As a reader and reviewer, I follow review blogs and author blogs. One of them, Squeetus, the official blog of Shannon Hale, recently posted an interesting article with a questionnaire titled, “How to be a reader: book evaluation vs. self-evaluation”.

I couldn’t help but think about literacy and where it stands as I read through her post.

Literacy is a skill that takes practice to improve and time to perfect. Yet it is in a constant state of flux as our world and our vocabulary change at an ever increasing rate. How does one become truly literate? How is then used? Is it a tool you keep handy and sharpen often?

For any of you who read books, regardless if you then rate and review them publicly, I suggest you take a look at her post and answer her questions. You may find some aspects of your reading personality revealed that will surprise you. Perhaps you will re-evaluate what you read and how you read it; how you express yourself and your opinion to others.

Here are my own responses:

1. Do you find that the anticipation of reviewing [a] book has changed your reading experience?

I try not to have overly inflated expectations. Yet, to be honest, they usually are if I’m reviewing an author whose work I’ve always liked. It’s unfortunate in a way as I tend to be more disappointed than with someone I’m unfamiliar with.

However,  since I understand this is part of my nature, I make every attempt to take a deep breath, sit back, and be as objective as I can even though I know, I will inevitably make a comparison of their current work to previous ones. I’ll mention this in the review, but it doesn’t adversely affect my final rating, as every work deserves to be judged on its own merits.

2. Are you rating the book even as you read? Or do you wait until the end to sum it all up?

I take copious notes as I read. For some it would be bothersome to have to stop constantly to do this. I find though, that I am able to reflect more upon the content by taking regular breaks. Unless of course it is the proverbial page-turner, then I generally read it in front of my computer because I can type faster than I write.

Taking notes gives me the opportunity to reflect, dissect, and discover more abut the story and characters. It also helps me become a better reader as it makes the experience active as well as reactive.

So in a way, yes, I am evaluating the writing, the story – everything as I go along. But I do not make a final judgment until I’ve read the entire book.

3. Does knowing you’ll be reviewing it (or rating it) publicly affect which books you pick up in the first place?

No. I read because I love to, and will only buy or accept books that interest me, regardless of genre. What I do is more for myself than anyone else. I am pleased others like what I do, and sometimes use this blog as a source of information or recommendations. It really is secondary to my main motivation, which is to read what I like and share my opinions about it.

4. Does the process of writing the review itself change how you felt about the book?

No, but the preparing for the review might. This is because as I research the background on the book and its author, I may discover insights that affect the perception of what I’ve read.

Once I’ve made my decision about what I am going to say – I say it.

5. What is your motivation to assign a rating to a book and declare it to the world?

Most readers like a recommendation of some kind, and for me, just to say “I like it” or “I didn’t like it” is not enough. I feel the need to explain why.

Of course, this is what the review is all about: describing what I’ve read, what was good, what was bad, how it made me feel, and why I think this is. And, as is standard in any “report,” a summation is required. This is where I put my rating. I wouldn’t say it’s an after-thought, but it definitely is not the main part or point of what I do. It’s just there as a courtesy to those who put more stock in such things than I do.

6. If you review a book but don’t rate it, why not? What do you feel is your role as reviewer?

It will be a rare thing for me not to rate a book in some way. There are books I have read and not reviewed. It isn’t because they were horrible. It is just that I simply cannot find the words or thoughts to adequately convey my impressions regarding what I’ve read.

For example, earlier this year I read Notes From The Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This is a book I need to read about before attempting to finish it as it is going to be more work to understand than I’d anticipated. Because of this, I’m unsure I will ever write a review of it.

I am thinking perhaps I will read it in stages and do a series of essays on the experience. Just a thought. One that sounds intriguing to me.

So what does this all mean to a reader; a reviewer. As Shannon says in her post:

. . . I wonder if book evaluation is trumping self-evaluation. I wonder if we get so caught up in gushing or bashing, shining up those stars or taking them away, that the reading experience is weighed too heavily on the side of the book itself and not enough on the reader. After all, reader is more important than book. Reader is the one who changes from reading, not the book. Reader is the one who lives the magic of storytelling.

Reading is a participatory action – at least for me. In this way, I continue to hone my literacy skills.

In conclusion, I think I’ll sum this up with a couple questions of my own:

What does reading mean to you?

More importantly, what does it do to you and for you?