BOOK FILM REVIEWS

If you want to be more specific, find some more adjectives below:

Present tenses are normally used for reviews (i.e. The action takes place in a small place in a
small cottage in the country).
Past tenses can be used if you are writing a personal account of a performance you have
attended (i.e. We arrived just before the curtain went up; I thought the first act was
spectacular) or to describe the making of a CD/ writing of a book/ etc. (i.e. The band spent six
months in the studio before they were satisfied with these remixes).
When writing review, you need to use a variety of adjectives. Find below some expressions
to help you describe the book in just one word:
- opinion of the book
What a bore
Far-fetched
Not my cup of tea
Dreadful
Worst film/book ever
Crappy (informal)

=
Poor
Second-rate
Just alright
It doesnt make a
difference
So-so (informal)
Wishy-washy (informal)

+ opinion of the book

Fascinating
Funny
Brilliant
Gripping
Entertaining
Moving
Exciting
Hilarious
Thumbs up
The best book ever
A must read
Thrilling
Fantastic
Amazing
I couldnt put the book
down
Worth reading
a masterpiece
Outstanding
Awesome
Recommendable
Readable

If you want to be more specific, here you are some more adjectives:
Books, Films and Plays
Character(s) shallow, unconvincing, likeable, convincing, believable, appalling, natural,
powerful, life-like
Plot overcomplicated, predictable, absorbing, gripping, riveting, bizarre, laughable, stunning,
staggering, astounding
Photography/ scenery poor, amateurish, breathtaking, incredible, impressive
Writing contrived, confusing, realistic, thought-provoking,compelling
Useful language:
_Introducing a Brief Account of the Plot:
Set in the 18th century London, the film tells the story of/ recounts events in the lives of three
sisters.
In the breathtaking landscape of northern Canada, the book examines the themes of solitude
and intimacy.

_ Commenting Critically:
I found the plot rather conventional/predictable/contrived/completely bizarre /absurd/
incomprehensible.
The novelist has succeeded in creating an extremely intricate/complex plot/entirely
believable/ life-like characters.
A particular strength/weakness of the productions was the set design by Marcelo Camilleri.
What I find most striking/ ironical/impressive/ridiculous... in this book is that the characters
are very unrealistic.
What I like/ love/dislike/hate most about it is...
It makes me think of /It reminds me of ... (compare it to other books or to the book version of
the film)
_ Providing a Recommendation:
I would strongly advise you not to miss/waste your money on Aint got a clue.
I would definitely recommend seeing/ visiting/reading/having a look at Melbourne: a
sentimental journey.
For those who enjoy contemporary music, Tropical String is not to be missed.
Go and see Momix. Youll be amazed.
Unfortunately, Meet the pets fails to live up the expectations.
SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS
The death of a fisherman off the west coast of America in the years following the war is
the central event of this story. A Japanese American is put on trial for the murder and the
ensuing investigation is observed by a reporter for the local paper, himself secretly in love with
the accuseds wife. The tense plot overlaps with a bitter-sweet love story exploring the often
strained relations between two cultures on a small, weather-beaten island and tracks the
history of Japanese Americans living in the United States during the Second World War.
This is a cleverly constructed novel with eloquent writing and well-drawn characters.
These are people we can all believe in, going about their daily lives, making a living from the
often hostile environment in which they live and thrown into chaos by forces beyond their
control. These are characters whose very ordinariness makes them special; they become as
familiar to us as are our neighbours.
This novel is set at a time we should all know about and relates events we should try to
understand and strive to avoid in our own world.
The book is written in a style immediately accessible to any reader. The language is
plain in the best tradition of story-telling but at the same time its simplicity is its poetry.
Guttersons descriptions of life across the years and generations on this lonely island are
beautifully observed.
This is easily the best book I have come across this year. A wonderful read I just
couldnt put down.