One of the first courses I ever took in college was a Comp. Lit. class. I am ashamed to admit I had no idea what a Comp. Lit. class was. I knew going into it that I had to read…a lot. It was not until I was halfway through the semester when I finally understood the purpose of the class. Comparative Literature – comparing various literary works throughout the centuries to each other in order to better understand the influences and relationships they have to one another. By the time I finished the course, I could see what the course was trying to teach me even as I was put off of reading classics for a while.
After six years of blogging, I find myself thinking back to that particular class and marvel at how often I use the skills I did not think I learned while in school. It is second nature to compare one book to another. It helps keep all of the books I read organized in my brain and even gives me a point of reference for later recall. I compare novels while reading, in my reviews, or even describing the story to someone who may or may not be interested in reading it.
While this tendency to compare novels is second nature these days, I cannot help but wonder if it is fair. It is one thing to compare novels written by dead authors to understand the evolution of the novel throughout history. It is another thing to compare current novels, for we are not doing so to understand influences or relationships. We are doing so to set expectations or build publicity. In fact, this is exactly what publishing companies and marketing firms do with novels when they tout something as this year’s Gone Girl or the next The Hunger Games. The danger then lies in the fact that often, these comparisons backfire. After one or two novels which declare themselves to be the next BIG book of the year that turns out to be a dude, readers are less likely to believe that claim. Similarly, such comparisons can lead readers to set the bar so high that no novel could ever reach it. Case in point, you do not see publishers declaring books to be the next Harry Potter series, do you?
This whole topic then gets me wondering what the purpose of a review is. Should we judge books based on similar novels? Should we judge a book individually, on its own merits? When you read a lot, how do you avoid drawing comparisons between them all? How can you avoid comparing Divergent to The Hunger Games? Should you? Do you? Where is our responsibility as reviewers to avoid unfair comparisons that may bias readers before they even open the book?
Has anyone else thought about this? I’m curious what you think. Please share your thoughts in the comments!
This is such a thought provoking post! I like contemporary book comparisons b/c I’m often thinking “well, I loved X and want to read something similar” (and I have an “Other Books You May Like” section in my reviews). But, I’m totally with you that they can create unreasonable expectations or even give away spoilers. Saying something is the next GG automatically tells me to expect plot twists…big ones.
I think I like knowing WHY two books are being compared. Is it the writing, is it specific themes, similar characters, settings, etc? Shannon at River City Reading just started a feature called Recommendation Breakdown where she recommends a couple books based on individual features of her “anchor” book. Today she did Hausfrau and recommended 4 books based on specific elements of Hausfrau.
And – this has all gotten me thinking that I may start adding a why to my “Other Books You May Like” section of my reviews.
I am glad you were able to get something out of my ramblings! It can all be so confusing at times, although I agree that knowing WHY one is comparing one book to another is vital. Unfortunately, it is often the part that is missing in most comparisons which may be what led me down this rabbit hole of a thought. I have seen Shannon’s new feature. I like what she is doing with it. I will be interested to seeing if you add a why to your section and how it goes if you do.
This is such an interesting question. I think when I’m reviewing, I try to stay on the side of “this book reminded me of this other one because of such and such” as opposed to “this is the next whatever!” I often find myself passing over books billed as the next “Gone Girl” or “The Hunger Games.” I already read those books – I want to read something new!
Actually, what you mention – “‘this book reminded me of this other one because of such and such’ as opposed to ‘this is the next whatever!'” – is exactly what led me to think about this as a topic. Regardless of how it affects other potential readers, is it fair to compare one author’s work to another? The Divergent series and The Hunger Games series are one example that immediately come to mind. Is it right to say that Divergent reminds one of The Hunger Games because of X or Y? I am sure Veronica Roth was trying to write her own unique story, and I cannot help but feel that such comparisons are unintentionally detracting to an author’s efforts. If that makes any sense.
I thought about this just this morning as I looked at the comparison with Emma Healey’s Elizabeth Is Missing that I’d made with the book I was reviewing (a Norwegian lit-fic novella about something similar) and edited it out. I thought what am I doing comparing two books you wouldn’t (shouldn’t?) be comparing – the target audience is largely different. Your post is making me think I should add it back, because it was a fair comparison as far as story goes and helped explain what I was trying to say.
The problem is, if we worry about other reader’s biases, we detract from our own experience, as far as our review goes. At the same time, if a reader didn’t like the book we compare it to, then maybe it’s just as well to compare because that’ll give them more to go on when they make their decision.
I completely agree on the marketing aspect. Comparisons there put me off because by and large the newer book is inferior; I’d prefer publishers let them stand on their own though I know they do it to sell more books.
It is a tricky situation. Avoid the comparisons and struggle to convey your thoughts. Add the comparisons and potentially prevent someone from reading a truly excellent novel. There are not that many out there who can walk that fine line successfully.
PS. I think it’s fine as well to judge & review books on their own merits. But it’s also fun at times to bring in a wide range of things when discussing.
Oh, I agree. I guess the question is how much is too much. Do you risk deterring a potential reader by discussing something other than the book in question during a review? I suspect the answer to that question is as unique as each reader.
I guess I feel comparing books in a review or even bringing in one’s own experiences in regards to a book can help enlighten others of what it’s about as long as it’s explained what you mean, or why the books deserve a comparison. I don’t feel I’m trying to hype or pair books like a marketing dept does in its advertisements. Books arent made in a vacuum and that’s why comparisons can be useful.
Sure. I do not think any reviewer is attempting to compare looks like a marketing department does. I agree that books are not made in a vacuum, but our experiences to said books are so individual. I still wonder if comparisons can hurt a book rather than help it given an individual reader’s experiences. I do think it is a fine line.
What would you think about comparing current books to more classic/canonical ones? For instance, I saw a lot of comparison of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME to James Baldwin’s THE FIRE NEXT TIME. Michelle Alexander even wrote a piece about how the comparison doesn’t hold true for her (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/17/books/review/ta-nehisi-coates-between-the-world-and-me.html). Here it seems like you could be getting at how deeper themes resonate (or don’t) across generations.
I think there will come a time where we could compare current novels to classic ones. I do think it would be the rare novel though. Authors just don’t write like that anymore, taking their time to build a complex story and truly develop their characters. Most readers these days will give up on a novel after 50 pages or so. Classic novels often took 100 to 200 pages just to build up to the point where the story could take off. I could see a discussion about the evolution of novels, but I do not know if today’s novels could stand up to the canonical ones.
Oh, I am just seeing that you are listening to Atlas Shrugged. I look forward to what you think. I have the hardcover on my shelf, but haven’t worked myself up to picking that hefty book up yet.
Yes, it is actually a re-read for me. I read it several years ago and started the audio as part of a recent readalong. It just so happens that my current job does not allow for audiobook listening as much as my former job did.
I hate comparisons between modern literature unless it is the rare writings of a person who is digging in deep to compare the redemptive value, social lessons, etc. Unfortunately, most comparisons are centered around the marketing of books rather than an understanding.
Exactly. It is so frustrating, isn’t it?
So this is a bit silly, but what really caught my eye in this post was your discussion about college courses that we don’t appreciate until later in life. I feel that way about most of the courses I took, and sometimes wonder if college ought to be delayed 5-10 years to get the full value of it. I remember thinking about the SAT that way, too. Our brains develop so much between 16 and 25. What was intimidating in my mid-teens would be no problem now, you know? Anyway, just more food for thought.
Excellent point, Amanda! Can you imagine how different the college experience would be as a 30-year-old versus a 20-year-old?
Writing/reading reviews fulfills a deep need to analyze a book, which inevitably includes comparing it to other books. We are story-oriented beings. Every story holds within it shards and pieces of other stories, similar, different… how did John handle this situation compared to Steve? Why? I don’t know if we could _not_ compare a book to another. What bothers me about touting the next big “X” is that the publishing world is so intent on moving forward, as quickly as possible, _to_ the next book, instead of savoring the current, ‘best’ book.
By the way, and I hope you don’t think I’m a grammar nerd, but I think you have a typo in this post: “After one or two novels which declare themselves to be the next BIG book of the year that turns out to be a dude, readers are less likely to believe that claim.” I’d love to see the next BIG book turn out to be a dude… but I don’t think that’s what you meant. 🙂
I don’t necessarily read reviews to analyze a book. I write reviews to do so, but I am writing reviews to understand my own reaction to books. I am not convinced that we need to compare one book with another. There is an inherent bias that occurs as a result, not to mention that if I were a writer, I would want people to read my work and judge it on its own merits, not its similarities or dissimilarities to another book.
This is a topic I’ve recently gotten fired up about! I LOVED Black-Eyed Susans (I know I keep pushing this book, but I seriously want you to read it), and it was being marketed as the next ‘Gone Girl’ or ‘The Girl on the Train’. And you know what? I hated Gone Girl and TGOTT was just meh for me. It’s SO unfair to this amazing book!! It should be reviewed solely based on it’s own merits without any comparisons, because it deserves that. *End Rant*
I’m fortunate enough to have a horrible memory. I usually can’t remember much about a book I read a week ago, let alone years ago. One reason why I signed up for Goodreads was so I could keep track of the books I read and not accidentally read them again. So, in a way, my crap memory is a good thing when it comes to comparing other books. I don’t usually do book comparisons in reviews, unless I’m comparing how I feel/my emotions while reading to how I felt reading another favorite book. Or I will compare books by the same author. But that’s the extent of my comparisons in reviews.
Great discussion!!
Exactly!! See? This is why I wonder if we (other reviewers) and publishers aren’t actually hurting a book when making comparisons. I personally did not like Station Eleven. If someone compares a book to that, I probably will not read it for that reason. It might be an amazing book that I would absolutely adore, but I won’t want to just because someone compared it to a book I did not like.
I do like your idea of comparing how books made you feel. That is definitely so much more personal and easier to understand as a result.
Thanks, Brandie!
Perhaps this is one of the benefits of having such a crap memory–I can rarely remember specifics about a book but I can remember how a book made me feel. So when I make comparisons, oftentimes it is based on that feeling rather than actual plot lines (though sometimes that does happen, too…and perhaps mostly when talking about books from other countries which is totally unfair and a bit stereotypical). I’m always afraid of what it means when a book is touted as the next X. Does that mean it’s just a copy cat or that it has an unreliable character or a twisty ending? It can make for some unrealistic expectations. Great food for thought, Michelle.
Ha! I know what you mean. I wonder though that when publishers say a book is the next X, do they really mean that it is going to be a big hit and that the comparison part is all in our heads? I mean, they aren’t exactly stating anything with that statement, but by the mere mention of X, readers automatically assume that the two are similar. It’s a sneaky tactic when you think about it.
I think the problem with comparisons on the promotional side, or when they’re used in terms like “This year’s X!”, is that we’re so rarely told *how* one book is like the other. People like books for so many different reasons, so it’s hard to give a blanket statement like that without further explanation…it just sets a big chunk of people up for disappointment. Pairing books together or giving book recommendations based on specific characteristics feels a little different, as long as there’s some explanation involved.
I see your point. Touting something as this season’s hot book is not necessarily the same as a comparison though, right? I just thought of this, but just because the publisher tells us a book is this year’s Gone Girl does not necessarily mean that the book is similar to Gone Girl. Right? It just means it is a book everyone is going to read and talk about profusely.
I definitely think I compare like books as I’m reading. I actually like to read comparisons from other readers/bloggers, that way I know when I may like a book based on something else I’ve read. I’m much more cautious when publishers do the comparisons since I often think it’s just a way to try and sell a book.
So readers comparing books is okay but publishers are not? That’s an interesting comment. Aren’t publishers also readers?
Publishers are readers, but their job is to sell books. That makes a difference to me, although may not be the case for others. If my friend recommends a book to me, they have no stake in where I obtain a copy of that book to read. Publishers need readers to buy the books.
True enough.
I think it’s only natural to give comparisons. We do it in other areas of our lives, why should books be off-limits? I do think it gets out of hand and sometimes leads to disappointment if it doesn’t live up to the comparison.
But should we? Just because we do it doesn’t make it right.
Maybe not but it’s human nature.
See? I disagree. I think it isn’t instinctive but a learned behavior that we could choose to stop if we so desire.
When two books are very similar or have similar themes, I think it’s hard not to compare. I know I do it even as I’m reading, “Hm, this book is a lot like this other book I read.” Sometimes that comes up in my review, especially if it’s very obvious. Not sure if it’s fair, but at least it gives readers who like those themes or styles another book to read. But when it comes to publishers doing the same, it often backfires. I’ve read a lot of books compared to Rebecca, that were not Rebecca, at all. I think if it comes from a genuine place within the reader/reviewer, it can be okay. Expressing how the books are similar is the tricky part, but very important.
Interesting point. I’m not convinced that expressing how a book is similar to another book is important. I still worry about the bias that occurs when one does that.