Today, I want to do another discussion. And after re-reading a few of my more negative reviews, I realised the majority of them all have something in common: all had exaggerated blurbs. So, I want to vent and discuss about this ever increasing problem here.
Everybody knows that blurbs are used as a selling point. They're there as a preview to potential buyers, used to make that buyer sink their hands around it and carry it all the way to the checkout isle, bashing anyone who gets too close and may want it too. It's also a known fact that at times, certain plot elements get the main focus. Usually, that is the main focus--plot--of the book. But there are blurbs where the selling point is actually what I would consider a subplot, i.e. does not have as much focus as other plot lines.
Lately, this has been the case. And it infuriates me. I understand the need to sell, I'm a buyer and at one stage I posted writing online on this little site called Inkpop and my blurb had to sell to get people interested.
But at what point does the blurb's selling point become too exaggerated that it's not really part of the plot?
That's my question for ya'll.
My answer would definitely be the sub-plot being the focus of the blurb. I love intricate novels that have a million and one (okay, maybe no where near that many) story lines, so I honestly would love a blurb that detailed a few plot lines to keep me interested. The most recent example that comes to mind is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas which I just reviewed. The blurb spends an entire paragraph on these trials, when in the book the most they get is a couple of chapters all together. (One trial only got a sentence mention). Another book which had a similar problem for me was The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter. You didn't even know when a trial was actually happening until everything was explained at the end and I don't know about anybody else, but that was my primary reason for reading it.
So that's my answer and opinion. But, what's your opinion? And give me examples of books where you feel like you've been cheated.
At what point does the blurb's selling point become too exaggerated that it's not really part of the plot?
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