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What makes a good book?


Optic

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I'm not a heavy reader, however this has been on my mind for sometime now.

 

What makes a good book?

  • The style of writing?
  • Memorable characters?
  • Great prose?
  • A unique plot?

 

I think when it comes to books the style of writing is very important for me, if it's great I will definitely find it hard to put down. Naturally a good book will have all the above but which characteristic is the most important in your opinion?

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To be honest, it is almost always plot which I will go for. Even if it is written badly, I will love a book because of the plot.

 

There have been a few exceptions that have irked me too much to finish or be saved by the plot, but not so many.

 

I guess this came from uni when I had to read 'good' books and I soon became too hung up on how 'well written' they were that I actually stopped enjoying them (couldn't read for 6mths after I finished).

 

I think you need to connect on a level, and there is no right answer to what makes a good book, because everyone has different tastes...

 

I will read books due to good writing style, but it is always the plot that drives me. My escape.

 

I will admit to liking some urban fantasy that is trashy (in the writing style) but I love the ideas behind them.

 

I will say though... If there is too much or graphic a romance in the plot, no matter how good the rest of it is that can ruin it for me. I am slowly getting in touch with my 'chic lit/romance' side... but still a struggle.

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In my opinion, it is important for the story to not be so predictable in its plot. In other words, the suspense has to be there. A plot which has been recycled many times won't make a good story.

 

Besides that, the characters is also important. If you can get your readers to love or hate a certain character, then you have succeeded.

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  • 2 years later...
Guest Jupiter

I think what makes a good book is the story, the characters, how its written, and of course who wrote it. Those things are key for me.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have two basis in reading books.

 

The plot must be good and interesting. Don't give me books with the same old romantic thing that every book have cause that is so last season. I hate those. And the author must have a great style of writing. Even if the plot is good and interesting without a great style of writing, I'm sorry but I'm gonna throw away that book. Even if it causes me much.

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What a good book should have:

  • Captivating Plot
     
  • Plot Twists
  • Interesting Characters
  • Romance
  • Dragons (not necessarily a necessity but I do love dragons :P)
  • Imagery

A good book must have a captivating plot that is not predictable. Unexpected plot twists are always welcome as they cause the reader to reevaluate everything they think they know about the story. Interesting characters is a given since I have to fall in love with the characters to fully enjoy the plot and I can't do that if they are dull. It helps if they have a romantic interest. It makes things more interesting in my opinion. I just love dragons so I typically love books that include them unless they portray them as ignorant beasts bent on destruction......Imagery is necessary to fully imagine the world that I'm living in during the time I'm reading the book.

 

What a good book should not have:

  • Excessive characters
  • Unnecessary Deaths
  • Deaths of Main Characters
     
  • Overly Complex Paradoxes (usually involving time travel)

Excessive characters take away from the core characters of the story and is rarely done right. Unnecessary deaths are just that unnecessary and tend to sour my mood overall towards the book. The only thing that can make the unnecessary deaths even worse is the deaths of main characters. I've only found one instant when the death of a main character was necessary and even then, I still hated it. Like I said earlier, I fall in love with characters so having one die in a book is like having a piece of my soul cut off and burned. Overly complex paradoxes just make my head hurt. The only series I've ever read with these is Orson Scott Card's Pathfinder Trilogy. I love it but it just hurts my brain to dwell on the time paradoxes.

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I think that a book being "good" is relative to the readers taste so yes there are a few things that 9/10 readers will all have in common as requirements for them to say "hey this is a good book". Things like a good Plot , good Characters , Imagery and so forth but all in all what makes a book good is that the reader finds the book enjoyable or engaging.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I've yet to find a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The closest thing was Jane Eyre, because the style of writing appealed to me enough to keep me interested. The rest, though? It felt lacking. Since it was the furthest I've ever gotten in a book before giving up on it, I'd say writing style is the most important thing. I've looked at books in bookstores that have somewhat interesting synopsis, but when I open up and begin reading, it feels like it's for children. I'm not sure where to search for books since I have no real starting point of what I enjoy.

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  • 1 year later...

I would say writing style, which gives off an interesting voice, good imagery, and having characters I can actually connect with.

 

Stories can have awesome worlds and characters that act in believable and realistic ways, but I cannot immerse myself if I cannot feel those same feelings.

 

It also depends on what kind of story it is.

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A good story isn't just the way its written, but the dedication and enjoyment that the writer is trying to portray.

 

Its vital for a writer to show their passion in the way they word things, otherwise the story begins to go rather static pretty quickly.

 

Then again, I do find that I tend to enjoy any form of writing, as I love to see how people think when they write. That's why writing is my life too xD

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  • 2 months later...

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