Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Anybody else get a damaging and useless Amazon review?




I just have to write about this. I can’t help myself. Two days ago someone posted a 1-star review of my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On up on Amazon. Here is what he or she said:

I stopped reading after 36 pages
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was interesting, "A Mother's Memoir of Living with Her Son's Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide." But the author's discussion of bipolar disorder seemed more personal opinion than actual facts and not much was actually SAID in the first 36 pages despite countless little "stories" and two poems...Honestly it was a struggle to even get as far as I did.”

Why would Amazon even allow this review to post? How could a review of 36 pages be valid and useful? I would think Amazon would want to interest people in buying their products rather than dissuading them. In allowing this review they do their company a huge disservice and of course make this author very angry.

One of the people who commented on this review said:

“What's next - writing a "review" based on what you read on the jacket cover? The cover photo? Maybe just the title? Please don't waste other people's time and try to sway opinion when you are not informed enough to actually have an opinion.”

Another person wrote:

“This is a very good book and I mean NOTHING was left out or sugar coated about her story. A memoir is not a medical dictionary. It was written in her thoughts, feelings and experiences as it should have been.” 

I thank these people for their comments. They are right on. And I thank all the people who have written 5-star reviews – 57 out of 77 reviews to date, giving my book an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. They actually read the book and must have found some interesting material in it. 


I’d love some reaction to this post. Have any of you had similar experiences? Please let me know.

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