When you receive your assignment to write a comparative book review, take careful note of what aspects of each book your instructor wishes you to compare. If the books are on the same topic, you may be asked to compare the themes (or thesis) of the two books. In this case:

• Analyze the similarities and differences of the two authors’ themes rather than writing long descriptions of each one of them.
• Remember, you are writing a book review, not a book report!

In addition to comparing themes, your instructor may ask you to compare and contrast the evidence used to support the themes:

• A typical assignment will ask you to compare the different ways each author presents his or her evidence. One author may use primary sources, and the other secondary sources; one author may emphasize numerical data, and the other quotations from primary sources.
• Your instructor may ask you to compare the conclusions drawn from the evidence by each author or the different assumptions the authors make about the evidence.
• The key to success when writing a comparative book review is to locate several points of similarity or dissimilarity (or a few of each) and to focus your review on them.
• Build your review around the connections between the books. That is the purpose of this kind of assignment.