The Fault In Their Stars

Sorry, but I am not devoting a page to drool over a book, but instead to enlighten the bloggerverse about how starry I find a book.

I find the Goodreads rating system laughable. According to them –

You can hate a book (one star)

You can find a book okay (two stars)

You can like a book (three stars)

You can really like a book (four stars)

You can love a book (five stars)

I mean, is this for real? Books are like people. You don’t just hate or like them. You can’t just give some golden stars to a book like it’s a kid’s progress report. And many other people can’t make up their minds as well. “Do I give three stars or four? I sort of liked it towards the end.” And they devised the system of heading their reviews in bold with “Actual Rating: 3.5”.

But my blog comes with an entire constellation of stars that means something else. A book that is venerated with five stars on Goodreads earns maybe three from me.  People may think it’s because I’m miserly with stars (like I am with everything else).  Hence this page.

One Star: This book was a chore to get to the end. I should have stopped at chapter one and left my brains intact.

One Point Five Stars: Same as above except maybe there was some plot or some writing to speak of.

Two Stars: This book is almost a disaster. It had such potential and the writer had to ruin it with cheesy ass scenes or a plot that went … where?

Two Point Five Stars: Same as above except maybe there was some writing ability exhibited.

Three Stars: This constellation has the maximum books. It might be because of the following reasons:

• I don’t know how exactly to rate this book – I didn’t hate this book, but I won’t canvas it either.
• Yes there is a plot, yes, the writing was average, but.
• I liked this book. I can’t find any major faults with it. But I won’t read it again.
• A dystopian book that doesn’t ruin it for me. I liked the characters. Almost clichéd plot, but forgivable.

Three Point Five Stars: Same as above, but with a heightened emphasis on like. Also, maybe because the writing is above average.

Four Stars: This book was Food For Thought. I loved the writing style. I loved the characters. I loved the way this book was written. I might probably read this book again. And recommend you definitely.

Four Point Five Stars: MAN I LOVE THE WAY YOU WRITE. I WILL READ YOU AGAIN.  WORLD ARE YOU LISTENING

Five Stars:

• I cried so much even when I read it the second time. I can’t try a third time. But I know I will.
• I will pack this book in the bag for emergencies. I will go into a burning house to rescue this. I will tell the world through a megaphone why everyone should read this book.
• Harry Potter. Just because.

This is the basic rule book. But books being books and me being me sometimes inspire an illegal assignment of stars due to gut emotions being involved.