Last week's question answered today

Amy wrote this question for her Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays feature last week, November 14, 2008.

The past couple of days there has been a big flare-up in the broader book blogging community regarding review policies and a blogger's obligation to an author once they've received a review copy. For those of you who belong to the blogging alliance FIRST, we've also discussed this issue a little bit.

I decided to make today's question about this, because I think this is an even tougher situation for Christian reviewers who review Christian books. So here goes...do you receive review copies of Christian books? If so, do you review them honestly? How do you handle it when you don't like a book but are obligated to provide a review? Who do you see your first commitment being to in book reviewing (besides God)? Yourself? The author? Your readers? Does your review change based on the spiritual content of the book or is it solely based on technical or artistic merit? Have you ever had a negative experience with an author after giving them a negative review? (please don't name names)

I do receive a few Christian books for review. I do the occasional CFBA tour. I get a few books from Bethany House. A handful from Barbour now and then. Still it's just a fraction comparatively speaking.

My philosophy is simple. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I think Christian books should be read just as critically as any other book. That doesn't mean slam the author in any case. But it does mean that flaws in writing--the characterization, the plot, the pace, the literary style or tone--should not be forgiven and forgotten just because the author is a Christian. (If you think about it, would that be insulting as a writer? For a Christian writer, it isn't half bad. For a Christian writer, these characters are pretty good. Writers should just be writers.)

The good news? If I review a Christian picture book and pick on it because of its lack of rhythm and flow. That author would just have to look over on my other reviews to see that plenty of mainstream books get the exact same criticism. So I'm not just picking on them. I have standards that need to be met.

I'll be honest. I think certain stereotypes of Christian fiction exist. One of them is that it's dinky. Dinky characters. Cheesy plots. Cliche central. Corny dialogue. Too-sickly-sweet-to-be-true tone. Another is that it's didactic or preachy. I may be a Christian. But that doesn't mean I want dinky. I may believe wholeheartedly in the gospel, but I don't want an overly didactic sickeningly sweet roll-your-eyes pathetic sermon embedded into my fiction.

There are GOOD Christian authors. Some are so very, very good. You want to recommend them to EVERY one you know regardless of whether they're a Christian or not. The writing can stand up to it. And while the faith issues may not be veiled, the tone isn't preachy.

I can name half a dozen or so that I just love. Whose works I follow. Whose books I can count on for being well-written, enjoyable, compelling.

But sometimes you come across dinky books. Dinky books with predictable plots, implausible characters, roll-your-eyes-a-monkey-could-do-better dialogue. If I were to review that book side by side with a book that actually was a good book...and not let you know that there is a great distinction in quality...I'd feel like a cheat. Granted, I will NEVER EVER say that a monkey could have done a better job in writing a book (no matter how bad I find it). But I will admit to it being a disappointment. Or admit to it being dinky. Or I might mention that I found the characters unbelievable. Or say that it was too didactic for my taste.

I don't assume that everyone will agree with what I write in a review. That would be laughable. And for every Christian book I label dinky, I have no doubt that there are a few people at least (maybe hundreds of them) that would say that that author is among their favorites. That they love that book. That author.To each their own.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews