2021 RofC longlist - Dynamic Rankings

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Dynamic Rankings
The idea of dynamic rankings is to provide a measure of the collective opinion of the group on the relative merits of the books on a list. This is not intended to have any great significance or scientific value, and the more members participate, the more interesting the tables get. Please don't see this as a competition - there are always some people who aim to read a whole list and others who are happy just to sample one or two. To participate, just list the books in order of preference (best first). You can number them if you like, if not we will assign the first book 1, second 2, third 3 etc. Please do not include books that you have not started reading.

In order to make it easier for us to collate the numbers for the league tables, please try to stick to one post per member (you can use edit comment to update your lists) and refrain from general chat.

I normally try to update the league tables at least once a day until activity tails off.

Adjusted weightings table (my method)
This method has evolved and been refined over the last few years to address some perceived unfairnesses in simple averaging. The basic principle is that each member's list numbered 1,2,3,...,n where n is the number of books ranked is adjusted so that the ranked books are positioned evenly on a scale from 0 to x-1 where x is the number of books in the list. We also allow users to specify their predicted positions in which case we will assume that no adjustment is needed. The first table is sorted by the average of these adjusted weightings.

Aggregate of comparisons table (Paul's method)
This is an alternative league table which is sorted using a different algorithm. Each member and book is assigned an integer (which may be negative) which is the number of books the member has ranked lower than the book in question minus the number ranked higher. The overall table takes the sum of these numbers.

This is the list of books:
A Musical Offering by Luis Sagasti tr. Fionn Petch (Charco Press)
The Appointment by Katharina Volckmer (Fitzcarraldo Editions)
Mordew by Alex Pheby (Galley Beggar Press)
Mr Beethoven by Paul Griffiths (Henningham Family Press)
Unknown Language by Hildegard von Bingen and Huw Lemmey (Ignota Books)
LOTE by Shola van Reinhold (Jacaranda Books)
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey (Peepal Tree Press)
Men and Apparitions by Lynne Tillman (Peninsula Press)
Alindarka's Children by Alhierd Bacharevič tr. Jim Dingley & Petra Reid (Scotland Street Press)
A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa (Tramp Press)

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Pos, Book, Average, Adjusted, Count, First Places, STD
1, A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa, 2.27, 1.77, 11, 5, 0.85
2, Mr Beethoven by Paul Griffiths, 3.08, 2.51, 13, 3, 1.14
3, Unknown Language by Huw Lemmey, 4.00, 3.01, 10, 2, 1.22
4, A Musical Offering by Luis Sagasti, 3.33, 3.24, 12, 2, 1.28
5, The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey, 4.00, 3.42, 11, 1, 1.28
6, Lote by Shola van Reinhold, 5.63, 4.86, 8, 1, 1.59
7, Alindarka's Children by Alhierd Bacharevič, 5.71, 4.95, 7, 1, 1.49
8, The Appointment by Katharina Volckmer, 5.79, 5.42, 14, 1, 2.17
9, Mordew by Alex Pheby, 6.29, 6.13, 7, 0, 1.63
10, Men and Apparitions by Lynne Tillman, 8.50, 7.50, 6, 0, 1.87

Paul-style aggregate of comparisons

Pos, Book, Average, Relative ranking, Count, First Places
1, A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa, 2.27, 38, 11, 5
2, Mr Beethoven by Paul Griffiths, 3.08, 26, 13, 3
3, Unknown Language by Huw Lemmey, 4.00, 18, 10, 2
4, A Musical Offering by Luis Sagasti, 3.33, 15, 12, 2
5, The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey, 4.00, 13, 11, 1
6, Lote by Shola van Reinhold, 5.63, -8, 8, 1
7, Alindarka's Children by Alhierd Bacharevič, 5.71, -15, 7, 1
8, Mordew by Alex Pheby, 6.29, -23, 7, 0
9, The Appointment by Katharina Volckmer, 5.79, -30, 14, 1
10, Men and Apparitions by Lynne Tillman, 8.50, -34, 6, 0

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Links are to my reviews:
5*
1 A Ghost in the Throat
2 Mr Beethoven
4*
3 A Musical Offering
4 Unknown Language
5 The Mermaid of Black Conch
6 Lote
7 Mordew
8 Alindarka's Children
9 The Appointment
3*
10 Men and Apparitions

[Paul]

1. Lote (5*)
2. Unknown Language (4.5*)
3. Mermaid of Black Conch (4.5*)
4. A Ghost in the Throat (4.5*)
5. A Musical Offering (4.5*)
6. The Appointment (4*)
7. Mordew (4*)
8. Mr. Beethoven (4*)
9. Alindarka's Children (3.5*)
10. Men and Apparitions (1*)

[Ang]

1. Mr Beethoven

3. A Musical Offering

8. The Mermaid of Black Conch

[Neil]

1. A Musical Offering (5*)
2. Lote (5*)
3. Mr Beethoven (4.5*)
4. A Ghost in the Throat (4*)
5. The Mermaid of Black Conch (4*)
6. Men and Apparitions (4*)
7. Unknown Language (3.5*)
8. Alindarka's Children (3.5*)
9. Mordew (2.5*)
10. The Appointment (2*)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

My rankings
And links to reviews

1 A Ghost in The Throat (5*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
2 Unknown Language (5*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
3 Alindarka's Children (5*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
4 Mr Beethoven (5*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
5 A Musical Offering (4*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

7 Mermaid Black Conch (4*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
8 The Appointment (1* or 5*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
9 Lote (2*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
10 Men and Apparitions (1*) - my review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

[David]

9. The Appointment

[Robert]

1. The Mermaid of Black Conch
2. The Appointment
3. Mr. Beethoven
4. A Ghost in the Throat
5. Mordew

[WndyJW]

1. Mr. Beethoven
2. A Ghost in the Throat
3. The Mermaid of Black Conch
4. A Musical Offering
5. Mordew
6. An Appointment
7.
8.
9. Unknown Language

[Vesna]

1. A Musical Offering
2.
3.

[peg]

1 Alandarka's Children

5 .Unknown Language

6 Beethoven

[Debra]

1. Unknown Language
2. Ghost in the Throat
3. A Musical Offering
4. Lote
5. Men and Apparitions
6.
7.
8.
9. The Appointment
10.

[Tommi]

1. The Appointment
2. Mr Beethoven
3. The Mermaid of Black Conch
4. A Musical Offering

[Adina]

1. Unknown Language 5* ( the biggest surprise this year)
2. The Mermaid of Black Conch 4*
3. The Appointment 4*
4. Mr Beethoven 4*
5. A Musical Offering 4*
6. Mordew - still reading but most likely 4*
7. Alindarka's Children 3*
8. Lote - DNF
9.
10.

[LindaJ^]

Have now finished 7. Time for re-ranking.

1. A Ghost in the Throat - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. Mr. Beethoven - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. Unknown Language - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. A Musical Offering - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5. The Mermaid of Black Conch - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
6. Lote - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
7.
8.
9.
10. The Appointment - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bart]

I only read 'A Ghost in the Throat' and 'The Appointment' so far, but the Ghost is definitely my number 1, by far. I still don't fully understand why, but I fell hard over heels for her (probably the special year had something to do with it) and I lost count of how many online events I patches about it.
So:
1. A Ghost in the Throat (infinite *)
...
The Appointment (4*)
...

[Tonymess]

These will surely move around as I read more
1 - A Ghost In The Throat
2 - The Mermaid of Black Conch
3 - Mr Beethoven
4 - The Appointment
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 - Men and Apparitions

I must add that they’ve all been excellent reads (well all bar one). Thanks so far Republic of Consciousness judges.

[Margaret]

1. Mr. Beethoven
2. A Musical Offering
3.
4. Alindarka’s Children
5. Mordew
6. Unknown Language
7.
8.
9. Lote

[Lee]

1.
2. The Appointment
3.
4. Ghost in the Throat