Kirkus Reviews was one of the four pre-publication trades for the publishing industry, along with Publisher’s Weekly, Library School Journal and Booklist. But after 76 years the publication will be no more because it could not find a buyer. Kirkus was one of the most honest of the industry publications and it’s sad to see it go. Ron Charles, book critic for the Washington Post, reported on his twitter that it was “the last reliable source of negative reviews.”
Kirkus even added Kirkus Signatures, where writers paid for reviews, to add revenue but ultimately it didn’t succeed because they couldn’t sell enough advertising.
It is a shame to see the disintegration of yet another book review outlet.
