I have to protest - again - on Charlie's behalf the idea that he's making a fuss (let alone too much of one) simply because he got a negative review. I started 'the fuss', on my LJ, over what I felt to be an incompetent review, and others who have commented here or on my post (including several people who are regular reviewers themselves - one for GMR, among many other publications) were also upset by the quality of the review.
I'm also puzzled by the repeated claims that as the book was given to a teen, it was given to a member of the target audience. As has been pointed out (by another reviewer) there are many types of fantasy for adults and some of them she'd never review because she simply doesn't like them. Owen admits herself that she doesn't like this genre (even calling what she's done 'whining'). Her age no more automatically makes her an appropriate reviewer of this book than does mine make me an appropriate one for literary fiction.
Regarding the question of the skills evident from the review - I simply don't accept that they are adequate to the job. Owen does make several factual errors about the book, for one thing, and shows her lack of knowledge of the genre several times. That teens are capable of unbiased reading and reviewing I know from personal experience, as well as believing in a more general way. I've read many book reports, reviews and essays written by both my daughters and neither of them would confuse personal sniping with appropriate discussion of a book's merits or lack thereof, supported with relevant textual evidence. We have had many interesting discussions about books of many different types and their knowledge of some genres far exceeds mine. (As it happens, Death of a Ghost is one of the books we've discussed and the comments have been both informed and intelligent.) Even when discussing - in private - books which are not the type of book they at all enjoy, they have always been able to distinguish between personal preference and the success or failure of a book in its own light. I would certainly expect no less from anyone reviewing for a publication with the (self-proclaimed) influence of GMR.
Re: Green Man Review & YA
I'm also puzzled by the repeated claims that as the book was given to a teen, it was given to a member of the target audience. As has been pointed out (by another reviewer) there are many types of fantasy for adults and some of them she'd never review because she simply doesn't like them. Owen admits herself that she doesn't like this genre (even calling what she's done 'whining'). Her age no more automatically makes her an appropriate reviewer of this book than does mine make me an appropriate one for literary fiction.
Regarding the question of the skills evident from the review - I simply don't accept that they are adequate to the job. Owen does make several factual errors about the book, for one thing, and shows her lack of knowledge of the genre several times. That teens are capable of unbiased reading and reviewing I know from personal experience, as well as believing in a more general way. I've read many book reports, reviews and essays written by both my daughters and neither of them would confuse personal sniping with appropriate discussion of a book's merits or lack thereof, supported with relevant textual evidence. We have had many interesting discussions about books of many different types and their knowledge of some genres far exceeds mine. (As it happens, Death of a Ghost is one of the books we've discussed and the comments have been both informed and intelligent.) Even when discussing - in private - books which are not the type of book they at all enjoy, they have always been able to distinguish between personal preference and the success or failure of a book in its own light. I would certainly expect no less from anyone reviewing for a publication with the (self-proclaimed) influence of GMR.