Lesson 136: Reviewing Books and Film
Sharing an opinion on a book or film is where real nuance lives — praising one thing while criticising another, then landing a verdict. This lesson gives you the critic’s toolkit.
Was it any good?
קָרָאתָ אֶת הַסֵּפֶר הֶחָדָשׁ?
karata et hasefer hechadash?
Did you read the new book?
כֵּן. הָעֲלִילָה מַרְשִׁימָה, אֲבָל הַסּוֹף מְאַכְזֵב.
ken. ha’alila marshima, aval hasof me’achzev.
Yes. The plot is impressive, but the ending is disappointing.
וְהַדְּמֻיּוֹת?
ve’hadmuyot?
And the characters?
מְפֻתָּחוֹת מְאוֹד. בְּסַךְ הַכֹּל — מוּמְלָץ.
mefutachot me’od. besach hakol — mumlats.
Very well developed. Overall — recommended.
אָז אֶקְרָא אוֹתוֹ.
az ekra oto.
Then I’ll read it.
Register: the shape of a verdict
A good review balances praise and criticism, usually with אֲבָל (aval, “but”) as the hinge:
- הָעֲלִילָה מַרְשִׁימָה, אֲבָל הַסּוֹף מְאַכְזֵב — “the plot is impressive, but the ending disappoints.”
Then deliver the verdict with בְּסַךְ הַכֹּל (besach hakol, “all in all”) + מוּמְלָץ (mumlats, “recommended”) or לֹא מוּמְלָץ. The two key evaluative adjectives are מַרְשִׁים (marshim, “impressive”) and מְאַכְזֵב (me’achzev, “disappointing”).
Tip: To call characters מְפֻתָּחוֹת (mefutachot, “developed”) or a plot צְפוּיָה (tsfuya, “predictable”) is exactly the register of a written review.
Vocabulary
The work
| בִּקֹּרֶת | bikoret | review; criticism |
| עֲלִילָה | alila | plot |
| דְּמוּת | dmut | character, figure |
Verdicts
| מַרְשִׁים | marshim | impressive |
| מְאַכְזֵב | me’achzev | disappointing |
| מוּמְלָץ | mumlats | recommended |
| בְּסַךְ הַכֹּל | besach hakol | all in all, overall |