EN P3 Kirja-arvostelu

A book review is a short analysis and evaluation of a book, informing people about its strengths and weaknesses. A review consists of a summary of the main features of the piece along with the reviewer's comments and personal response.

An example: Naive. Super by Erlend Loe
1. Information to arouse the reader's interest, why the book is worth reviewing

Naive. Super is a novel by the young Norwegian writer Erlend Loe. When first written, the book achieved huge success in his native Norway. It has now been translated into more than ten languages and has become a best-seller throughout Europe. It has also become something of a cult novel for young people.

2. Settings, characters, main points, but not the whole plot.

The protagonist of Naive. Super is a 25-year-old MA student who ends up quitting university in order to search for some meaning in life. He sells his TV and leaves his bed-sit to go and mind his brother's place while he's away in the US. With time on his hands, he starts to make lists of all sorts of things, becomes obsessed with the nature of time, befriends a small boy who lives next door, manages to start a relationship with a girl - all in effort to find out how best to live life.

3. Special, interesting or effective aspects, comments on language, the message.

The structure of the book, as well as the language, set it apart from most other books. The chapters are fairly short and the narrator has a gentle touch when it comes to guiding the reader into making simple observations about everyday life that can lead to deeper truths.

4. Your personal feelings, who you would recommend the book to.

Naive. Super is a refreshingly different read, and it just might change the way you think about friends, children, time and life. The book is a real page-turner, yet it will stay in your thoughts long after you finish it. And this is one novel you will definitely read to the end.