DoopSlayer t1_ixduejk wrote on November 22, 2022 at 6:20 PM

“fiction should be void of the authors voice/opinion”

that's a baffling statement and if I saw that in a review I would just stop reading that review and make a mental note never to read a review by that person again

Extension_Virus_835 OP t1_ixdv0wy wrote on November 22, 2022 at 6:24 PM

That’s what I thought too the first few times I saw it, but now I keep seeing it in like all of the 1-2 star reviews I see that are from the average reader. I am an average reader I think so I try to get their POVs over reviewers but there seems to be some disconnect in the lower ratings

DoopSlayer t1_ixdwo3f wrote on November 22, 2022 at 6:35 PM

if that's like just rando users of goodreads or something vs verified reviewers it kind of makes sense, there's no bar for quality for use of the platform. At least statements like those you quoted make it pretty easy to disregard useless reviews

D3athRider t1_ixgc48g wrote on November 23, 2022 at 5:50 AM

More and more, people seem unable to deal with disagreement or conflict. Some readers don't get that it's impossible for any human being to write an entirely "neutral" book that doesn't reflect author voice or opinion in some shape or form, even if subtle. Interestingly, those readers often only seem to complain when the author's opinion or voice suggests a belief in something that the reader feels strongly opposed to. Then it becomes "the author pushing their agenda". If you're going to dislike a book for an opinion or issue you disagree with and that an author seems to be framing positively, to me the more logical response is just to say that plainly, instead of acting like an author should hide their opinion/belief.

There are some books where it can feel like an author is beating you over the head with an idea, but to me that has more to do with the writing than the expression of that idea.

seagirlswreathed t1_ixmru3b wrote on November 24, 2022 at 5:08 PM

It’s probably one of those generic pieces of advice that’s too broad. For instance, Ayn Rand interrupting Atlas Shrugged to deliver a 32 page treatise on her philosophy is insufferable in many eyes including my own (I still remember getting 4 pages in to the info dump spiel and starting to search for the end quote), but some readers are there for that.

A lot of times authors pomposity and interruption of a fictional narrative can be distracting and take you out of the story, sometimes not. The real rule is do things well, and serve the audience you want to speak to.