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AML 2600 Book Review Format
#1 BEGIN WITH A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE BOOK.
This is probably the best way to introduce any review because it gives context. But make
sure to not go into too much detail. Keep it short and sweet, because an official summary
can be found through a quick Google search! This review should be in your own words.
This is not a research assignment.
#2 – PICK OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE BOOK.
• This can be broken down by character, world-building, themes, and plot. But this
might vary between books, genres, and your tastes.
• Dedicate a paragraph to each of these important aspects, discussing how well the
author dealt with it, along with what you enjoyed and what you didn’t enjoy.
# 3 – INCLUDE BRIEF QUOTES AS EXAMPLES.
• Including quotes is always a great idea, because it gives examples for everything
that you’re saying. If your review talks about a character being particularly witty,
a witty line from the character lets your reader see exactly what kind of witty
character you’re dealing with here.
• But, be careful. Lengthy quotes can take up big chunks of space and overpower
your review. It can also appear to be an attempt to “take up space,” to meet the
assignment’s word requirement. Short quotes will usually get your points across
while letting your work shine through. In other words, do not use LONG quotes.
#4 – WRITE A CONCLUSION THAT SUMMARIZES EVERYTHING.
Like your introduction, keep your conclusion short and sweet! It should bring up the
main points of your review, along with your overall opinion of the book.
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#5 – FIND SIMILAR BOOKS.
A great way to wrap up a review is to find similar books to the one you’re reviewing. So,
you can say, “If you were a fan of X book, I think you’ll definitely like this one!”
You can also be more specific, looking at the exact things that might make two books
similar. So, you can suggest something like… “If you think the main character in X book
was a dramatic superhero, then you’ll love the main character of this book!”
#6 – GIVE IT A STAR RATING.
A star rating is obviously encouraged in a lot of review sites, but they’re not necessary. If
you do want to give a star rating, you can go the conventional “out of five/ten” route.
You could also try something slightly less conventional, and break down your star-rating
into different categories for character/plot/world-building, etc. The rating will encourage
or discourage others to read the book.
Your Book Review’s Specific Criterion
• Choose a book written by an African American author published between 1975-
Present.
• This assignment must be typed, double spaced, with a legible font style. Use font
12 or 14.
• The first page should be the title page, including this information: Your name,
Professor’s name, date, type of assignment. You are free to use images on this
page, if you desire.
• The body should be 700-1000 words. Include a word count on the last page of this
assignment. Example: Word Count: 850 words. Remember, the word count is
for the body and does not include the title page.
• If you use direct quotes from the book, list the page number in parenthesis.
• This is not a research assignment. Therefore, do not use other sources. This is
your review of the book and should be written in your own words.
Much Success!
