Why are Amazon cookbook reviews so rubbish!!

[1frenchfoodie]

Please tell me I am not the only one narked by rubbish cookbook reviews on Amazon. I don't mean ones explaining why the book is sloppy, faffy etc but those that are posted by people who haven't cooked from the book and in some instances don't seem to have even looked through it. I looked at a book I fancy today and

'Will give some new ideas, glad I purchased it'

You also get loads along the lines of 'great looking book, can't wait to cook from it'. Aaargh, why not cook from it and then review it!

Or 'couldn't get hold of some of the ingredients' and then no further information about what the ingredients are - whether they're simply not available in their local supermarket or they're pretty much only available imported over the internet - and whether they might be easily subbed with something else. Are we talking about a particular cut of beef, or an exotic liqueur only produced on a tiny island in the Pacific?!

Or people who write "hasn't arrived yet" - that's not a review! Wait until it has arrived! I don't like essay reviews where people write 3,000 words, but agree some actual helpful information about the cookbook would be nice.

There's usually one amazingly useful person (who perhaps has a bit too much time on their hands) who types out a list of all the recipes in the book, and that I find very helpful!

Sammy- I love that guy! I'm loath now to buy if I haven't seen the list!

what book was it op?

I looked at a few yesterday in town but there were not up my street at all

"bought it as a present and haven't given it to them yet" ARGH

Or the people who think they are reviewing the company not the product.

wobbly it was Deep South by Brad McDonald. It had 2 reviews giving 5* but one was the one in my post and the other read 'That cornbread...' I like a good cornbread but I was hoping for a bit more from the review.

sammy you are right, very helpful, though the 'look inside' function can sometimes show a recipe list too.

I tend to borrow (and order if I have to) cookbooks from the library nowadays. Gives me a chance to try a couple of things & see if it is worth buying the whole thing.

It makes me laugh but is annoying.

'Bought for my mum's birthday, sure she will love it!' 😄