplifting. The book carries on to reveal Harry's friendship with Ron and Hermione (other characters from the book), who later turn out to be more like family (that Harry never had). 

What's hilarious is when Harry is confronted with countless magical questions, he freezes. Every page in the book contains some intriguing details, a mystery plot and suspense at every turn that makes it difficult to put the book down. The world created by J. K Rowling comes alive and the words start dancing, just like the Hogwarts stairs (and its many mysteries). 

However, my personal favourite (but otherwise understated) is how a boy, named Neville Longbottom (funny name, right. On that note, all the names in the book are quite catchy too), stands up for his beliefs despite hesitations. Rightly, the principal, Albus Dumbledore at the end states that, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends".

A few plotlines, however, seemed dragged. For example, Harry's many night adventures using the invisibility cloak (yes, that’s a real and rare thing in Harry’s world) and every time escaping the starry eyes of Mrs. Norris (the watchman’s cat). Or, how easily Harry realises the key to make a gigantic three-headed monster sleep (key to revealing the mystery). Hermione, being the intelligent one, could be the one that figures the three-headed monster mystery. Anyway, the magical details, intriguing plot, interesting characters and lively dialogues outweigh the negatives.

If you have not read this book yet, you are surely missing the lighter side of life and letting your imagination live in a box. Even if you are not a fan of magic or fantasy, this book is something you'd not want to miss. Not just that, the book carries a serious message: never be afraid to experiment, be bold, and value the importance of relationships. In my opinion, the book deserves a 4.5/5. Grab a copy today; the Sorting Hat awaits. What is a Sorting Hat you ask—you’d have to read the book to find out!

In the body paragraphs, a few details of the plot are revealed, along with the names of characters. To make it more interesting, you could even include some magic words or talk about the world of Quidditch and even include some quotes. Furthermore, note that some points about the parts that the reviewer dislikes are also mentioned, but ultimately the reader is swayed in favour of the book (which is the author’s intention). Thus, the goal of the review is achieved— to inform and persuade. 

Have you read this book called Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll? This is another classic and quite a famous one. 

Falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world, Alice is unafraid to explore the unknown: be it drinking the potion to shrink enough to explore life in the rabbit garden or eating a slice of cake to grow to an enormous size. The book wonderfully weaves through its words and reflects the message of bravery.

Would you like to give the book a read and try writing a review about it? Go ahead. Try it!

Review writing is a part of the report writing genre. The aim of review writing is to inform and persuade. A review maintains a personal analysis of the positives and the negatives. Ultimately, a reviewer leaves it open ended for the audience to make their own decision(s). You can write reviews of a movie, a book or an experience. First off, we look at reviewing a movie.

Part 1: Movie Review

Let's say you watched a movie today, and you loved it so much that you couldn't wait to share it with your friends. What would you discuss? Most likely, you would talk about the main character, the villain, the plot (without revealing the end) and the parts of the movie that you liked/disliked. Probably, you would recommend your friend(s) to watch the movie (or not) based on your experience.

Consider the following example:

Minion Mania

Minion—the word does have a funny, yet adorable tone, doesn't it? Just like the word, the movie called Despicable Me (2010) features some unusual and interesting tiny yellow characters called Minions. Directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, this movie takes you through a whirlwind of adventure and comedy. The quality of animation is out of this world: unusual characters, the energy, the background setting and the quality of voice (animated) are top-notch.

The title of the review above is short and attempts to capture the attention of the audience. Introductory paragraph mentions the name of the movie, director(s), release year and the genre. You could even add the name of the actors (if you are aware). The middle paragraphs could include the story plot, snippet of an adventure, the prime characters, etc. Let’s continue with our movie review then.

The movie gained worldwide attention on its release as the round, wobbly yellow bodies and oversized grey glasses (what they refer to as eyes) of the tiny Minions walking the Earth melted our hearts. The movie takes you through a roller coaster of laughter, adventure and thrill.

What's not to love about the movie—searching through the Arctic to the deserts of the world, and a desire to serve an evil person, three minions set out on an adventure. The story comes alive with the use of eye-catchy colours, brilliant animation, impressive voice-overs and a striking Minion language. Believe me, you’ll have a hard time understanding the Minion language, but you'll surely have a stomach cramp with non-stop laughing. 

Moreover, the movie carries a meaning: the protagonist (a character named Gru) is a clever villain who uses three innocent girls as pawns; however, it is incredible to see his change of heart to become a caring person. The movie breaks the stereotype of the word ‘villain’—after all, some situations might convince people to take unreasonable steps, but with the right guidance and goodness in the world, people have the power to change for good. Universal pictures have created a masterpiece with this unique and original portrayal of characters, groovy music, vibrant colour setting and the creative Minion language.

Carry on with the review to talk about some parts that seemed painfully dragging or did not seem convincing— a part (of the movie) that you disliked. You could also give an idea about other characters in the movie. Moreover, note the use of certain persuasive devices such as direct address, rhetorical questions, use of triples and figurative comparisons (alliteration, metaphor and hyperbole).

In the concluding paragraph, mention if you'd recommend the movie to your friends and the rating (according to you). For example:

If you like watching hilarious, animated and light movies, then you can't miss Despicable Me. The movie became so popular that many sequels have followed over the years. I am eagerly waiting to watch the next movie in the series. Overall, I would rate ‘Despicable Me’ as 5/5. What are you waiting for? Go, grab a tub of popcorn and get ready for a bite of Minion adventure! 

The review (in the example) reflects on the opinion of the reviewer, attempts to persuade and leaves it in the hands of the readers’ to decide. To make the review stronger, you could also talk about the movie’s sound effects, lighting, direction, etc. So, next time you watch a movie, remember to write a review about it.

Hello there! Welcome to the fascinating world of stories. Today, we'll learn about an incredible writing method called flashback, which can add a lot of depth and essence to your story. 

Have you ever come across a movie or a book that takes you back in time to show you an event that occurred in the past? That's a flashback. It's a technique of telling a story that transports the reader or viewer to a specific moment or event in time. But how can you effectively include a flashback scene without causing confusion for your readers? This blog has all the answers you seek.

Positioning Flashback Scenes in your Story

The key is to position the flashback after a few scenes in your story's present time. Once the flashback is over, your readers will be able to recognise where the present-time narration left off. Consider it like a movie that alternates between the past and the present. It's simple to follow because the present-day scenes serve as anchors, reminding us where we are in the story.

For example, in her Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling employs flashbacks to reveal important information about the characters' backstories. We see a flashback to Snape's childhood in the fifth book, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,’ which helps to explain his intentions and actions. The author informs the reader when the flashback begins and ends by inserting it after a few scenes in the present-day story.  This is just the tip of the iceberg; let's dive in and learn more about how to use this technique to craft a memorable story!

The Trigger

The incident or circumstance that leads to the flashback is referred to as a trigger. It can be compared to a key that opens the door to the past. The trigger can be a smell, a sound, a sight or a feeling. Anything that reminds the character of a past incident can set off a flashback.

Examples: a) The protagonist witnesses an accident, which immediately triggers horrible memories within the character, and the hero is transported to his past, where he may have been involved in a terrible accident and may have suffered the loss of loved ones.

b) When the main character hears a song on the radio, which she used to listen to with her best friend, it reminds her of their lost friendship as well as the happy times they shared.

Understanding Your Characters' Past Traumas and Fears

Imagine reading a book about a valiant soldier who appears to be invincible in the face of danger. However, the author abruptly transports you to a memory that alters everything. You discover that the soldier was just a child when his country was invaded and plundered by the enemy army. This moving flashback scene explains why the soldier is so brave and committed to protecting his country. The author's exploration of this memory gives the character depth and complexity, making the story more exciting and captivating. So, if you're writing a story with a flashback scene, make sure to vividly describe why this memory is so important to your character and how it has profoundly affected their life.

Bringing Characters Back to the Present Using Sensory Triggers

Let's imagine a young girl lost in a daydream about the past, reliving a happy memory of playing with her beloved pet dog in their garden. Suddenly, a loud noise startles her back to reality— the thunder! Alternatively, her mother's voice calling her for dinner might bring her back to the present. As an author, you can use these sensory triggers to snap your character out of the reverie and back to the present, keeping the story moving forward. While flashbacks are an excellent way to tell a story, it's equally important to ground your readers in the present. So, whenever you include a flashback scene, remember to bring your character back to the present with a sensory trigger that engages your readers and keeps the story flowing.

Flashback Method in Children's Books and Movies

One well-known example of a children's movie that uses flashbacks is Pixar's ‘Up,’ which follows an elderly man named Carl on a journey to fulfil his lifelong dream of travelling to South America. The movie starts with a flashback to Carl's childhood, when he met and fell in love with his wife, Ellie. This sequence establishes the story's emotional core and explains why Carl is so motivated to realise their shared dream. Another example is ‘The Lion King,’ in which a young Simba recollects his father's teachings, which he later utilises to become the king he was destined to be. Shel Silverstein's ‘The Giving Tree’ is another children's book which applies flashbacks to tell the tale.

Now it's your turn to write a flashback story! Choose an interesting event from your own life or imagine a character and a scenario that piques your interest, and let your imagination run wild.

Good luck with your writing!