What makes a good book, good?

[windybay]

In your opinion?

I've been reading a lot this year and I'm quite quick to decide if it's a good book or not. Sadly I don't seem to be picking exceptional books all that often

I think I tend go for books that are very plot driven. Then I find the plot has ridiculous twists just for shock value. The characters seem very two dimensional.

On the other hand some of the character driven books I've read, very little seems to actually happen.

I'm also instantly put off when the author uses words that no one actually uses in real life

So I'm curious, what makes a good book for you? And what makes a bad book? Or have you read books that tick non of your requirements but turn out to be exceptional?

Interesting question. I think that, for me, it's when the author manages to articulate something I had on the edge of my consciousness but had never expressed. So, an interesting turn of phrase as well as rounded characters and a good story.

@BitOfFun yes - that's a great point!

I also love books that have a completely different concept like Time Travellers Wife or Room. But I guess it's not just the original plot - it has to be executed well

I go for both plot driven and character driven books. I like believable characters, believable dialogue.

I like the plot to hang together - hate it when the author stretches things too far in order to have lots of twists and turns - eg Girl on a Train, which started off well and ended up annoying me.

Like Windy I like books like Time Travellers Wife and also How to Stop Time by Matt Haig. The concept of Room freaks me out though - so I've avoided reading it .

BitOfFun that's a great point.

I also like books that have lots of nice observations and details, even if they aren't seemingly relevant to the story. Tbh I'm fine with books where nothing much happens - or where the plot is just something to hang the descriptions of time/place/characters on. Those are the things that stay with me, rather than what actually happened/how it ends etc.

My Dh and I were talking about this the other day. His idea is that a lot of writers have something to say but can't write well. Then a lot of people can write well but have nothing to say. Very few people can do both. It makes sense to me!

The best books have everything - beautiful writing, something interesting to say, a compelling plot. The last book I read like this was Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

It's quite hard to find. I seem to forget a lot of books a few days after I've read them. The best ones stay with you.

I loved those books mentioned so far (Time Travellers Wife, How To Stop Time and Room). For me it’s when you feel like you know the characters. When you’re not reading the book you find yourself wondering what they’re doing 😳 and you feel bereaved at the end. Like the end of a wonderful love affair that ended on good terms.

I think it can be any combination of a half-dozen elements - plot, interesting characters, snappy dialogue, insight, beauty of language. But you don't necessarily find it all in one package. And for some people personal relevance.

I like the suggestion of revelations to come in the narrative. I quite like books that go backwards and forward in time, specifically when several generations come into play with multi layered plots that cantilever together at the conclusion. The characters need to be interesting and well drawn. Somewhere along the line love and loss may come into play. The story needs to tell the reader something of the human condition, I want to be surprised I want to be moved, sometimes amused. If it's a thriller, I want to be kept guessing, I don't want it to be too implausible or where it's going too obvious The best books I've read stay with me, most don't, the last book I read that really did it for me was "The Heart's Invisible Furies"