For the Love of Story

For me to find a book compelling, to rate it a five star read, boils down to one thing–the story.

A great story can enthrall me so I overlook other flaws and inconsistencies, carried by the tale. The story is why readers often tolerate Mary Sue or generic characters if their story expectations are satisfied. A great story is what makes me sigh as I lay down my e-reader, or with far less frequency lately, my book.

My love of story is why I will probably never be able to get into literary...