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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think writer Ben Hatch shouldn't have been so rude?

60 replies

Whatsnewwithyou · 09/05/2015 13:35

What do you make of this?

www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2MDKDDGYM55DY/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

While I'm not sure his book is sexist, I think reviewer has a right to her opinion.

OP posts:
justonemoretime2p · 09/05/2015 13:38

I read an article about writers reacting badly to criticism, it had some writers arguing with reviewers in AMAZON comments. I will look for it.

justonemoretime2p · 09/05/2015 13:40

10 writers who took themselves way too seriously

listverse.com/2015/02/15/10-writers-who-took-themselves-way-too-seriously/

canweseethebunnies · 09/05/2015 13:53

That's pretty funny. I think Ben Hatch was having a bad day! The reviewer handled herself well though. Attacking someone who gives your book a bad review does makes you look a bit of a twat imo.

Fatmomma99 · 09/05/2015 15:06

Wow! The woman who wrote that bad review is AWESOME!

madreloco · 09/05/2015 15:09

He can if he likes, she was rude first. And he apologised anyway, so whats this about? Are you the floss lady?

Original poster
Whatsnewwithyou · 09/05/2015 15:32

Madreloco, no, though I should probably floss more than I do. I don't think she was rude first. It's not rude to leave a bad review of a book, particularly as his book seemed to offend her.

Great link, justonemore, some of those are spectacularly bad.

OP posts:
SunsetsAndStarlings · 09/05/2015 15:42

Hehe, she is BRILLIANT!!! Yes, it is a tired cliche that women (girls? Come on!) all like shoes. I happen to hate them and wear them for comfort only. All two pairs that I own. If his wife really did say that, she doesn't speak for me. She sounds as annoying as her paranoid husband.

madreloco · 09/05/2015 15:44

She used "Ben Hatch gives me the Creeps" as a username for a start. Thats quite rude.

Original poster
Whatsnewwithyou · 09/05/2015 15:49

I think she probably changed her user name to that after he was rude, though, madreloco. It would be pretty strange if she'd started out with that as her username right enough.

OP posts:
NadiaWadia · 09/05/2015 17:11

I've read his book, and found it very funny. Her 'review' was a bit irrelevant. But I think he went really OTT in his response. Would have been more dignified to say nothing, really. Still, all was resolved amicably, I see.

MitzyLeFrouf · 09/05/2015 17:17

It's sphincter clenchingly embarrassing when writer's take offence like this. You've chosen to have a book published therefore people who've read it can say whatever the hell they like about it. Don't go advertising the fact that you go burrowing around Amazon taking offence at less than glowing reviews. It makes you look sad.

MitzyLeFrouf · 09/05/2015 17:18

He even went through her other Amazon reviews to use as ammo in his 'take down'.

Cringe.

NightsOfGethsemane · 09/05/2015 17:23

He doesn't come across very well does he? I followed him on Twitter until he posted the screenshot of the review conversation with his followers. It sat very badly with me so I unfollowed him. He attempted to mock and belittle her - and it wasn't even a particularly bad review!

noVarnish01 · 09/05/2015 17:24

I am more concerned by the fact that the recently viewed items includes a loo brush Hmm
Grin

PervyMuskrat · 09/05/2015 17:31

I've read the book too and he came across as a bit of a twat in it so I'm not surprised by his response to be honest.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/05/2015 17:34

I'm surprised at him because he's normally one of the writers that uses social media very well. Must have been a very bad day....

PastPerfect · 09/05/2015 17:34

The searching previous reviews was creepy. Yuk

Pagwatch · 09/05/2015 17:36

It is pretty funny.
And he is deeply weird to have tried to be smart arse about her previous review of dental floss.

He comes across as a massive twat I'm afraid. He should have added 'and your mum' at the end. It was pretty much at that level.

VivaLeBeaver · 09/05/2015 17:41

The book is shit. Bought it on kindle and managed a few chapters and gave up, boring drivel. Maybe I should write a review.

ThingummyJigg · 09/05/2015 18:09

I don't know who he is. Well, I do, a tantrumming little boy, obvs. Pathetic to stalk someone who's not given you enough gold stars. I imagine he could be quite the diva to live with.

My applause to the original reviewer though. She is ACE. And yes, she did change her name part way through, and more applause for that too.

FuckingLiability · 09/05/2015 18:25

I follow him on Twitter and have had a couple of conversations with him via email/DM. He always comes across as being a decent sort, IMO. I liked his books too.

In all honesty, I found her review rather irrelevant and needlessly aggressive - what's the point of a one star review for a whole book because you didn't like one fairly innocuous phrase? I'm usually one of the first people to criticise casual sexism but I just thought it was OTT.

If it had been me, I wouldn't have engaged in an online spat with a reviewer but perhaps he was having a bad day and had enough of people trying to pick a fight.

TiredButFine · 09/05/2015 18:49

wow what an arsepart! Getting her trolled on twitter-a safe and supportive place for women.
She criticised him from a woman's point of view and he retaliated by doing the most damaging thing you can do to a woman in social media- threw her to the twitter trolls
He really needs a new career, seems he possibly can't write and definitely can't take criticism

MitzyLeFrouf · 09/05/2015 18:54

Yes aside from the twatty argument on Amazon he then crows to his Twitter followers.

Sad man.

PuppyMonkey · 09/05/2015 19:06

He followed me on Twitter, so I followed him back but all he ever did was retweet praise about the book so I unfollowed.Confused

VelvetRose · 09/05/2015 19:11

She can write a one star review for it if she wants! You can't take all the five star reviews and accept them as gospel but rant about a poor one. Some like it, some don't. I should imagine it is difficult to see your work being criticised but that's part of being a writer surely? My ex p was a song writer who used to find poor reviews hard but she never ranted at them! It makes you look like a twat!

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