This mildly interesting discussion between the writers Francine Prose and Zoë Heller about whether bad books should be written about or ignored leaves out and important reason to write a negative book review: to correct positive reviews about bad books. There are a lot of high-profile, critically acclaimed, terrible books that constantly get positive reviews, thus separating consumers from their hard earned cash and cheating them. It is the duty of book critics to issue cruel broadsides against such overrated crap.
The real reason why negative book reviews are important
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It’s an odd phenomenon: people decry the pointless vitriol of pundits while real critical analysis declines. In one part of media, it’s all about ginned up conflict; in another it’s all about playing nice.
I read many books every year. I find many of them among the remainders and at library sales.
I mentioned this to a person I was talking to near the remainders and he said I was lucky to be able to buy so many books so cheaply. I said my big regret was that after having read something that really interests me, I had no one to talk with about it who was also thought it was good or even heard about it.
I once read a bad review about a book by Richard Powers and decided I didn’t like the reviewer, bought and read the book, and thought it was great.