Review of a Book, Film, or Play

What do you expect of a review of a book, film, or play? You probably read it as a critical evaluation that offers you:

• factual information—who wrote/directed/acted in it?
• an indication of content—what’s it about?
• suggestions about its potential readership or audience
• suggestions about how it compares with others of its type or genre
• comments on any special features
• comments about its strengths and weaknesses
• an evaluation of the work’s overall success in doing the job it set out to do
• the reviewer’s personal opinion and, possibly, a recommendation