Bad reviews - I must have hit the big time!

After my last email, I had three unsubscribes. ☹

Not enjoyable?

You can’t please everyone, but let’s be honest—it still stings when people who once thought you were worth reading decide you’re not. And today, I hit another milestone: my very first bad review.

I’ve had a few poor ratings in the past, but those can often be dismissed as the work of bots or people who didn’t actually read the book. A real, honest-to-goodness bad review from a human, though? That’s a whole different experience. It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Or is it?

The offending book

Here’s what “Doctor D” wrote under the headline “Really NOT enjoyable”:

"Vivid description of the extreme difficulties that street children have to go through. However, it was very graphic and actually quite frightening. There seems to be no let-up in the trauma depictions, and I don’t think it’s altogether appropriate and certainly not enjoyable for children."

Oh dear! But here’s the thing: I don’t think Doctor D got the point. My two books set in India aren’t meant to be fairy tales. I wrote them to highlight the harrowing realities faced by street children in India—children who don’t have the luxury of a happy ending handed to them. If the book was hard to read, imagine living that life.

Oddly enough, a bad review like this signals something important: I’ve hit a wider audience. Once your work starts reaching beyond the circle of people who “get it,” you’re bound to encounter criticism. It means the message is spreading, even if not everyone is ready to hear it.

I hope Mr Lawson's daughter enjoyed this one too!

But not all feedback leaves you feeling battered. Some lifts you up, like this recent review from Mr J. Lawson:

"An important read. I read this to my 8-year-old. This was her first grown-up book, and from the start, she was enthralled. By the end, she was able to sympathise with the characters and wanted to do something to make a difference. We will look forward to reading the sequel with great enthusiasm."

Thank you, Mr Lawson. Reviews like yours remind me why I write. If my book has inspired even one young reader to feel compassion and think about how they can help, then I’ve succeeded.

So, Doctor D and Mr Lawson, you’ve both helped me today. One reminds me that my stories might not be for everyone—and that’s okay. The other reaffirms that they are for someone—and that’s everything.

If you've read my books, I'd love to hear what you think - good, bad, or somewhere in between! Even a rating (where you don't need to write anything) makes a huge difference.  Click here. Reviews, messages, or even just a kind word go a long way.

After all, when you start reaching people who don’t quite understand you, you might just be making it big.

Best wishes,

Caroline

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