To five-star or not to five-star? What does it mean when someone rates a book highly, or poorly? Are they commenting on the author’s craft? Are they starring based on the tropes in the novel, or how much they liked it? If it’s a memoir, do the stars relate to how much they empathize with the author? Honestly, it could be all of the above. Maybe their five-star is because the voice actor for the audiobook was just so damn good.
Rating books is different for everyone. My book buddy uses a 10-point scale, because five stars is not detailed enough. There’ve been many times that we’ve gotten our wires crossed, when I call a book a “4” and he calls it an “8…” (that’s the same rating on our respective rating scales, but he is aghast I think so poorly of such a good book. Oops!) Other than my friend, however, most people tend to use a five-star scale, popularized for use with books by sites like Goodreads. Generally, the collective reviews of thousands of people helps give a book a stable rating that people can rely on. The problem is, everyone’s rating scales are different.
Here’s my rating system: I rate books on a five-star scale for how much I enjoyed it, and then again for how well written I believe it is. Then, I find an average between the two that seems to fit. It’s highly un-mathematical, and pretty much just vibes. A 1 for me would be a book that is terribly written, that I also hated. A 5 would be an incredibly written book that I adored. A 3 might be a book that’s decently written, but I didn’t really vibe with it. A 3.5 might be a book that I LOVED, but recognized there are inherent flaws in the writing and plot structure.
How would someone know if a 3 on my scale is a book that has unimpressive writing that I mildly enjoyed, or a book I adored that was objectively poorly written, averaged between a 5 and 1? In the case of my enjoyment of a piece not matching up with how well a book is written, I make sure to provide an in-depth written review as well. This is because while reviews may feel like a way to mark one’s completion achievement, they are really to recommend books to others.
That general rating you see when you look up a book is helpful, but it’s not a guarantee you will or won’t enjoy a book. If everyone who rated that book rated on the basis of writing technique, and you’re just looking for a book you’d enjoy, you could end up hating a supposed five-star novel. Vice versa, if you are looking for a book that is well-written, and you stumble upon a review made up mostly of those who rate based on their personal enjoyment, you may find yourself with a guilty pleasure novel that is pretty trashy but really, really fun to read.
Everyone’s ratings are different, because everyone’s goals for reading are different. Some people look for an enjoyable read. Some people look for certain themes or tropes. Some want to experience beautiful prose. And some are looking for a combination of all of these factors. Stars might be a good way to gauge the general opinion of a book, but they are not everything. That is why it is always good to look at the written reviews of a book. You may see someone say “I loved this, but if you don’t like lengthy novels, you might not!” Someone else might say “I hate this book, but that is because I hate the miscommunication trope. If you like that trope, I think you’ll enjoy it.”
So, rate your books however you see fit. Maybe you love most books so much, a “3” on the scale is “I love it,” a 4 is “I REALLY love it,” and a 5 is “I’m going to make this my whole personality.” That’s totally okay! As long as you’re consistent in your own system, you’ll be able to properly sort your own book opinions and recommend things to other readers. And if you feel like it, create a written review to help guide other readers. But remember, a five-star doesn’t really mean anything globally– it only means something to you. Happy reading!