Why websites are restricting reviews of JD Vance’s new book

PoliticsOpinion
20 Jun 2026 • 5:35 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Why websites are restricting reviews of JD Vance’s new book

  • JD Vance's new memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, details his conversion to Catholicism.
  • Amazon restricted reviews of the book to verified purchasers only, while Goodreads, owned by Amazon, disabled reviews entirely.
  • These restrictions followed a stream of savage critiques and numerous one-star ratings, some of which criticized Vance's character and political stances.
  • Goodreads' guidelines state that ratings can be removed if users rate books based on irrelevant factors or attempt to artificially inflate or deflate a book's average rating.
  • Media outlets have also published critical reviews of the book, which Vance is currently promoting on a nationwide tour.

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