Tips on Writing a Book Essay
If you are writing a book essay, you should combine a book summary and your interpretation in it. Of course, much will depend on the book you will write about, your opinion about the book, and your assignment. While writing a book essay about a novel or a play, you will need to reflect about the characters, the setting and the plot. However, you will not be able to write about characters or plot for some non-fiction book, such as textbook. Therefore, we prepared different guidelines for writing a book essay on fiction and non-fiction books, which you are welcome to read. Moreover, a book essay can be categorized as a book report, a book review or a reflective essay on some books. Hence, you will want to know the differences between these most common types of book essays.
Quick Navigation through the Book Essay Page
- Download Free Sample of a Book Review
- Types of Book Essays
- What to Write in a Book Essay on Non-Fiction Book
- How Can We Help
- What a Fiction Book Review Should Be About
Download Free Sample of a Book Review
Types of Book Essays
The following are the three basic types of a book essay:
Book report: it contains the gist of the subject matter of the book along with the author’s personal insight. While writing a book report, you should aim to illustrate that you went through the book and caught the author’s point of view.
Book review: it offers argument. Book review not just a plot summary or a book report but a commentary. The review is an observation of the style, content, strength and limitation of a book. It would help you converse with the author as well as with other audience over the book.
Reflective essay on book – this category lets you share your experiences as well as what you have discovered in the book. While writing a reflective essay, please mention why you picked up the book and why you have considered it noteworthy. To demonstrate the wallop of the book on your thoughts – start the essay by depicting your expectations or feelings before going through the book, then how the feelings/expectations came into the reality or changed after.
What to Write in a Book Essay on Non-Fiction Book
Try to address the following questions, while writing a book essay on non-fiction book:
Book Essay (click to enlarge)
- What is the idea or main proposal placed by the book?
- What is the subject matter or theme of the book? Does the writer address all parts of the subject matter in an objective style?
- How does the writer move towards the subject (analytical, chronological, topical or descriptive)?
- How does the argument of the book take form? Is the argument logical? Does it convince you?
- What proof does the author show to support the main points? Do you think the proof convincing enough?
- Demonstrate that the conclusion drawn (if any) in the book is deduced from the proof
- Describe whether or not the author follows formal style. Assess the worth of the writing mode by applying some of these yardsticks: originality, clarity, coherence, dynamism, appropriate use of technical words, completeness of development, conciseness etc. Is the style suitable to the proposed audience?
- While finishing the book review essay, would you like to suggest the book to readers?
How Can We Help
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What a Fiction Book Review Should Be About
Writing a book report or a book review on a fictional book you would need to reflect on characters, plot, setting, theme and style of the book. The following questions might help you to do this properly:
Characters:
- In your fiction
book review essay
- , first portray the characters of the book. Does character development take place? Is character depiction indirect or direct?
Plot:
- How does the writer handle the different components of plot (opening, climax, suspense and end)?
- Elucidate the connection of storyline to character depiction.
- If there is any sub-plot, how is it linked to the master plot?
Setting
- Illustrate the settings and whether it possesses a vital role in play.
- Describe whether the settings exert significant influence on the storyline/ characters
Theme:
- Portray the main theme(s): psychological, didactic, entertaining, social, escapist and so on.
- How the theme is disclosed and evolved?
- Is the theme unique and innovative, or familiar and traditional?
Style:
- Describe the “emotional qualities” of the writing (e.g. wit, satire, humour)
- Describe the “intellectual qualities” of the writing (e.g. precision, simplicity)
- Describe the “aesthetic qualities” of the writing (e.g. rhythm, synchronization)
- Describe the stylistic tools that have been used (e.g. motifs, symbolism, fable, parody)