HOW I RATE BOOKS - Going Beyond 5 Stars

How do you rate books? This video gives consideration to a criteria for ranking books against one another. Whatever books a person decides to read is purely a matter of preference. However, do some books hold more value than others intrinsically?
The 5 criteria for rating books in this video, I hope, will bring a added dimension to the way that you think of the books that you read in relation to each other, and also provide you with a methodological approach to reading too.
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[@yawigriffini]

I can count with one hand the bookTube channels that have true valuable content. Yours is definitely one of them.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

That is so kind of you. Thank you ever so much. 😃👍

[@captainnolan5062]

Doyle, through Holmes, changed my life and enhanced my powers of observation infinitely.

[@airbourne2]

I'm 62yo male and just finished Count of Monte Cristo at your recommendation. Wow. Probably the most exciting book I've ever read. There were times when I couldn't put it down. Time to figure out what's next.

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

You have such great quality content. I've thought for years now that rating a book from 1 - 5 stars is just inadequate, and you explain why perfectly.

[@Katia656]

You are Not a booktuber, you are an excelent teatcher!! I‘m so glad to find your channel. I like this video.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🇧🇷

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you Katia. You are so generous with your praise. What a lovely person you must be. ❤️

[@captainnolan5062]

Think of it this way: Books are tools, and different books are designed to do different things (it is more difficult for people to realize this because all books look 'basically' alike from the outside, whereas hand tools are shaped differently depending on what they are designed to do and look much different from one another). So, ....Is a screwdriver a better tool than a saw? Is a hammer a better tool than a tape measure? Well, a screwdriver is better at setting screws into wood, but you can use the handle to pound a nail into a board, though not with ease; a hammer will serve you better than a screwdriver for pounding nails into boards. Therefore, if you have a plane trip coming up and you want some light reading, say a good 'page turner' of a story to while away the time, Treasure Island will do a better job at that task than Crime and Punishment (just as a hammer is better for pounding nails than a screwdriver). But if you want to enjoy an in depth psychological character study, then Crime and Punishment (or even Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde also by Stevenson) will serve you better than Treasure Island. Crime and Punishment is a tool designed for a different task than is Treasure Island.

[@casualreader]

This is a great analogy - well expressed!

[@ProseAndPetticoats]

Love this. :)

[@captainnolan5062]

@@ProseAndPetticoats Thanks!

[@captainnolan5062]

@@casualreader Thanks!

[@mtnshelby7059]

Thoughtful discussion, thank you. For me the rating is whether the book "lives up to its existence." A funny, entertaining romp that shortens a plane flight can be a 5 star book in my world view as much as an acknowledged Classic (with a capital C) that I read at my desk, under a bright light, with a pen, and a mug of coffee. It would be interesting BTW to explore Classic versus classic in a video.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

I really like this attitude. "Living up to its existence" is such a joyous way of treating a book. I shall keep this thought forever close at hand.

[@captainnolan5062]

To your level IV books description, I would add to ideas and meaning the word 'theme'. I like the idea of giving a book a level, from Level I to Level V, based on what it is trying to do; and then give it one to five stars (with allowance for 1/2 star increments) within it's level; so Treasure Island may be a Level I book, with 4.5 stars; whereas A Study in Scarlet is a Level III book with 5 stars, and War in Peace is a Level 5 book with 5 stars and Bleak House is a Level V book with 4.5 stars.

[@kristenp6547]

I love your passion.

[@user-hx7wg8zm6l]

You should give us a video on how to read books of poetry. Whether we read it here and there, cover to cover, and even how to unveil poems that seem confusing!

[@severianthefool7233]

So many Tristan videos lately! What a bounty!

[@kathleencraine7335]

I completely re-thought the "star" system after reading "The Anthropocene Reviewed" by author John Green. It's a book of essays, but starts with an essay on the star system vs. full book reviews (which Green used to do). Really made me think in a different way. FYI: I got an ad every 6 minutes (6m, 12m, 18m, 24m, etc. marks).

[@misskittymultitasker5775]

Soooo glad to have found your channel! I am enjoying watching so many of your videos and learning so much. Thanks for all that you do!

[@adrienne4028]

You’ve made some excellent points on this video. I’ve been subscribed to your channel since the beginning and I’ve so enjoyed the way you have explained the various ways to approach great literature. You’ve helped me read the Classics at a deeper level. Thank you Tristan.😊

[@lorimiller854]

Tristan, I always appreciate how you give me new ways to think about books. ❤

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you, Lori 😀

[@Kite562bookishreviews]

I found this video to be very enlightening! When it comes to books or manga I've reviewed or read I usually use a 10 point system with decimals example: I give this book a 9.7 out of 10; as I write out my thoughts I take away or add back points to the overall experience of the story or stories as a whole. After reading Bram Stokers Dracula and the first 2 sherlock Holmes novels, I'm eager to dive into more classic works with a more bright eyed and open mind approach. The way Dracula pulls you in with the corresponding experiences of characters sending letters to one another but still flowing freely and some scenes are still fresh in my mind, to this Day Dracula by Bram Stoker is a 10 out of 10 classic work I will always cherish. I don't usually say that about the many books I've read over the years but it's hard to just pick one memorable book you know? I'm going to be diving into the adventures of sherlock holmes next so I'm excited to see what's going to happen in these short stories! 🙂❤📚

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty-I absolutely agree with you about characters taking over the story. I was writing a story centered around a couple, and without my thinking about it, the story changed, and it became about another couple in the story. I didn't even realize it was happening. 😮

[@captainnolan5062]

I would add Dickens's 'Bleak House' in the list of level 5 books.

[@EverydayisFriday-bw7bt]

Hi Tristan, I just found your channel and have been binging on your videos. I have ignored the classics in the past, but you have convinced me to try them. I just purchased A Month in the Country, Rebecca, and The Count of Monte Christo based on your recommendations. I love your channel and your enthusiasm! I have subscribed so I do not miss any of your videos! Great job!!

[@The_Gothic_Bookshelf]

I've been loving every bit of this video! Thank you for sharing your perspective on books 😊

[@CandlewickLibrary]

This is really interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@lsr2937]

I adore Wodehouse and have since the BBC series. Fry and Laurie are my ultimate Jeeves and Wooster. The audio books read by Fry got me through the pandemic when I would try to go to sleep and think of nothing but awful things. These stories bring me right back to a delightful world where a silver cow creamer is a big deal.

[@ProseAndPetticoats]

I have always disliked the five star rating system. I actually just note down my thoughts in my reading journal. :) Thank you for another wonderful video.

[@radiantchristina]

Great video . I deleted my Goodreads last year and now track my reading old school on paper in a journal. I no longer use star ratings. I just log what I've read and write down any quotes that stood out to me and how I felt about the book. P.s. stop telling us what to read! 😂....just kidding. I come here for reading recommendations 😘

[@analaserna2345]

Hello, Tristan. I enjoy and learn a lot with your videos always. This one helps me a lot because I was realizing by myself how poor and unfair is the 5 stars system. From now on I will do it as you say. Thanks a lot. You are such a great teacher!

[@jimtownbaptistchurch9747]

An amazing channel! A thoughtful, articulate, and profound host who illuminates the wonders and mysteries of classic books!

[@mysunnyreadingcorner6777]

My rating system is in many parts similar to yours. However, if I read a book for entertainment or as a palate-cleanser, I tend to rate it 5 stars anyway when it has gripped me from start to finish.

[@rozaganser3016]

Thank you for your videos; they are are full of inspiration. Affection from Australia!

[@janeylfoster6197]

Another insightful video. My TBR pile grows every time I listen to your words. So surprised that some people felt you were ‘telling them what to read!’ This is clearly not the right channel for them.😊 Also, spot on regarding the relationship between author and character. I’m currently in conversation with my WIP protagonist who’s changed the direction of the novel a few times already. Then again, I’m a pantser not a plotter! Thanks as always for great content.👌

[@laetitiakriel5216]

Thank you for a great video. I've learned so much!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

And thank you for your positive feedback 😊

[@ainwena7595]

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for expanding how we can think about and approach our own evaluation of the books we read.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you. 😀 I'm pleased that you enjoyed it ☺️

[@dharashah3666]

Your videos are always a pleasure to watch and this one’s no exception. Well put! Among other things, I agree with your thoughts on how Goodreads could better their rating system by introducing categories. I would surely pick up a book with superlative writing and characters even though the plot is average or below.

[@susprime7018]

I will read Children of the Abbey, bought it last November.😅

[@nicholasblakiston6297]

I would think the greatest level of ranking should be the book's ultimate impact on society.

[@eurodelano]

"Misdirected ire" ...great phrase. I'm stealing this. ☺

[@captainnolan5062]

You forgot to add the kingmaker speech link in the description.

[@reaganwiles_art]

Tristan, what you say about the grand sweep authors, Tolstoy, Melville, Shakespeare et alia, that sweep first came to me in Tolstoy, but it was religious or metaphysical, rather the sweep of the earthly life came to me through Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller and also through lines of poetry by Tennyson and particularly "Tintern Abbey" by Wordsworth but even more especially through Whitman. Sometimes it's but a word or phrase, isn't it, as Auden put it "And the crack in the tea-cup opens a lane to the land of the dead"...Proust's Madeleine is a famous case, not particularly convincing to me, who has not enjoyed a Madeleine with tea. Yeats did it for me once upon a time, and Rimbaud to be sure. . . .

[@bxp_bass]

Good video, thanks! Though, I'd not put those categories one above another. Also, there are more categories - as much as your imagination allows you to make up. For example, for fantasy genres it could be epicness, worldbuilding, character work etc. Otherwise, every book about psychology or philosophy would be automatically better than any fantasy book, which is not true. And yes, it's all subjective. Personally I prefer 10 star scale - it's just better

[@mj2495]

Dostoyevsky! I've read quite a bit of FD. The Brothers Karamazov twice. He was the author that brought me to Classics. Years later I began to think about Shakespeare, and near the beginning with what I could find about his life. Unfortunately there's not much biographical detail about the Bard. Sometimes he seems to me almost beyond human, almost supernatural.

[@jamiebbooks]

I find the 5 point system inadequate, but I still like to have a single number to allow me to pull up just my favorites when making recommendations and when looking back at my reading year. I use a 10 point system on my reading spreadsheet, and expanded it to use the first decimal place. That way if I have a couple books that are all ~6 out of 10, they can still be scored differently, from 6.0 to 6.9. Classics that were worth reading because they are so often referenced elsewhere may get a 5 or even a 6, even if I disliked them, so long as I can see that they are worthwhile reading.

[@shirleyrankin-zf6nv]

Tristin you can tell me what to read .I really appreciate it😊

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you, Shirley 😀

[@kurtfox4944]

@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Surely, you don't mean that (pun stolen from the movie Airplane)

[@ratherrapid]

Reading Romola and just read all the 4 star and lower reviews on Amazon. I saw evidence in maybe 20 percent of them that they actually read the book.what I want to know--why do people feel compelled to write reviews of books they have not read?

[@dgheonmd]

You put to words the internal feelings that I experience when reading books. Great story but meh.... otherwise shallow. Deep deep content and beautiful language/ prose with an infinitely profound meaning and "stage". More rewarding but requires much more brain activity than the simple story that is essentially "bread and circuses". So glad I found your channel.

[@Whatever_Happy_People]

Hullo Tristan I have just finished Paradise Lost by John Milton loved it. Peace. Hope you and family are well .

[@kurtfox4944]

Someone mention that rating poetry would be different. Brevity and turn of a phrase matters, depending upon the type of poetry. I think that rating Non-Fiction would be an entirely different beast altogether. Of course there is accuracy (but without being an expert, how would you know?). Word-play might play a factor. Good pacing (to avoid 'dryness') is a must. Level of detail important (grade 1 versus layman's versus collegiate). I guess another is "why is this facet of non-fiction important; what did I learn, or why does it matter to me?" Personal memoirs are different than national history (excepting highly important political figures like Churchill). Essays are different than memoirs. It is not an apples-to-oranges comparison; it is more like a whole fruit basket (with an occasional bag of nuts). One thing I tend to point out, especially in YA and fantasy is that: this has all been told before. Explore the works of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Quest and Power of Myth, etc. The story is new only if you are new to the genre. Replace orc with ogre, kobold for pixie, etc.. change the quest for golden fleece with the sorcerer's stone. At this point, it is not the plot but THE WAY it is being told. Thus the first factor / plotline is the same so the other factors (eg. writing or characterisation) elevates the story. (I tend not to rate most modern YAs very highly.)

[@GetExercised]

Well, I definitely take the wrong books on airplanes. 😅 At any rate, I just love how you broke down everything that is amazing about great literature here.

[@captainnolan5062]

I wish I could agree with you about Elliot, but I have attempted Middlemarch now for the 5th time (or so), and her writing does not feel effortless and easy to inhale at all; she seems needlessly wordy and overly complicated in her writing. Maybe I just have to get past page 10 or so, but so far her writing makes me feel like I am wading through the Mud, Mud, Mud. Any tips?

[@kimberly5411]

Maybe try listening to it. That often helps me when reading a book is a challenge. Hearing the narrator using slightly difference voices helps to carry the storyline.

[@captainnolan5062]

@@kimberly5411 Excellent suggestion Kimberly. I will give that a try!

[@ratherrapid]

Ge can shoot over the heads of a lot of readers--one point of this vid is to quit rating urself when u write a review.did u listen to the vid at all?

[@captainnolan5062]

@@ratherrapid I don't understand this comment.

[@ChuckCannon]

The one thing about rating I don't know how to deal with is books that show off the horrible parts of the world, if they do it well and make you feel terrible what am I supposed to rate that? Generally I go down lower than their insight would suggest since if people jump into that experience I want them to be more committed to it and not be affected without knowing what they are getting into.

[@circrna]

Yes, there is bad books. And please suggest us books. I can decide if I want to read it or not.

[@autumnscott568]

Do you write? Some of what you said here is stuff that I find as a writer. Just curious.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

I have written, and like to jot scenes and ideas. But I've not written properly for a while due to having ADHD, which is a great hindrance to my ability to run the course of a whole novel, undistracted. I would like to get back to it though.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Have you published anything? I respect anyone that disciplines themselves to write, in any of its many forms.

[@susanstein6604]

Whether I personally like a story is different from whether it’s a good story. Dumas interrupts his storytelling with explaining why Paris is the center of the universe which makes me roll my eyes. Dumas is sexist but so was everyone else in his time and place.

[@annable883]

Hello dear Tristan from Salford Lancashire. Since I failed the 11+ back in the 1960s and the Secondary School I went to had a really good library + I also joined the Local Council's main library. So since the age of 11 I read then all the "Classic" fiction I could. I am now 65 and I have read most of my life. I cannot see any point in rating books. I think you are talking to those who are ignorant & stupid and more-than-likely mobile phone zombies. These people think it is efficacious to rate books as they are quite brainless and are puppets without taste and discernment. I enjoy your videos but you are talking down to me as I know Classic Literature and I read Literary Criticism books as well.

[@dellh86]

By all means, tell me what to read. That is why I am here lol. I really like reading deep and complex books but the process of curaiting what to read next is so boring

[@KasiaSzatkowska]

Oh come on... Don't try to read a lousy story on a train! You might just loose the book! I once tried to read Harry Potter on a train and I nearly tossed it through the window, because I found writing so annoyingly bad! ;-)