Goodreads

I usually don't bother with commenting on these sorts of things, as they tend to take care of themselves. This one, however, seems to be lingering and I'm tired of seeing it in my facebook/twitter feeds.

Goodreads has changed their review policy. You say some snarky things about the author in a book review and they will delete the review. They aren't giving any specifics to what is acceptable, bla bla bla. Here's the thing:

1. It's free
2. It's their website
3. If you review the book and not the author, you'll be fine.

I'm tired of this negative trend going around about these GR changes. Who cares. It's a book review. They didn't stop you from enjoying/hating the book, or even purchasing the book. Quit complaining that it's wrong for them to change their policies and not explain them in minute detail. If you want to talk garbage about the author, their family and everything that is personal, then make your own website and do it there. I don't want to read a review that rants on and on about how stupid the author must be, or that his mother smells (albeit a tad funny), I want to know if the bloody book is any good. Your review does not help that in the slightest. So, I repeat:

1. It's free
2. It's their website
3. If you review the and not the author, you'll be fine.

You know how many friends of mine have had reviews deleted from GR so far? NONE. Why? Because they write legit reviews. I'm not standing up for Goodreads in this matter, I'm not saying how they are handling is right. All I'm saying is that it's not going to help complaining about it. The best you can hope for is that enough people leave the site, forcing them to review these changes. Of course, that then means putting up reviews about how the author smells like a wet dog is legitimized. Is that what we really want?