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I didn't like a Book - and got Attacked by the Author

I thought long and hard, since October 2019 in fact, about the blog you are about to read. My purpose with this entry is to explain my side and defend some of it, but also to apologize to a certain extend. I realize that I am in danger of justifying myself, but I would like to make certain points clear. So, a bit of background: In 2019 I read a book which I did not like and gave it a negative review and one star rating (to protect the author I will not mention the author’s name or the book title). Shortly afterwards I received a message from her on Facebook Messenger and then two more in January and December 2020. Without editing it (except for removing the name of the author), here is what I said about the book: First time I read an Afrikaans fantasy and I am disappointed. I have no idea what … tried to said and the what the moral of the story was. Would not recommend it at all, felt like a total waste of time. One thing I apologize for is not giving proper attention to what and how I wrote the review. Another, larger, thing I apologize for is that I do think that I could have stated my “disappointment” in softer language and still get the intended message across. Having said that, I am most definitely sure that the rating I gave, which is one star, was/is a true reflection of my review. Perhaps I will read the book again in the future and perhaps then I will have a different view on it, perhaps not. I do think that I kept my attention on the book and did not get personal with the author, after all I do not know the author. Hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to get to know the author and even then, I will rate higher or lower, if I did or did not like something in the book. Being a writer myself, I expect nothing less for my own writings and blogs. In the three messages received, many things were said, but I will only focus on a few to prevent my reply here from getting too long and tedious. First, I was the unlucky guy who first got to give one of the author’s books a bad rating. I went back to the site, and I was not the last. Perhaps it was the fact that there is always a first time which was hurtful, perhaps the author had no one to advise that it is best to take critique – even bad critique – in good faith (feedback is a gift). I do not know. What I can say though is that I got to learn from this that when someone, in future, does not like something I write, I should take a deep breath, smile, and move on. Next, I was told that it is very hard work to write a book and authors make a lot of sacrifices. Do I not know this? If it were easy, I would have had many books out already – as it is, I am struggling. Thus, my deepest and heartfelt sympathy. Does this mean I am not allowed to say when I do not like what I read? If that is the case, it would be better for us to completely quit our social media platforms as we know that there will always be criticism and not everyone means well. Two other things, which I will put together here as one, is that the author continued to explain the story to me and then to tell me that there was a well-known reviewer who understood “the heart of my story” to quote the author directly (translated from Afrikaans). I barely read reviews of well-known journalists – can someone tell me, are they even allowed to be honest? Perhaps he really did like and understand the story, which is great – I still do not see why I should change my opinion because of name dropping. As for explaining the story to me – there is a bit of irony in explaining a story which you want others to enjoy. So, if I did not understand it then I am going to put the book down. I feel that the author in the messages to me got personal after that – my understanding of my own language is questioned and later my own personal beliefs were attacked. I remember reading the message and wondering how much trouble the author went to, to look me up and find my beliefs in order to wish me good luck (in a sarcastic way I think) for my future. I want to make this clear – I, to date, have no books published; I was, at that point, also the only one who gave a bad rating. To all intents and purposes, I am a nobody who sometimes writes blogs and who has some unfinished, manuscripts at home. When the author went through the trouble to look up my beliefs, that part must have escaped them. Here is what I would have done – I would have ignored me – “pfft” – and then moved on. Perhaps I would have told my wife or a friend and got some reassurance from them. Now the author did mention that this book written was the first of a trilogy and that hopefully I will read it and enjoy it more. Perhaps I will give it another go, who knows. If I do, I think I will let the author know personally what I thought, that is only fair. As my review was public, I decided that this reply (the first) will also be public and that I will send it to the author personally. I do hope the author will see the points I am trying to make and accept the apologies I did give. If not, that is also okay.
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