My Completely Unscientific Star-Rating System

 

I have a confession.

I have no sophisticated mathematical formula for rating books.

There are no spreadsheets. No points awarded for character development. No deductions for excessive use of the word "suddenly".

It's mostly a feeling.

But after years of reading reviews, I've realised that one person's three-star book is another person's "avoid at all costs", so here's what my stars actually mean.

★★★★★ – I loved it

The dangerous category.

I will recommend this book to people who didn't ask. I will think about the characters while making tea. I may become mildly irritated that everybody I know hasn't immediately stopped what they're doing to read it.

There's a very good chance I'll keep the book forever.

★★★★ – Really good

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Maybe there was something small that stopped it becoming a five-star read, but I'd happily recommend it and I'd definitely read the author again.

Four stars is a very good rating in this house.

★★★ – I liked it

Perfectly respectable.

I enjoyed parts of it, perhaps struggled with others, but I'm glad I read it.

Three stars doesn't mean bad. It means we had a nice time together but probably won't be exchanging Christmas cards.

★★ – Not for me

I finished it.

This achievement should be acknowledged.

There were probably things I liked, but unfortunately there were considerably more things I didn't.

★ – Oh dear

Something has gone very wrong.

One-star books are actually quite rare for me because nowadays I'm much more likely to stop reading before we reach this point.

And then there is the unofficial rating:

DNF – Life is short and my TBR is enormous.

No stars required.

How do you rate your books? And more importantly, what does three stars mean to you?