Review Text

Review Text

• Definition

• Generic Structure

• Language Feature

• Purpose

• Example

                Do you like writing in English? Do you know that each type of writing in English has its own characteristic and structure? In this section, we will discuss one type of writing in English: 'Review Text'. Do you know what is review text?

Definition of Review Text

            Surely you have even subconsciously written a review in English, right? The writing that you make has the name review text.

            Review text is an evaluation of a publication, such as a movie, video game, musical composition, book; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theatre show or dance show.

Generic Structure of Review Text

            Before you write a review, first consider what the proper structure is in the review text :

1. Orientation :   Background information of the text.
2. Evaluation : Concluding statement : judgement, opinion, or recommendation. It can                                       consist of more than one.
3.  Interpretative Recount : Summary of an art works including character and plot.
4.  Evaluative Summation : The last opinion consisting the appraisal or the punch line of the                                                 art works being criticized.

Purpose of Review Text

           Review text is used to critic the events or art works for the reader or listener, such as movies, shows, book, and others

The Characteristics/ Language Feature of Review Text

– Focus on specific participants
– Using adjectives
– Using long and complex clauses
– Using metaphor style Review Text Simple

Example:

Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History Of Magic

by British Library

Arthur A. Levine

That scene opens Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History Of Magic, a fun, fact-filled book for young readers that serves as preview to the British Library’s new exhibition, “Harry Potter: A History of Magic.” The exhibit will move to the New York Historical Society next autumn.	Introduction
With activities and illustrations from Rowling, Jim Kay and Olivia Lomenech Gill, the book takes readers on a tour through the Hogwarts curriculum – Potions, Herbology, Charms, Astronomy, Divination, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures – by exploring the subjects in the series, the professors who teach them and some of the historical origins for items and characters. For instance, Nicholas Flamel – in the books, the creator of the Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone in the US versions of the books) – was a real French scribe who died in 1418 and was believed to have been an alchemist. Mandrakes, which second-year students help plant in Chamber of Secrets, are real as well, but instead of helping restore people and ghosts petrified by a basilisk, mandrakes were believed to be a medieval herbal remedy for headaches, earaches and insanity, best harvested by unearthing the human-shaped roots by attaching “one end of a cord to the plant and the other to a dog”.	Evaluation
Harry Potter fans of all ages will enjoy the breezy nature of A Journey Through a History of Magic. The book sheds light on the folklore Rowling incorporated into her series without getting bogged down in dry narrative – Professor Binns’ History of Magic class it is not. Kay’s and Gill’s illustrations lend the book vibrancy, helping characters and creatures alike pop out from the pages. Younger readers in particular might enjoy the book’s activities, such as making a colour-changing potion out of lemon-lime soda, but it might be best to make sure they’ve read the series first: A Journey Through a History of Magic does feature some minor spoilers. For older fans, the book’s real magic lies in cataloguing items from Rowling’s collection. A Journey Through a History of Magic features pages upon pages of Rowling’s illustrations, handwritten drafts, typed manuscripts, flow charts and scenes that appeared differently in the final published stories. One draft of Chamber of Secrets has Harry and Ron Weasley crashing Mr. Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia into the lake instead of the Whomping Willow; the names of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore’s Army were originally switched; and a manuscript of Sorcerer’s Stone has Rubeus Hagrid warning Cornelius Fudge – who is not only a Muggle but the prime minister of England – of the threat of Lord Voldemort.	Interpretation
Much like tapping the right brick to enter Diagon Alley, Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic brings readers back into Rowling’s imaginative world. It’s part history, part nostalgia trip. But more importantly, it’ll make you want to pick up the books and relive Harry’s adventures all over again.	Summary