Review

Reading literature does not end when you finish a story, novel or another written piece. A thoughtful reader can also examine the work closely, consider its strengths and weaknesses, and explain its meaning and significance. This process is called reviewing.

A review allows you to move beyond simply saying what happened in a text. It requires you to describe the work, analyse it critically, evaluate its quality and significance, and express a reasoned opinion about it.

1. What Is a Review?

A review is a thorough description, critical analysis and evaluation of the quality, meaning and significance of a text.

A review can consider the impact of a text, important moments in it and aspects that make the work memorable. It therefore combines description, analysis, evaluation and opinion.

When reviewing a literary work, you should be able to tell the reader what the work is about, how it is written, what the writer is trying to achieve and how effective you think the work is.

2. Review Versus Summary

A review and a summary are related, but they do not perform the same task.

Summary	Review
Presents the important ideas or events of a text in shortened form.	Describes, analyses and evaluates the text.
Uses the ideas of the original text in your own words.	Uses evidence from the work to support critical comments and evaluation.
Does not include personal opinions.	Includes a reasoned opinion about the text.
Focuses on what the text contains.	Considers what the text does and how effectively it does it.

So, a summary asks mainly, “What does the text say?” A review asks broader questions such as, “What is the text about, how does it work, what does the writer seek to achieve, and how effective is it?”

3. What Should You Look for in a Review?

A useful review considers several aspects of a literary work.

• The writer or author.
• The subject matter of the text.
• The style of the work.
• Important or memorable moments.
• What you like about the text.
• What you dislike about the text.
• What the writer seeks to achieve.
• Your overall opinion of the text.

4. Start with the Writer

A review should briefly identify who wrote the text.

This gives the reader basic information about the work before the review moves into its content and evaluation.

You do not need to spend the entire review discussing the writer. The purpose is simply to establish the work being reviewed and then move into the analysis.

5. Explain What the Text Is About

The next step is to describe the subject matter of the work.

Identify what the text focuses on and give the reader enough information to understand its central concern. Keep this section focused; a review should not become a complete retelling of the story.

If the work is a narrative, you can refer to relevant aspects such as its characters, plot and setting.

6. Examine the Style

Reviewing also requires attention to the style of the work.

Style concerns the way the work is presented. When reviewing a piece, consider how its language and organisation contribute to the overall effect of the text.

Ask yourself:

• How is the work presented?
• What features of its style stand out?
• How does the style affect your experience of the text?

7. Identify What You Like

A review should explain what you like about the work.

Do not stop at saying, “I like the story.” Give a reason. You might focus on a memorable aspect of the work or explain which part had a strong impact on you.

A useful pattern is:

I like ______ because ______.

The explanation makes the response more meaningful.

8. Identify What You Dislike

A balanced review can also mention what you dislike about the text.

Again, simply saying, “I do not like it,” is not enough. Explain what you found less effective and why.

A useful pattern is:

I dislike ______ because ______.

Critical review does not mean attacking the writer. It means giving a thoughtful evaluation of the work.

9. Consider the Writer’s Purpose

One of the most important questions in reviewing a text is:

What does the writer seek to achieve with the text?

Think about the effect or purpose of the writing. Consider what the writer appears to be trying to communicate or accomplish through the work.

Your review should connect your observations about the text to what the writer seeks to achieve.

10. Form Your Overall Opinion

A review should eventually answer the question:

What is your opinion about the text?

Your opinion should follow from the discussion in your review. If you identify strengths and weaknesses, your final judgement should reflect those observations.

A strong opinion is therefore not simply a personal reaction. It is a conclusion supported by your analysis of the work.

11. The Six-Part Review Framework

The weekly material provides six guiding questions for writing a review.

Review Question	Purpose
Who wrote the text?	Introduces the writer.
What is the text about?	Introduces the subject matter.
What do you like?	Identifies strengths or appealing features.
What do you dislike?	Identifies weaknesses or less effective features.
What does the writer seek to achieve?	Considers the writer’s purpose.
What is your opinion?	Provides an overall judgement.

12. A Simple Structure for a Review

You can organise a review into connected paragraphs.

1. Introduction: Identify the work and its writer.
2. Content: Explain what the text is about.
3. Style and important features: Discuss how the work is presented.
4. Strengths: Explain what you like and why.
5. Weaknesses: Explain what you dislike and why.
6. Purpose: Discuss what the writer seeks to achieve.
7. Overall opinion: Give your reasoned judgement.

This structure can be adjusted depending on the length and nature of the work being reviewed.

13. Reviewing Narrative Elements

When reviewing another learner’s narrative, pay attention to the major elements used in the work.

Important elements to discuss include:

• Characters – who takes part in the story and how the characters function in the work.
• Plot – how the events are organised and developed.
• Setting – where and when the events occur and how the setting contributes to the narrative.

The weekly material specifically encourages learners to discuss these elements with the original writers during peer review.

14. What Makes a Review Critical?

A critical review does more than describe a text.

Consider the difference:

Description: “The story has several characters and takes place in a particular setting.”

Critical review: “The characters and setting contribute to the way the story is presented, and these features affect the reader’s experience of the work.”

The second approach begins to explain the significance and effect of the literary choices.

15. What Makes Feedback Constructive?

When reviewing a peer’s creative work, the purpose is not simply to identify faults. Feedback should help the writer understand what is working and what can be improved.

Constructive feedback can therefore:

• identify a successful feature;
• point out an area that needs improvement;
• explain why the feature is effective or ineffective; and
• give the writer a clear basis for further improvement.

A respectful review helps both the reviewer and the writer develop critical thinking.

16. Peer Review

Peer review involves reading and evaluating another learner’s written work.

When reviewing a peer’s creative narrative, read carefully before making comments. Consider the characters, plot, setting and the way the work is presented.

Then discuss your observations with the original writer.

17. A Peer Review Template

Area	Questions to Ask
Content	What is the work about?
Characters	Which characters are important to the work?
Plot	How does the story develop?
Setting	Where and when does the work take place?
Style	How is the work presented?
Strengths	What works particularly well?
Areas for improvement	What could be improved, and why?
Purpose	What does the writer seek to achieve?
Overall opinion	What is your final judgement of the work?

18. Reviewing a Novel

The same principles can be applied when reviewing a novel that you have already read.

Begin by identifying the writer and the novel. Then describe what the novel is about without retelling every event. Discuss its important features, what you liked and disliked, the writer’s purpose and your overall opinion.

You can also discuss the literary elements that contributed to your enjoyment of the novel.

19. What Makes a Novel Enjoyable?

Think about the novels you have read. What elements made them enjoyable?

You might consider:

• the characters;
• the plot;
• the setting;
• the style; and
• memorable moments.

Your task as a reviewer is to identify which features matter in the particular work and explain their effect.

20. Review the Impact of a Text

The weekly material asks reviewers to focus on impact, key moments and memorability.

A key moment may be an event or part of the work that remains especially memorable. In a review, do not simply identify such a moment. Explain why it stands out and how it contributes to the significance or impact of the work.

21. Avoiding an Unbalanced Review

A useful review should consider more than one side of the work.

If you only praise the text, the review may fail to demonstrate critical evaluation. If you only criticise it, you may overlook features that are effective.

A balanced review can recognise strengths and weaknesses before reaching an overall judgement.

22. From Opinion to Reasoned Judgement

There is an important difference between an unsupported opinion and a reasoned opinion.

Unsupported: “The novel is excellent.”

Reasoned: “The novel is effective because its memorable moments and treatment of its major elements make a strong impression on the reader.”

The second statement gives a basis for the judgement.

23. Review Writing and Critical Thinking

Reviewing requires you to read critically. You must notice details, interpret their significance, compare strengths and weaknesses and arrive at a judgement.

This makes review writing an important form of literary thinking. Instead of accepting the text passively, you examine how it works and what effect it creates.

24. Group Review Activity

Work with other learners to review a creative narrative.

1. Read the work carefully.
2. Identify what the work is about.
3. Identify the characters.
4. Consider the plot.
5. Consider the setting.
6. Discuss the style.
7. Identify strengths.
8. Identify areas for improvement.
9. Consider what the writer seeks to achieve.
10. Reach an overall opinion.

Share your findings with the original writer and discuss the observations respectfully.

25. Review Your Own Work

The same review questions can be applied to your own writing.

After completing a narrative, step back and read it as though someone else had written it.

Ask:

• What is this work about?
• What are its strongest features?
• What is less effective?
• How are the characters presented?
• How does the plot develop?
• Does the setting contribute to the work?
• What does the writer seek to achieve?
• What is my overall judgement?

This process can reveal areas that need further improvement.

26. Building a Review Portfolio

If you review several pieces of creative work, organise the reviews into a portfolio.

A portfolio allows you to keep a record of your critical responses and observe how your reviewing skills develop.

The weekly material also suggests that reviewed work may be organised for possible publication in a class magazine where such an opportunity exists.

27. Model Review Framework

Use the following sequence when preparing a review:

Writer → Content → Style → Strengths → Weaknesses → Purpose → Opinion

Each part should contribute to the final judgement rather than appearing as unrelated comments.

28. Practice Task: Review a Peer’s Narrative

Read a classmate’s narrative and prepare a review.

Your review should:

1. identify the writer;
2. describe what the narrative is about;
3. describe its style;
4. discuss the characters, plot and setting;
5. identify what you like;
6. identify what you dislike;
7. explain what the writer seeks to achieve; and
8. give your overall opinion.

Support your comments with observations from the work.

29. Practice Task: Review a Novel

Choose a novel you have already read.

Prepare a review using the six guiding questions:

1. Who wrote it?
2. What is it about?
3. What do you like about it?
4. What do you dislike about it?
5. What does the writer seek to achieve?
6. What is your overall opinion?

30. Extended Practice: Kaya Girl

The weekly material gives Kaya Girl by Mamle Wolo as one possible text for an extended review, while also allowing a text of choice.

If you choose this text, apply the same review framework rather than merely retelling its storyline.

Your review should examine what the text is about, its style, important features, what the writer seeks to achieve, what you like and dislike, and your overall opinion.

31. Oral Review

A review does not have to be presented only in writing. You can also review a peer’s written work orally.

Organise your oral response clearly. Introduce the work, discuss its main elements, explain your evaluation and conclude with your overall judgement.

32. Review and Constructive Feedback

When presenting feedback, distinguish between the work and the person who created it.

Discuss the narrative itself. Explain which elements are effective and which could be improved. The goal is to provide useful feedback that supports further development.

33. Check Your Understanding

Recall

1. What is a review?

Answer: A review is a thorough description, critical analysis and evaluation of the quality, meaning and significance of a text.

2. Mention four things you should consider when writing a review.

Answer: Who wrote the text, what the text is about, what you like, what you dislike, what the writer seeks to achieve and your opinion. Any four are acceptable.

3. Name three literary elements that can be discussed when reviewing a peer’s work.

Answer: Characters, plot and setting.

Conceptual Understanding

Question: How is a review different from a summary?

Answer: A summary presents the important ideas or events of a text in shortened form, whereas a review describes, analyses and evaluates the text and includes a reasoned opinion.

Question: Why should a reviewer discuss both what they like and what they dislike?

Answer: Considering both strengths and weaknesses helps produce a more balanced critical evaluation of the work.

Strategic Reasoning

Question: How would you review another learner’s narrative?

Answer: Read the work carefully, describe what it is about, examine its style and key elements such as characters, plot and setting, identify strengths and weaknesses, consider what the writer seeks to achieve, provide constructive feedback and conclude with an overall opinion.

Extended Critical Thinking

Question: How can a reviewer ensure that an opinion about a literary work is convincing?

Answer: The reviewer should connect the opinion to observations about the text. Instead of merely making a judgement, the reviewer should explain the strengths, weaknesses, style, important moments and other relevant features that lead to that judgement.

34. Final Synthesis

A review is more than a retelling of a story. It is a critical response to a literary work.

To write an effective review, identify the writer, explain what the text is about, examine its style and important features, discuss what you like and dislike, consider what the writer seeks to achieve and arrive at a reasoned overall opinion.

When reviewing a peer’s creative work, focus particularly on the characters, plot and setting, and make your feedback constructive.

The key process is:

Describe → Analyse → Evaluate → Give Reasons → Conclude.

Once you can follow this process, you can move from simply reading literature to engaging with it critically and thoughtfully.