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Author: Karen Tucker
Rating: 5
Review: I was drawn to buy this book because I'm a writer and I want to learn how to write better. And because of its promise to show me what draws me to read stories, why I love the books I do, and how I can use my knowledge of myth and legend to better understand stories and why they're important to us. This book fulfilled all those desires and more. I've read a lot of books about writing this year, in my quest to improve my writing skills, and I can honestly say that this has been the most fascinating of them all. Even if you don't write and have no desire to write, this book is still worth reading. If you want to know why you love stories and what keeps you turning the pages, and coming back for more, read this book. If you want to understand the magic of story, read this book. If you want to improve your own writing skills, read this book. If you're into psychology or myth and legend or anything that's even vaguely related to stories, writing or what makes people tick, this book will fascinate you. Very definitely in my Top 5 of the many books I've read this year - fiction and non-fiction. I loved it. You will too.
Author: M
Rating: 1
Review: Although the author does put in handy hints for writers that could be useful the introduction is the give-away. This oversells the neuroscience aspects. It is sheer salesmanship hyping up the idea that science shows how to trigger automatic responses in readers. I am not a neuroscientist either but a closer look at such work, which we all can do, shows that the science says some general things about the brain and we still know very little about it. This book cherry picks bits of science but then runs off with magic answers. What is also depressing is the idea that you can write a best-seller by just working out which buttons to press. It seems to take little account of people being different and having different tastes in books- press the buttons and we apparently will read your block-buster. It is a how-to-get-rich by writing book. The use of saying how it works in block buster films is a key sign. Yes lots of people like Marvel etc but not everyone. If you want a magic way of making money buy this book - it works for the author- I bought this damned book.
