It’s been a long time since my last book review (which was The Time Traveler’s Wife, over 2 months back). This is not because I haven’t read any books since then. I have actually read quite a few, and I’ve enjoyed most of them.
But to be entirely honest, I have been a little hesitant to review these books (basically any book), mostly because, I have been hesitant to rate them.
Which is kinda odd and new for me. Because all these years, I had never given much thought to book rating systems. But since I am now reviewing/rating books on a very public platform, I have been wondering about the usefulness and validity of these star based systems.
And today I thought I’ll share some of what’s been going on in my mind with you guys.
But more importantly, I’d love some feedback from you guys, regarding your thoughts and opinions on this topic, as I decide the approach to take going forward.
For now, here are my thoughts –
I believe that there are primarily 2 ways of looking at star based rating systems-
• The rating is paramount. The review is just an extended explanation of the rating.
• The review is more important. The rating is just a numerical value that accompanies it.
Where do I stand on this?
I personally think that stars are kind of meaningless on their own, mostly because everyone utilizes stars in a different way. Some people think 3 out 5 stars is a bad rating, some people think it is a good rating.
There are people who rate a significant portion of their books 5 out of 5 stars, and some give them out very rarely.
Moreover, while everyone is reasonably clear on what anyone means by a 1 star or a 5 star rating; 2, 3 & 4 stars could mean vastly different things to different people.
So, I believe the rating on its own doesn’t tell anyone anything about the book. I put more stock in the reviewer’s opinion, and what they liked/disliked in a book. I might not always agree, but it still gives me relevant information which I can use, to decide about a particular book.
Individual or Comparative Rating Scale?
This is another common dilemma while rating books – do similar ratings imply similar quality/calibre of the book? The short answer to that is – NO.
Here is the thing – I don’t give out many 5 stars, or even 1 star for that matter. My ratings mostly range between 3 and 4 stars, but even they don’t always align, and mean the same thing.
For instance – I gave 3.5 stars for Pradyumna, as well as for Outliers. Are both those books of the same calibre? Of course not.
They are from 2 very diverse genres, and I had 2 very diverse experiences while reading them. There is no way I can compare the two. But I can say that I pretty much enjoyed them equally – though in very different ways.
And while we are on the subject of comparisons, I have to mention one more thing. In the above example, the books are in two different genres, and hence comparison is tricky. But even if we consider only the genre of fantasy – I do not compare every single fantasy book with what the gold standard for a 5 star is (something like Harry Potter). That would drive me nuts!
Which is why, if I enjoyed a book, and it worked for me, at the point of time I was reading it- it can still be a 5 star book/series.
The Most Important Influence When It Comes To Rating Books
The most important factor that influences my ratings is my personal enjoyment, which depends on my mood, and the overall reading experience.
I really appreciate a well-written book, with strong characters and themes, but I can even enjoy fluff (not elaborating, but you know what this means) when I am in the mood for it. Everything that I read need not be award-winning work of literature. But if I read a book at the wrong time (for me), it doesn’t matter if it is an award winning work of art, I will still probably detest it, and blame the whole literary world for its existence.
My point is – my ratings are subjective. Actually everyone’s ratings are subjective. Our feelings and opinions are colored by our experiences, and that makes complete objectivity difficult (if not impossible).
The Times When Stars Are Useful
Having said all that I have said, I must admit that there are times when I find star ratings helpful – especially when I go overboard in either praising a book, or dissecting and analyzing my criticism of the book – star ratings stabilize things.
I can be overly critical and then give a book a rating of 4. And no, it’s not because I am a confused human being (though there are definitely times I second guess this), but possibly because I did not hate the book as much. I might have just felt the need to elaborate on what I did not like, in that particular situation, but the book might have had some redeeming qualities that I did not go into detail about. And needless to say – this can work both ways.
My Question to You –
Do you find star ratings useful? How much do they matter to you? Would it bother you if they are not present in the review?
I am asking this, because I find myself overly obsessing over the ratings, when they don’t even hold that much meaning. So, I am considering not including the rating in my reviews, and just focusing on my thoughts, and opinions regarding the book. (Of-course I will continue to rate books on my Goodreads & Amazon profile.)
I will go with whatever the majority wants. In case, you guys do want me to continue with the rating in the reviews – I will continue to include enough information along with the rating, and also mention any personal biases which might influence why I liked/did not like the book, and whom the book might be more suitable for.
I would really appreciate your feedback in the comments. 🙂
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I strongly believe in rating. Ofcourse it means different things to different people, but that is what it is all about. By rating a book, what I believe is concluding the conversation on a clear note.
When common readers approach a book on amazon they merely go with the stars and number of ratings rather than detailed reviews. They may read one or two top reviews, but main focus will be on rating.
Hmm I see what you mean. Like they say, different strokes for different folks. 😀
Shanaya Tales recently posted…2 Book Recommendations to Start Your Year Right
I don’t rate books on my blog review. Sometimes on Goodreads, I skip rating because of various reasons. As a writer, for me, reviews are more important than ratings. I want to know what the reader felt about my writing, characters, story etc. especially (no matter if it’s 1 or 3 or 5 stars). Amazon doesn’t allow you to post review without rating (and vice-versa). But, on Goodreads, people find it easier to just rate the books without writing a single line about the book. That is why they bother to write review on Amazon, perhaps. It bothers me.
Tarang Sinha recently posted…Anything But Books Tag
Well, as a blogger, reviewer and reader of books, I do take a look at the star rating. They are usually indicative of some thing about the book the reviewers might have missed or not written, especially the ones that are not following the norm.
Sometimes the stars are misleading but not always.
Inderpreet Kaur recently posted…Write 8 Right to Sparkle
Yeah, I agree. Sometimes they do help to balance things out, and capture something that we might have missed. I am going to continue including them, as that seems to be the majority opinion. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Inderpreet. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Without You by Preethi Venugopala | Book Review
I am not sure if I am right to comment for this post because I don’t read so many book review posts nor do I do book reviews. Anyways, star rating helps a reader/customer to make the decision on whether to go on with the idea of purchasing the book/product. 1 star says ‘No, please’ and 5 stars means ‘Go ahead’. But the detailed review is the real deal. It says exactly what was good and what can we expect and the like. I say it’s your choice whether to go with stars or not, Shantala. But yeah, stars do look cute. 😉
Vinitha recently posted…Gratitude Joy!
Right, Vinitha. Along with the review, they do help some people, but on their own, they are pretty meaningless. Since most people prefer stars along with the review, to balance out things, I am going to continue including them. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Without You by Preethi Venugopala | Book Review
I tend to like reading what people had to say about a book more than the number rating. Such an individual thing. It tells me so much more. I will notice the rating but prefer to read the reviews. Also I’m not a numbers person at all and am not attracted to stats of any kind. Give me the words! Great thought provoking post.
True, Cathy. It is the same with me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Without You by Preethi Venugopala | Book Review
Rating a book is just a crap Shanaya. It can never say what we want exactly. So never believe in the stars when buying a product 😀 Now when my hubby says, its got a good review shall we get it.. my face is like . uh uh.. did you really read the reviews. Recently I was going to buy an app and saw it has all 5 and 4 stars and when I read the reviews, I saw all the negatives regarding the product. So basically. Fault in the stars 😀 Lovely article.
Hehehe..I like the analogy – The fault is in these stars, indeed. 😀
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Without You by Preethi Venugopala | Book Review
I had read your blog in the morning and wanted to pen down my comment via a computer 😛
Yes, I agree with your words of wisdom.
You have your own identity and your own persona thus, even agreed to review it in the first place :)))
Being an author and a reviewer for TBC I can see where you were going with your pointers. Sometimes it hurts to give out the truth but then being an author I have to know that is the way to grow so, ought to embrace it, repair it and move forward.
With regards to the stars on the review…Unless the plot is not shaped well…I never go below 3 cause ultimately the efforts of penning down ~50K or more also needs dedication. But again I am choosy on my genres so, can’t really comment on your Pradyumna and Outliers book 😛
ruchira recently posted…Wordless Wednesday #116
Yeah, every one has their own unique thought process when it comes to rating, so, without the review – it holds little to no meaning!
And yes, criticism is hard to take – in any field, but if taken in the right spirit, it can help one grow. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…The Trouble with Rating Books | Diary of a Book Blogger
Totally agree with you that it is subjective. In my case I rate according to my expectations from the genre. Earlier I wasn’t following the rating on my blog, but then felt if someone is looking for a quick verdict star system is good, so added it. But I think both review comments and rating go hand in hand. Anyone who is planning to read a book should look at everything, blurb, reviews, rating cover etc.
Ruchi Singh recently posted…Spotlight On :: ‘Vengeance – A Sting In Every Tale’
Right. When I check out a new book – I look at the rating on Goodreads – the collective rating – that helps. But on an individual level – I find the review/ opinion more useful. So, I shall continue to review on the blog, and rate on Goodreads and Amazon. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
For the same reasons I don’t put a star rating when I review books. My review mostly mentions what I liked or did not like about a book only.
Yeah, I find the opinion/analysis very useful. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
Spot on. However, I believe if you are following a particular reviewer the numbers make sense. But they must be taken along with what the reviewer says about the book.
Yes, the ratings are not totally useless – they are especially helpful on sites like Goodreads and Amazon, where collective ratings (generally) show collective opinion.
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
I think you review books really well, Shantala. I agree with you, rating points are subjective, which is why I almost never ‘rate’ a book. My reviews are mostly what I think of a particular book, the characters, the plot, etc.
Hema recently posted…Microstory – Breaking Free
Right. That makes so much sense, and I am sure the readers find that way more helpful. I do. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
I agree with the points you raised. The ratings are very subjective and each person can view it differently but with a comprehensive review it summarizes the overall appeal of the book.
Shilpa Garg recently posted…Writing Without the Muse
Agree!
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
Sometimes reviews confuse me because they give a book a 2 or 3 star rating but then have nothing but praise in the written part of the review. When I write reviews I struggle to find the right words without spoiling the book for others.
Susan Gourley recently posted…It’s Back!
Yeah, that is very important to me too. Spoilers are a big no-no. They limit the reach of the book (especially for people like me, who can’t deal with spoilers). Some do give a warning, and that is fair enough. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
I agree to the fact that liking of disliking a book is subjective. It totally depends on the overall reading experience. For me ratings do not matter much. If a book catches my interest I read it no matter how crappy the world pronounces it..:)
Yeah. Same here. If I have a gut instinct about a book, then I follow it, no matter what the ratings/reviews say. I have been burned by following this strategy, but have found some hidden gems too. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE
I go through the same dilemma. Though I rate my books, I know what you are talking about. A 3.5 could mean different things for different people. I have started getting away from ratings. Now I just list positives and what could have been better. Your post made me think on the subject. Good one!
Parul recently posted…#MicroblogMondays – When I took a day off
Thank you, Parul. Glad this resonated with you. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…Shanaya Tales turns ONE