This week is audiobook week at Devourer of Books. I will be participating in daily discussion topics as well as posting a few reviews, and other audiobook goodies!
Discuss the essentials of audiobook reviewing. What do you make sure to include? What do you want to see when you read other people’s reviews?
Audiobook reviewing is very similar to reviewing a print title. The only difference being that in addition to the content of the book, it is helpful to include a review of the narrator's performance. In my audiobook reviews, I always put the review of the narration first, and make it separate from the rest of the review. These are the things that I look for when reviewing an audiobook:
- Did the narrator distract at all from the story either with a lack of emotion or too much?
- Did the narrator provide a diverse and interesting group of characters? Did characters have distinct voices that matched their personalities, or were they all the same?
- Did the narrator sound like they were enjoying the book?
- Is there anything that particularly stood out to me while listening?
- Is this a narrator that I would listen to again?
The biggest thing that I can emphasize is to make your audiobook reviews distinct from print. I've heard several bloggers say that they love audiobooks, but I can't recall ever seeing an audiobook review on their blog. Information about the narrator and the performance is essential to knowing whether or not to pick up a book in print, or get it in audio!
I have such a problem figuring out HOW to review audiobooks that I usually just treat them like print ones. I think asking myself these questions will help make the reviews stand out.
ReplyDeleteIt is tough. I used to not even mention that I had read the audio and just acted like it was print. But, I have since figured out how to describe narrators and look for things to talk about in my review.
DeleteWow, all such great advice! :) Being new to this whole audiobook thing I will definitely keep all these in mind when I do an audiobook review. The one thing I am definitely finding out is that a narrator can make or break a book so that is super important to include in your review.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true!
DeleteIt looks like you too focus on the narrator when you review. I have stopped listening to audiobooks before because of the narrator. Sometimes they sound too young, too old, they use strange voices, or my least favorite--read the book like they are trying to read me a bedtime story. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest audiobook no-no is over enunciation or words. It's just drives me crazy.
DeleteI do focus a lot on the narrator, possibly because I don't know as much about production, and I'm not listening closely enough to pick out any possible mistakes. It's kind of like how I don't really pick up on grammar or misspellings. I just focus on the work itself.
Over enunciation is my pet peeve too! When I listen to a book where a narrator does the whole 'The booK musT be enuciaTED' thing it distracts me from the whole story! I will look up other reviews and wonder why no one else mentions it. Is it just me?? LoL
ReplyDeleteDorothy - The Alaskan Bookie - Squeak
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It's not just you! I had one like that a few months ago. In fact, I skipped the prologue because it bothered me so much.
DeleteGreat discussion post, Emily. I do find it distracting when the narrator puts too much emotion into their reading so that it just comes off false. There are some narrators that are my favorites and I follow them from book to book regardless of genre. Thanks for sharing your advice!
ReplyDeleteI have some of those narrators too. :D
DeleteI *so* agree about making audiobook reviews distinct from print. For one thing, the very act of listening to an audiobook can affect how much you do or do not enjoy a title, and your readers need to have that information to help them make their own decision!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! I think I'm more aware of the story and thereby the flaws in it when I'm listening.
DeleteThose are great prompts for discussing narration. Sometimes I get to that part of my review and all I have to say is "I liked the narrator." I might have to refer back to this post when that happens.
ReplyDeleteI need to expand out a little more to include discussion of production and other things. Thanks!
DeleteI love finding new favourite narrators! A narrator can really make or break a book ... I mean, even 5 hours is a huge time commitment for listening and if the narrator sucks, I'm not going to listen!
ReplyDeleteAs for distinguishing reviews, I make sure it's in my post title (audiobook review, rather than book review) and include the narrator's name, as well as a paragraph or so of my opinion of the audio itself. I also include a picture of the audiobook, rather than a picture of just the book's cover.
Great points!
That's awesome Kristilyn! It's so important to make it different.
DeleteGreat point on the diversity of the voices.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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