On being reviewed
They say you shouldn’t read your own reviews, good or bad, lest they affect your self-opinion, or your creative product. And you certainly shouldn’t respond to them. But, having received my first ever review, I feel compelled to dwell on it, internalize it, rationalize it and meekly lash out at it.
In my more honest moments, I’ll concede that it’s exactly the review I expected. Aside from being impressed at the reviewer’s ability to summarize the book so thoroughly in so few words, I anticipated comments like “lacks dramatic tension” and it being light on transformative life lessons. Generally a fair, if less than glowing, review. But…
…in my more self-righteous moments I wonder what set the reviewer’s expectations where they were. “From the moment he sets out…Walsh’s ability to complete his mission is never in doubt.” Well, the title does include the phrase, “50 States in Rented Shoes,” so arguably one wouldn’t have to read past the cover to discern that. (My apologies for not including a spoiler alert at the top of this post…and on the book jacket as well.)
On the “transformative life lessons” note: is it the red and blue bowling shoes on the cover that suggest this is the kind of book that offers such things? Granted, the description on the inner flap does say, “…insightful, and at times moving…an epic journey that will enthrall readers…”, but it also describes “an innuendo-laden e-mail” from a woman calling herself “Bowling Spice.” This doesn’t exactly promise A CATCHER IN THE RYE. It would be as accurate to conclude the review with, “those looking for the world’s greatest chili recipe will have to look elsewhere.” As accurate, and as relevant.
Ahhh. Having now proven why one should never read nor respond to reviews, I’ll close by reiterating that it’s what I expected, and largely fair. Still, I prefer a friend’s distillation of it, which reads:
“DRAMATIC TENSION…[f]rom the moment he sets out…Walsh’s ability…is never in doubt…a transformative life lesson.”
