Random piccie to try and offend more people into defriending me because of my crudity. Hey, if you have a talent you stick with it, right. Tam sent this to me, btw. That gurl… *shakes head* 😉
I’m stuck.
I’ve got to write these reviews for two books from a series… series books? serial books? beries? whatever… for Wave’s site.
Problem is I read them one after the other without really thinking about my approach to the review/s.
This now leaves me trying to work out how to write about a meh character in the first book who turned out to be a complete dick in the second.
Poo. 😦
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
Hey, that was one of the least offensive pics I found on that site. It was hilarious. LOL
Umm, can't help ya with the review thing. Sorry.
I just wonder how many people bought that sandwich and were then disappointed to find out it was only mayo.
The least offensive you say?? Well, we can;t have that. Send me through the shockers and I'll post 'em. 😉
I think the people would have been more concerned about the crunchy part than the 'I can't believe it's just mayo' thing.
I'm not sure I understand what the problem is, assuming these are two volumes from the same series.
So what if a character changes? That's what characters are supposed to do if they hang around long enough. Otherwise, they seem stagnant.
The only issue seems to be whether or not there was sufficient justification for Mr. Meh turning into Mr. Dick. Was there?
Yep, the two volumes are from the same series and focus on one character.
I agree with your points, K Z, re: character development/change as well as whether the change was convincing.
I guess my problem is whether I am able to write objectively – and I know there's no such thing – about this character with regard to his role in the first book when my meh reaction to him was justified by his turning into a dick in the second. I guess I'm trying to distance myself from letting hindsight, etc come into play. Does that make more sense??
Sorry, I'm not explaining myself very well. It's early in the morning here and I gotta go into the country for work now, but 'I'll be back' and will be interested in seeing what you think.
Sooooooo…why don't you say, “Some readers may disagree, but I found so-and-so slightly disagreeable in the first book and completely unlikable in the second.” ??
Seems reasonable to me.
And who says a review should be objective? How is that even possible? Pffft. To me, reviews are about impressions. If he struck you as a dick, say so!
Well…I think reader hindsight is bound to come into play in the course of a series. Any series. Certain sets of expectations are established from book to book. So trying to underplay or ignore your hindsight is pointless.
Are you saying you expected him to turn into a dick? If so, explain why. If you didn't expect it and felt kind of blindsided, then explain that. The fundamental issue, it seems to me, is twofold: whether or not the transformation was believable, and whether or not it was relevant to the plot.
Because, as we know, there are solid dicks and there are weak dicks. Solid dicks perform their role well. Weak dicks are just sort of…annoying.
Yeah, and what JenB said about objectivity. Every reviewer brings a buttload of personal baggage to every review, and some of it is WAY stranger than yours!
Hard to believe, isn't it? 😉
Oh, cool. You found my sandwich. 🙂
Can't help on the review, sorry.
I am so not eating sandwiches for awhile now.
JenB: I think because I don't do reviews all the time as well as the fact it's for someone else that I tend to get a leeetle – granted it's only a very little – nervous when it comes to writing them. This is the first time, though, that I've come to do a review and thought 'well, shit that was a stupid' and am now putting off writing the bloody thing. *sigh* Oh woe is me. 😉
I'll definitely be saying I thought he was meh in the first and a dick in the second, but my concern was how much my impressions from the second have now influenced my thoughts about the first. That is, how mehish in the first was he really??
OMFG, I'm so over-thinking this it's ridiculous. Someone slap me.
*slap* Thank you, KZ!!
Although I must say that I'm considering getting a complex from all the digs you've been giving me lately. I say 'considering' because that solid/weak dick analogy was just pure gold and kinda makes up for all the bitchiness. LOL.
Tracy: I thought that must be your order.
KBC: Just consider it a different way of swallowing. 🙂
KBC: Just consider it a different way of swallowing. 🙂 Swallowing is in interesting word keeping in line with your (or rather Tam's0 picture.
Good luck with the review dear. But I think it did not matter that you did like the protag even less in the 2nd volume. If Wave had not make you read it you probably would never have picked it up in the first place.
I see what you mean: you worry about being able to review the first book without being influenced by the second. Tough. The only way to get around that that I can think of would be to review them together (and not as 2 separate reviews). Then you can talk about character-progression and whatnot.
Just pull your finger out, write both reviews and then check back in the first to make sure your views of that aren't coloured by what you know of the second book.
Dithering about it will get you with nothing but a blank screen.
Ingrid: It is indeed, isn't it. Luck. I think I'll need it… if not to help with the over-thinking. 🙂
Merwan: Thank you!!! Someone who understands. I think it would be better to do a 2-in-1 review too. Unfortunately I know what the answer to my question of 'can I do this' will be. 😦
Jen: Geez, Jen, sensible much. Can't I be all emo about doing reviews and stuff?? *She's right, dammit!*
I just finished a book where I really liked the characters in the first book. it was like they had a brain transplant in the second book! I was so disappointed and said so in my review.
as long as you state your reasons why, I wouldn't be worried.
That's what I'll definitely do, but I think I'll still be a little angsty over it. Obsessive much. LOL.