FarmerBrown
Troubadour
So I entered a contest (didn't win) but part of the deal was getting a short review/feedback. As long as I cite the reviewer ("Judge, 2nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards") appropriately, I can reference the review and use parts of it with this disclaimer: "You may cite portions of your review, if you wish, but please make sure that the passage you select is appropriate, and reflective of the review as a whole."
I'm going to post the entire review/feedback here since I'm not using it for advertising, but trying to see which parts (if any) to use that comply with the stipulations above. The whole thing reads like compact feedback, so I've underlined what I feel reads more like a favorable review of my book rather than suggestions, which makes me feel like I'm cheating a bit, but that's why I'm asking for help
"This fantasy novel presents the reader with a diverse and exciting array of characters. Stellon, Flora, and Knives are each wrought with careful attention to their backstories and personalities. The writer does an excellent job mixing the magical (e.g. curses, beliefs, and traditions) with the behavioral in the creation of these identities. We really see each character acting out his/her characteristics, instead of just being told about them. I was particularly engaged with Flora's story, and I found the passages where she is cursed with her horse form especially interesting. The state of mind that the writer depicts combines both animal instinct and human reasoning. I don't think I've seen this done so well anywhere else. Having said this, I initially found Dagger extremely dislikeable. This doesn't necessarily signal a problem for the novel to address (there can be dislikeable characters), but I found it strange that we switched into her point of view so frequently and were not given mitigating information there. For instance, when Dagger repeatedly threatens to kill Stellon and/or Flora if they don't take her where she wants to go, the reader sees her extreme threats from Flora's point of view, but when we switch into Dagger's, there's no remorse or hesitation reflected. This in turn made me question the frequency of the point of view switches. The timing of the chapter breaks did not always facilitate the movement of the plot. I also thought there was a lot of unnecessary front matter that served to disorient and confuse the reader. The writer actually does a great job integrating the history of the world and its families in the beginning of the story, providing information through characters without overwhelming the reader. The glossaries and maps and indices seem unnecessary."
Thanks for any advice or suggestions! While I'm tempted to use this somehow for marketing (no reviews of my book so far, which I'm trying to be patient about), I'm also open to being persuaded not to use it if that would be the best option.
P.S. YES I've since learned entering contests with entry fees is almost a guaranteed waste of money, but I did it anyway and it's done with, so I'm just trying to make the best of it
I'm going to post the entire review/feedback here since I'm not using it for advertising, but trying to see which parts (if any) to use that comply with the stipulations above. The whole thing reads like compact feedback, so I've underlined what I feel reads more like a favorable review of my book rather than suggestions, which makes me feel like I'm cheating a bit, but that's why I'm asking for help
"This fantasy novel presents the reader with a diverse and exciting array of characters. Stellon, Flora, and Knives are each wrought with careful attention to their backstories and personalities. The writer does an excellent job mixing the magical (e.g. curses, beliefs, and traditions) with the behavioral in the creation of these identities. We really see each character acting out his/her characteristics, instead of just being told about them. I was particularly engaged with Flora's story, and I found the passages where she is cursed with her horse form especially interesting. The state of mind that the writer depicts combines both animal instinct and human reasoning. I don't think I've seen this done so well anywhere else. Having said this, I initially found Dagger extremely dislikeable. This doesn't necessarily signal a problem for the novel to address (there can be dislikeable characters), but I found it strange that we switched into her point of view so frequently and were not given mitigating information there. For instance, when Dagger repeatedly threatens to kill Stellon and/or Flora if they don't take her where she wants to go, the reader sees her extreme threats from Flora's point of view, but when we switch into Dagger's, there's no remorse or hesitation reflected. This in turn made me question the frequency of the point of view switches. The timing of the chapter breaks did not always facilitate the movement of the plot. I also thought there was a lot of unnecessary front matter that served to disorient and confuse the reader. The writer actually does a great job integrating the history of the world and its families in the beginning of the story, providing information through characters without overwhelming the reader. The glossaries and maps and indices seem unnecessary."
Thanks for any advice or suggestions! While I'm tempted to use this somehow for marketing (no reviews of my book so far, which I'm trying to be patient about), I'm also open to being persuaded not to use it if that would be the best option.
P.S. YES I've since learned entering contests with entry fees is almost a guaranteed waste of money, but I did it anyway and it's done with, so I'm just trying to make the best of it