tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post8943011846296207460..comments2024-03-27T07:18:58.033+00:00Comments on Frances Garrood: Amazon reviews - how much can you trust them?Frances Garroodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-64115567658940038682012-09-27T22:15:35.610+01:002012-09-27T22:15:35.610+01:00To me honesty and integrity are paramount. I take...To me honesty and integrity are paramount. I take book reviews into account but then make my own judgement if I feel that it's the sort of book I would read. For that reason I find independent comments by people I know helpful when they explain what sort of book it is (as compared with how good or bad it might be). On the subject of Amazon reviews in general it is often obvious that people reviewing, for example camera equipment, adversely just have no concept of how to use the equipment with the result that one might anticipate.Graham Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11196744947133121475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-18416852883130886362012-09-21T16:57:51.319+01:002012-09-21T16:57:51.319+01:00Hi, Anna May. I take your point, but isn't it ...Hi, Anna May. I take your point, but isn't it still better if the review is an honest one, whether you agree with it or not?Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-4275012996574191462012-09-21T14:17:41.087+01:002012-09-21T14:17:41.087+01:00Hello Frances,
It took me three decades to get pu...Hello Frances,<br /><br />It took me three decades to get published so now I LOVE any review, good or bad, because it means my work is finally out there and I think I'm lucky to get them!<br /><br />Anna May xAnna Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14116772124748496194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-70582732924224092222012-09-19T16:41:13.466+01:002012-09-19T16:41:13.466+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-84100758837896768922012-09-19T14:30:02.965+01:002012-09-19T14:30:02.965+01:00I think there's probably a lot of this kind of...I think there's probably a lot of this kind of thing going on. Sad, really, as reviews can be so helpful if fair, well-written and unbiased. Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-38246581894206410842012-09-19T14:27:59.941+01:002012-09-19T14:27:59.941+01:00Quite right, Keith!Quite right, Keith!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-5643786083366432572012-09-19T02:06:22.278+01:002012-09-19T02:06:22.278+01:00I just read an article in the New York Times about...I just read an article in the New York Times about authors purchasing positive reviews. It gave me a lot to think about.Maude Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03669688074743095866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-84088428961182583752012-09-18T21:28:42.388+01:002012-09-18T21:28:42.388+01:00People who can't take fair criticism shouldn&#...People who can't take fair criticism shouldn't call themselves writers.Keith Havershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05133563220362208820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-56819471908641380852012-09-18T20:39:05.904+01:002012-09-18T20:39:05.904+01:00Patsy, I think this all because I, too, write book...Patsy, I think this all because I, too, write books ( see reply above). But someone was trying to defend the book by removing my review, and this is merely an excuse trotted out by Amazon.Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-78932433521613873252012-09-18T17:54:24.604+01:002012-09-18T17:54:24.604+01:00You shouldn't be wasting your time - but if a ...You shouldn't be wasting your time - but if a polite and honest review can be removed because it's not considered postive enough then maybe you are. <br /><br />If anyone posted an honest and factually correct but negative review of one of my books then I wouldn't ask for it to be removed. Patsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12263765378083045973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-53780558605966512702012-09-18T17:48:38.388+01:002012-09-18T17:48:38.388+01:00Yvonne, I have contacted Amazon, and received an u...Yvonne, I have contacted Amazon, and received an unhelpful reply. I think their grounds are that I am some kin of interested party. Apparently they mistrust reviews from, among others, authors, and from my reviewer profile they have probably found out that I'm one of those! I took issue with the use of English, because it matters to me when I'm reading. Ah well...Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-38237494714646620182012-09-18T17:44:08.747+01:002012-09-18T17:44:08.747+01:00I quite agree, Paula!I quite agree, Paula!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-36694482713107570402012-09-18T17:43:30.140+01:002012-09-18T17:43:30.140+01:00Teresa, I can see they have to have some kind of q...Teresa, I can see they have to have some kind of quality control otherwise some reviews might be abusive. But I don't understand what was wrong with mine!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-24083191310426636012012-09-18T17:42:07.022+01:002012-09-18T17:42:07.022+01:00Thanks, Rosemary. I'll carry on for the time b...Thanks, Rosemary. I'll carry on for the time being, and hope this was a one-off!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-67048737146623352502012-09-18T17:40:53.813+01:002012-09-18T17:40:53.813+01:00I've no idea, now!I've no idea, now!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-61403068837821067632012-09-18T17:40:26.948+01:002012-09-18T17:40:26.948+01:00I have written worse reviews than this one, Meike,...I have written worse reviews than this one, Meike, and no one has objected. I think a friend of the author, or even the author herself, is possibly behind this.Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-17604119952180892622012-09-18T17:38:25.899+01:002012-09-18T17:38:25.899+01:00Kay, the problem is being at peace with a system t...Kay, the problem is being at peace with a system that is open to abuse!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-60076603578762295052012-09-18T17:37:26.896+01:002012-09-18T17:37:26.896+01:00My feelings exactly, Colette!My feelings exactly, Colette!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-64167667795413666982012-09-18T13:15:03.638+01:002012-09-18T13:15:03.638+01:00Reviews are there to help readers not authors. Tha...Reviews are there to help readers not authors. That's for sure. If I took the time to plod through a book I wasn't enjoying and then wrote a review to help other readers avoid the same and then it was taken down, I'd be very upset. As a Vine reviewer, is there someone at Amazon with whom you can register your displeasure? First there was the ruckus about paid reviews and now this. Honestly, I usually base my selections on recommendations from reading family and friends. Yvonne Osbornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18212188414972694795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-1756366939903932672012-09-18T12:33:26.959+01:002012-09-18T12:33:26.959+01:00I thought the whole I idea of the reviews of the b...I thought the whole I idea of the reviews of the books is what the reader thinks of them. When I wrote about Sophie Hannah's book 'A Kind of Cruel'I wrote it to let her know that it wasn't one of her best books. I loved and enjoyed all her others and I told her so at the Essex Book Festival. I even explained that I understood that all her books couldn't be the same otherwise it would become boring, but her book was unreadable and comfusing. I wasn't the only one to say so when I read the reviews written by her fans. If you read her reviews and mine is still there I'm glad to say because of reading your posting I checked, though at the time I was writing them under the name of Jarmara. <br />I think good reviews should show why some like and dislike a book. Just saying its brilliant without saying why it brilliant is just as bad as say its awful without explaining why it didn't work for you. I hope Sophie Hannah found my review helpful so I can enjoy her next book Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-60321203829378555922012-09-18T10:01:30.071+01:002012-09-18T10:01:30.071+01:00I didn't know they could remove reviews. Perha...I didn't know they could remove reviews. Perhaps it is a temporary thing while they look into it and it will return. I hope so! xTeresa Ashbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350697922935549188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-80669499953202777632012-09-18T09:33:59.406+01:002012-09-18T09:33:59.406+01:00That's a ridiculous situation, Frances - I sus...That's a ridiculous situation, Frances - I suspect that rebuttal of your review might have been from the author and perhaps she's had yours taken down by complaining. This is supposition as I don't know exactly how they work! You might find Goodreads a better place for honest reviews.Rosemary Gemmellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311840205603508422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-29251952648751563072012-09-18T09:21:34.635+01:002012-09-18T09:21:34.635+01:00I often use Amazon book reviews to see if I might ...I often use Amazon book reviews to see if I might like a particular book..maybe not such a good idea then?Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02576715462615744934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-27000242816229475342012-09-18T07:54:48.455+01:002012-09-18T07:54:48.455+01:00It's certainly wrong of Amazon to have removed...It's certainly wrong of Amazon to have removed your review. There are plenty of less than good reviews for all sorts of products on Amazon, and they are left standing, so why they removed yours I can only guess - probably upon request of that person who felt they have to accuse you of being unfair (which you clearly are not!).<br />My Mum is a Vine reviewer, too, and she always writes honest reviews, which are not always (entirely) positive, but to my knowledge none of her reviews have yet been attacked as unfair or removed.<br />I hope what happened to you there was just an exception.<br />Authors should not have any say in the removal of reviews, as long as terms and conditions which everyone who has an Amazon account signs for are not violated. Having editors write reviews under pseudonyms is, in my book, dishonest and should be stopped if found out.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-6042169960330663342012-09-18T00:35:05.363+01:002012-09-18T00:35:05.363+01:00I hope you keep writing your reviews. You can'...I hope you keep writing your reviews. You can't please everyone. You have written what you believe your honest review of a book. Be at peace with it.Kay G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07228498846814735537noreply@blogger.com