If you've read my About Me section on pretty much any social website I belong to, or read a few of my posts, listened to me rant on Twitter, etc you probably are aware that I'm a Literature and Writing major.
You'll probably also notice that I don't review like one. I don't prattle on about diction, syntax, or a thousand other fantasy-smansy terms that I use in class. I don't do close-readings of the books I read for Typing Tiara. None of my posts read like I'm actually writing an essay. [At least, I hope they don't.]
All of that is a conscious choice on my part.
When I log into Typing Tiara and start writing up a post I put all of that aside. I don't want to be a Literature major. I want to just be a reader again. I don't want to judge a book on the grand academic scale, I don't want to deconstruct it or any other such nonsense. [Okay, deconstruction CAN be fun but that is not the point here.]
The point is I review in a style that is fun for me. On Typing Tiara I get to do something I don't often get to do in an academic setting, I gush. I gush a lot. I fangirl. I drool over fantabulous male leads or fantasize about being that kick-a** heroine I just read about. When I write a review on Typing Tiara it comes down to just one thing: Did I like the book?
Don't get me wrong, I love my major and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love doing close-readings and analyzing texts. Sometimes I even love writing those crazy long academic papers [though thesis statements and I still aren't the best of friends].
And I do sometimes review books that I've had to read for class [Case and point, just you wait for Saturday!] on Typing Tiara because I want to remind myself that I did like that book before I completely get lost in the scholastibabble as one of my professor's termed it. Because sometimes, no matter what all of those crazy academics say, a story is just a story. And its good and I like it.
Basically Typing Tiara is to remind me to just have fun. I chose to be a Literature major because I love literature and I love to read. I chose to be a Book Blogger because I want to still love litearature and reading.
And I do sometimes review books that I've had to read for class [Case and point, just you wait for Saturday!] on Typing Tiara because I want to remind myself that I did like that book before I completely get lost in the scholastibabble as one of my professor's termed it. Because sometimes, no matter what all of those crazy academics say, a story is just a story. And its good and I like it.
Basically Typing Tiara is to remind me to just have fun. I chose to be a Literature major because I love literature and I love to read. I chose to be a Book Blogger because I want to still love litearature and reading.
So, for those of you in school, do you let academia sneak into your blog? Do you use all of those concepts you learn, whatever your major, to help you review books? Or, like me, is your blog there for you to gush?
If you're not in school [or are but are sick to death of talking about it], why do you blog?
If you're not in school [or are but are sick to death of talking about it], why do you blog?
The only way what I study affects my reviews is in the sense that I can no longer find a story believable when I know otherwise, that usually lowers the rating. If the author is going to write about such specific things, then they better do it right and just not do it at all. I'm studying Bacteriology, but it's really more like Microbiology, cause it's not only bacteria I study xD
ReplyDeleteNow that must be crazy fascinating to study. I studied biology for two years and my favorite sections were always genetics and microbiology. I might just pick your brain one of these days. xD
DeleteBut on topic, I can totally understand how that would effect your rating of a book. I've had that happen to me a few times even with what little I know and its just like "Huh? If I know better then you really should..."
I just can't help letting my school in from time to time since I'm a science major and if science facts are wrong in books, it really bothers me. Even though I read fantasy/sci-fi, if things that are supposed to be based on the real world are just plain wrong *shudders* I'm really impressed that you are able to have to such separate voices though, I don't know if I could manage if I was trying to build both of them at the same time!!
ReplyDeleteSee, I can totally understand why that would happen. Science would be hard to turn off, especially reading as many science fiction novels as you do. I mean, they are supposed to be scientific and logical.
DeleteSometimes its harder than others. Especially when its a book I want to review on Typing Tiara but its something I'm reading in class.
Obsessionally they do blend because some things I just have to geek out over as a literature major, especially when an author breaks out with something out of the norm. But for the most part when I read for fun I want it to be just that, fun.
Maybe because I'm only in high school, but I do learn what I use in school when I review. I'm constantly learning new vocabulary, and I like to make my reviews the slightest bit more intellectual, especially that's what I'm kind of working on in debate and everything right now. So I feel like school is currently helping me with my reviews, in a small way, but not totally changing my review style, which is different from your case I think. But this may change for me when I do go on to college and such.
ReplyDeleteFabulous post, Ash, I really did love reading it!
Aneeqah dahling, have I told you lately that you're a ray of cheerleading sunshine? Because you are. Comments from you always put the biggest smiles on my face. <3
DeleteAs for your actual comment, I think you make a lot of good points. I think the level of education, and as other commenters have pointed out, the type definitely can mix things up a bit.
Also, your reviews are brilliant. You have a knack for it. They come across far more professional than mine, yet approachable. Bravo!
I feel very much the same way. Do I know how to write a proper review? Certainly. I would prefer to keep it relaxed when among my reader friends. Also, while I do read literary fiction from time to time, I read a lot of genres that were never intended to be literary greats. For instance, I will give a cozy mystery a 5-star rating if it delivers everything that I am looking for within the genre.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I know what it means to write a "proper" review. I see them often enough in academia, I see what they consist of, and I've even had to write them a time or two. But since I read and blog for pleasure it seems to defeat the purpose to bring in academia.
DeleteYou nailed it exactly with your last couple of lines. I read a variety of genres and I rate those genres based on my expectations of that specific genre. Its not fair to rate them against something that they are not.