The critical review is an informative, descriptive and opinionated textual genre about a particular work, for example: book, article, film, series, documentary, art exhibition, theater play, dance presentation, shows.
In it, the reviewer synthesizes the ideas and exposes his appreciations, influencing his readers.
Thus, the function of the critical review is to make a interpretive analysis of the work exposing personal considerations about the analyzed object.
This text is widely used in the academic world, as they are read by researchers to better understand the positive and negative aspects, expand the view on the theme explored and understand the approach used by the author.
How to make a good review: step by step
1. Know the work very well
To start a critical review it is necessary to read/watch carefully the analyzed work.
If necessary, this can be done more than once so that no part goes unnoticed. So, if you have any doubts, don't hesitate to read/watch again.
2. Make notes about the work
During the initial phase, it is important to make some notes about the theme, the structure of the work, the author/author.
- What is the name of the work?
- Who is the author/author?
- What is the theme explored by the author/author and its relevance?
- What is the opinion defended by the author/author?
- When was it published, released or presented?
- What is the structure and division presented (parts, chapters, sections)?
- Is the work part of others, for example, is it a trilogy?
3. Search about the author/author
To make a critical review, it is important to know more about the author or author of the work, for example:
- What is the full name of the author/author?
- What is the place and date of birth/death of the author/author?
- Is the theme of the work produced recurrent in other works by the same author/author?
4. Create your opinion about the work
To produce your opinion about the analyzed work, answering a few questions can help to better define the path to be followed:
- Did you like the work?
- Which part was most interesting?
- What relationships can it have with other works?
- What are the main considerations and assessments on the topic?
- Did you feel that there was some part that was not very well explained?
- What are the emotions generated after reading/watching the work?
5. Produce the review
Analyzing the information collected above, the time has come to produce the text. Therefore, refer to all the notes made, as they will be valuable and will serve as a guide and support to better develop the review.
THE review structure it follows the model of the dissertation-argumentative texts, that is: introduction, development and conclusion.
Therefore, check below what will be covered in each part of the review:
Introduction
To start the review, it is necessary to make an initial exhibition about the work, the theme and the author.
This initial part is more informative and aims to situate the reader so that he knows what he will find in the text.
This initial summary can be done as follows:
- The work: title, subtitle (if any) and year of publication.
- The author: name, nationality, date of birth and death, some characteristics that make him stand out.
- The theme: the central theme raised by the author of the work and which will be presented in the review.
In case it is an academic critical review, it is mandatory to cite the work in the ABNT norms and this must be before the introduction.
In ABNT standards, citations of works are made as follows: author's surname and name, title of the work, edition, place, publisher and year of publication.
Example: BOSI, Alfredo. Concise History of Brazilian Literature. 38th ed. São Paulo: Cultrix, 1994.
Development
The development of the review involves most of the text, which includes the reviewer's arguments and assessments about the analyzed object.
At this point, the ideas and opinions that emerged in the previous analysis must be well founded, explained and coherent.
This is because critical reviews are intended to influence readers and the reviewer should use this space to argue, indicate the positive and negative points of the work, always explaining why your finding.
If the review does not have the reviewer's position, it can be considered a synthesis or an abstract.
In some cases, one can resort to other works that present similar themes to counter some of the author's arguments, compare concepts and ideas, thus presenting another point of view.
Conclusion
The end of the review contemplates the closing of the ideas and is not necessarily a very large part.
Although in the development the reviewer's opinion has been exposed, here is the time to synthesize and express an opinion on some aspects of the work:
- Are the work and theme relevant in the current context?
- Does the language and approach used facilitate understanding?
- What are the positive and negative points of the work?
- What are the main contributions of the work to the public?
- Comparing the work with others by the same author, what are the main conclusions?
Example of a ready-made review
Below is a critical review of the book “Crazy boy” (1980), by writer Ziraldo Alves Pinto, written by teacher Daniela Diana.
Who has never heard of the boy who ‘had winds in my feet', O 'eye bigger than the belly’, ‘fire in the ass’, ‘some huge legs (that could hug the world)' is that 'I cried hidden if I had sadness’?
This is how we characterize one of Ziraldo's characters, who with more than 30 years of existence confirms his timelessness.
“Crazy little boy”, launched in 1980 by the writer and cartoonist Ziraldo, is a classic of literature and continues to conquer the children's universe.
In an interview with Diário Catarinense (2011), Ziraldo states that the idea of creating Menino Maluquinho came from personal considerations and observations:
“I had already seen what had happened to happy and unhappy boys. The happy ones became better-resolved adults. The unhappy and unloved adults became the most suffering adults.”
Regarding the use of innocence and simplicity, many works of art make us remember the famous phrase by Leonardo da Vinci when he warns us that: “Simplicity is the ultimate degree of sophistication”.
In the book the “Crazy boy” this is no different and becomes clear the moment we start reading. From the start, we are already familiar with your drawings. naif, its simple language, 'nothing special', some would say, 'everything essential', others would say.
Thus, the essential and the special are mixed in a fluid, simple and familiar narrative. That's because the work deals with everyday aspects, the simplicity of the moments, of a mischievous boy with contagious happiness.
It is interesting to note that the success of the work was not temporary, and its recognition implied a considerable increase in the number of sales and editions over the years.
And, if we think about it like that, we are already sure that this 'legendary character' has acquired a prominent position, as it is considered one of the greatest works for children and youth in Brazil.
Currently, it is used in schools as an access tool and also to spread the taste for reading.
In addition, the work was adapted for cinema, television series and cartoons, expanding even more the common mischief moments of this crazy boy.
At that moment, the questions arise: what makes a literary work part of the imagination of a people? How do you get a prominent position?
To answer these questions, we can think about psychology and presuppose an identification of the character with our personality. Or, go through the paths of linguistics to explain that a simple and full of meanings language absorbs the audience's attention. However, here, the idea is not this!
After reading it, it is clear that, with a simple language and narrative, Ziraldo managed to convey to the audience the trajectory and almost universal moments of a happy childhood.
Maybe that's why, during these decades, there was huge public acceptance. This work has sold around 2.5 million copies, while keeping up with our digital age.
So, today we find Menino Maluquinho websites, with videos, games and comics.
“And, like everyone else, the crazy boy grew up (...) And that's when everyone discovered that he hadn't been a crazy boy, he had been, he was a happy boy!”.
The simplicity with which the book ends, leads us to think that like every naughty child, his childhood and life trajectory is full of such 'human' events.
Stand out: mischief, worry, fall in love, play with family members, get low grades in school, having good friends, some girlfriends, secrets, playing football, flying a kite, getting hurt, having disappointments and joys...
All the events that sum up a simple and happy life and that make you this ‘nice guy’, are unveiled by Ziraldo himself at the end of the story.
the Mwee little reveals in the face of the good and not-so-good things in life that he manages to smile and have principles and values.
According to the American poet and philosopher Henry Thoreau (1817-1862): “Many men have started a new era in their lives by reading a book”.
This phrase makes sense insofar as my encounter with “Menino Maluquinho” was one of extreme identification, perception, magic, catharsis.
I ‘devoured’ the work in the spacious corridors of a book fair in the 90s in the city of São Paulo. I was 8 years old.
At that moment, intoxicated with the smell of books, colored and bright lights, voices in verse and prose, and holding Dad's hands, I knew I would grow up, just like Crazy Boy.
So, my new challenge from then on was the quest to become that 'nice guy' described by Ziraldo.
After all, 'winds in my feet', the desire to 'embrace the world' and 'imagination' I already had, and enough.
Read more about this topic:
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Review: what it is and why it is NOT a summary
Movie Review: How To (With Examples)
