In your opinion what defines a good book? Is it memorable characters, a moving or complicated plot, a story you can relate to?

[Anjali]

What makes a book good? Is it memorable characters, a moving or complicated plot, characters or a story you can relate to, those can't put down novels...please ramble! :D

[Snowblue~ Rachel is AWESOME!!! :p]

Characters mostly, but also if it is really complicated plot. And I always love romance in it no matter what. I love the drama that happens in it! Action draws me to a book, and if it is really rare and different but easy to understand. There is a certain type of writing that I like better- I don't know what it is though. I like it when books are less explanative, but not as much as for you to not know what anything or anyone looks like. I like dialog too- and I LOVE a book that is funny or has a funny character or two that always brightens the mood no matter what.

[[deleted user]]

Relatable, lovely characters definitely are a big part of what defines a good book for me - if the characters are not fleshed out well or have stupid and stunted personalities that can tip the scale to me reviewing the book as not good. The plot is also a gigantic part of it, but you can't really have a favorite kind of plot, while you can have a favorite kind of character, so the plot I think isn't quite as big of a factor as characters. Books that I cannot put down are fun to read and I whip through them in a blink of the eye, so I don't tend to evaluate the plot and characters as much as I should for those kinds of books, so in cliffhanger-at-the-end-of-every-chapter books the characters and plot I barely look at. I dunno, it really all depends on the author and the genre of book. Like for literary fiction, I'm looking at characters more than the plot, and for fantasy stuff I tend to look more at the plot.

Well, you asked for a ramble, and I gave you one.

[Snowblue~ Rachel is AWESOME!!! :p]

βιβλιοφάγος (a.k.a. Cat) wrote: "Relatable, lovely characters definitely are a big part of what defines a good book for me - if the characters are not fleshed out well or have stupid and stunted personalities that can tip the scal..."

Its fine, I ramble a lot too. :)

I agree. You have to have different characters that have a good story (AKA "fleshed out well"). And I agree that it depends on the genre. I love fantasy, so that is a biggy.

[Anjali]

Thanks for rambling. I'm really interested in what makes a book good, what people find in books to be really good.
Characters definitely. But I also think an original and not completey predictable plot. Like in YA Fiction I've read heaps of books where the plot is so predictable and not so original such as cancer stories or some of those 'Finding yourself' novels. I like some uniquenss and originality. Such as John Green's novel 'The Fault in our stars' that turns a regular cancer story into something unique with romance and all thrown in. :D

[Snowblue~ Rachel is AWESOME!!! :p]

I agree completely, though I haven't read the novel you mentioned.

[Anjali]

you should read it, really good. It's by John Green and is on those listopias for best YA fiction so you could check it out. :D

[Snowblue~ Rachel is AWESOME!!! :p]

Ok, I might! Thanks!

[Halle]

A good book is... Well, it tells a story strong enough to distract me from reality. It has characters full of flaws and a plot that keeps me riveted to the book until I discover all of its secrets. The book has to paint a picture of the world inside it, and it needs to be original. Not with good guys and bad guys, but with conflicted characters finding out there aren't just heroes and villains. The characters have to have real problems and real solutions and real consequences. A good book makes me wish it were all real, but also terrified it could actually happen.

[[deleted user]]

Lovely description, Halle!

We need to petition for a "like" button for comments.

[Halle]

Thank you!

[Starlight]

A good plot, a villain, a hero or protagonist, main character, friends, and a clever idea.