No, my name is not Javert… This is my rating scale for the
books I review.
Many book review sites do not go above five stars, which
works well for the most part, but I have often found myself wishing for an
extra star or two for those books which are especially great. That is why my review scale includes 7 stars.
1 Star. This book is rare in its shoddiness. It contains vulgar material, no plot,
undeveloped characters, and countless grammatical and spelling errors. Therefore, I cannot recommend this book to
any readers.
2 Stars. This book is not to my taste. Some readers might be able to find something
pleasurable from this book, but its quality and/or content prevents me from enjoying
it.
3 Stars. This book certainly has some points in its
favor, and I know of some readers who would definitely appreciate it. However, it is simply is not high on my list.
4 Stars. This book is well-written with an intriguing
plot, setting, and/or characters, but it may be cliché, drag through certain
scenes, feel mundane, or contain inaccuracies.
For whatever reason, this book is enjoyable when I read it, but does not
necessarily stick in my mind or heart.
5 Stars. This book is very well-written and
memorable. This book sticks with me, but
it does not quite make my list of favorites.
It is a quality piece with powerful scenes, beloved characters, vivid
settings, stimulating/unique plots and/or a powerful message. However, the book is unable to make my top
list because I feel these strong elements could be even stronger or could be
more evenly dispersed throughout the entire book.
6 Stars. This book is definitely a book that I
love. Its strength, sparkling narrative,
and/or scriptural message have made an impact on me as a reader. The only reason why this book is not one of my
all-time favorite books is because these three elements (Steel, Sparkle, and Scripture)
are not in perfect balance. For example,
the book may need a little more Sparkle, or a slightly less consuming Steel. Without proper balance, the Scripture can
come across as preachy, the Sparkle could make the story a little too light and
inconsequential, or the Steel could bog the story down with its grit. Still, this book does contain enough of the
three elements to make a lasting impact for me.
7 Stars. This book is rare in its excellence. Not only is it masterfully-written, but it
also contains a perfect balance of the three elements I look for in a
book. A certain Steel, or strength,
gives the book and its characters real substance, and it contains an extra
Spark of life on every page. Most
importantly, though, this book contains a Scriptural message which enlivens and
grows from the story itself. All three
aspects are expertly woven together into a story that I never want to end.
