I also think about what I read, and that is where this blog comes in. I have a process for determining what makes a book good, bad, or otherwise and if I had to distill it enough to make it explanatory I would say I judge a book on four things: characterization, plot, writing, and setting.
- Characterization is by far my most important criteria. Characters are what make books worth reading. A story that is strictly about events is not a story; it's a summary or a report. Good characterization can make or break a story. Characters should be complex and dynamic. They should exhibit growth. They should be at least reasonably realistic, and preferably not insufferable.
- Plot is important because if it doesn't make sense it isn't a very good story. In my mind a good plot is elegant and sophisticated. The plot is the framework that supports the story. It needs to be complex enough that it progresses the story and moves the character, but not overly so. Plotting is a subtle art.
- Writing is my second most important criteria. A good story poorly written makes for a bad book. Writing is also a subtle art. Overuse of words and phrases is something I find really distracting. I also tend to notice things like sentence length and complexity (I know that's weird). The thing that impresses me most is words used together in a unique or poetic way, but I will settle for something that has varied vocabulary and is relatively free of major flaws.
- Setting is barely a criteria. For some people worldbuilding is a really big deal. The only reason I include setting in my evaluation is because sometimes a writer succeeds at making a world that is unique and stunning or presents familiar elements in a brilliant way, and that deserves to be acknowledged.
So, with this in mind, let's start some reviews.
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