John Green posted last month about book reviews and discussed whether how much one likes a book is the best determination of whether a book is good.
On Goodreads, how much one likes a book is precisely what one is meant to evaluate. And for some books, in some situations, maybe that isn't the best test.
There's a book I read not too long ago, which I discussed with at lunch the other day. I have complaints about the style, think the pacing could have been improved, and find the premise and almost every character in the book beyond vile.
But I'm torn. I can't decide whether to give it one star or five stars on Goodreads.
1 star = I didn't like it
5 stars = It was amazing
The definition of "amazing" according to dictionary.com is "causing great surprise or sudden wonder."
And, well, that is pretty indicative of how I feel about this book (not, I hasten to add, in a good way). And also? I didn't like it.
So, you see, somehow both of these ratings options are similtaneously true about my feelings for this book. I didn't care for it. I even loathed parts of it. And, yet, it has stuck with me. It has given me a lot to consider, not only as a writer, but as, you know, a woman/USian/human.
This book that I don't like has broadened my perspective. Pretty amazing, huh?
(Yes, yes. I know that I could stop being lazy and write actual reviews to explain my choice of numbers. But even doing that wouldn't help me with my dilemma of which number describes how I feel the most toward this book.)