What Makes a Five Star Read?

Let’s chat!

In many ways, a five star read is a very personal thing. With our own individual tastes and expectations, what works for some won’t necessarily work for others. I also think there can be discrepancies in what the same reader looks for from genre to genre.

Generally speaking though, we all have our weaknesses; those literary devices that draw us in time and time again, greatly increasing the likelihood that we’ll dish out a much coveted five star rating. Aside from a gripping and immersive story, which sort of goes without saying, here are some features that I can’t help but love. I’d be very interested to know what equivalent elements work for you, so let’s chat about it in the comments.

Atmosphere

I already alluded to liking books that are immersive, and for me, well-crafted atmosphere is the number one way to achieve that – hence why gothic fiction is my favourite genre. I want my books dark, brooding, and sinister; I want the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up, and a shiver to snake its way up my spine. If an author can transport me to their world and give me that feeling – which I usually refer to as ‘the five star tingles’ – they’re already well on their way to getting a perfect rating from me.

Flawed characters

I love it when an author can blur the lines between right and wrong, with morally complex characters that feel fleshed out, and all the more believable for it. Give me a flawed hero or a redeemable villain over the clear-cut good and bad guys any day of the week.

Beautiful language

Have you ever read a book so stunning in its use of prose that it leaves you feeling literally breathless? That it has you rereading passages to better absorb its stunning imagery? I adore that feeling. Obviously, there’s a time and a place for this, and overly poetic language doesn’t work well in certain genres; but when it’s implemented in a way that enhances the mood and impact of the story, drawing us deeper and deeper into the author’s world, it’s such an impressive feat.

Isolated settings

This is a particularly personal one, I admit, but I suppose it goes along with the idea of atmosphere and immersion. There’s something about rural, isolated settings (think islands or woodlands; deep in a dessert or far out at sea) that instantly ramps up the atmosphere, and makes the stakes feel that much higher, allowing for an incisive exploration of its characters and themes.

Layers

I like my fiction like I like my onions (and my ogres) – with layers. By this, I mean I love it when an author can craft a story that works at face value as a damn good read, with a compelling plot and engaging characters, but which also hides greater depth of meaning with regards to its imagery and themes for those who care to look. It’s an amazing feeling when your appreciation for a book grows the more you reflect on it, picking apart its layers and discovering just how intricately it was constructed.

Stories about stories

Most of us read because we love stories, and I am no exception. That’s why I get excited when a book can deftly explore the beauty and power of storytelling itself. This can manifest in everything from a book being a re-telling of a classic myth, to characters that tell lies to protect themselves from the truth; and from meta works that reference other books, to characters that seek comfort in fiction. The more I look back on favourite reads, the more I can identify this as a theme that unites many of them.

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There we have it; by no means a comprehensive list, but a few of the most frequently present elements of my five star reads. What makes a five star read for you?

Bookish Loyalty

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is one of my favourite books. I just found out a couple of days ago that Susan Hill, another popular author, has written a ‘sequel’ to it, and yet I feel no urge whatsoever to pick it up, despite having also enjoyed some of Hill’s work. I suppose my love for the original is so strong, I don’t want to risk tarnishing its reputation in my own head, akin to the controversial and divisive reception many showed towards Jack Thorne’s recent contribution to the Harry Potter canon with The Cursed Child, which some adored for its return to the magical world we all know and love, but others denounced for not being penned by J.K. Rowling herself.

Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and Susan Hill’s Mrs de Winter.

This situation isn’t unique. Authors have been writing spiritual sequels to classics for years (think Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre), whilst others have been picking up series where others left off (think James Bond and the Millennium saga).

It got me thinking though, as I also recently found out (via a post on Zuky’s blog) that there’s going to be a novelised version of Mary Rose, a play by J.M. Barrie which I both read and saw on stage earlier this year, and in contrast to Hill’s take on Rebecca, it made me feel excited, and I definitely plan to give it a go. I think the difference is that whilst I loved Rebecca and want it to be left alone, I enjoyed Mary Rose but felt it could have been developed a bit more or had a bit more impact, hence why I have high hopes for a full novelised version.

Apologies that this is all a bit of a ramble. I suppose I’m essentially just curious to know whether you would be excited to pick up another writer’s interpretation or continuation of one of your favourite stories, or whether your love and loyalty to the original would make you avoid it for fear of a beloved book being tainted.

Let’s chat about it in the comments! I’d love to know what you think.

To Re-read or Not to Re-read?

Let’s chat about re-reading

I’m not much of a re-reader; never have been and likely never will be. I love the idea of returning to beloved characters and worlds, and of course, occasionally I do (Hogwarts and Wonderland will always feel like home, after all). Generally speaking however, I find it really difficult to pick up a book I’ve already read, unless many years have passed, and there are several reasons why.

Firstly, there’s the guilt factor. With an ever-expanding list of books I want to get to and many an unread story sitting on my shelves that could all theoretically become new favourites, regularly picking up books I’ve already read would make me feel guilty about my constant book buying habits.

Secondly, and perhaps most prominently, is the fear of tarnishing existing memories of a beloved story. I’m a big believer in the fact that a large part of the enjoyment we get from books is about picking up the right one at the right time. There are certain reads I loved several years ago that may have been perfect for what I was looking for from my reading back then, but that doesn’t mean they would necessarily appeal to me so much these days, since my tastes have evolved and changed over time, as is normal for everyone. Revisiting something I have such fond memories of feels like a risk, as if it came as a disappointment second time around, it could taint the existing love I already hold for it, which would be a real shame.

All of this said, there are certain books I would really like to come back to someday soon, and so I suppose I’m essentially asking for reassurance that I’m not the only bookworm who feels these reservations.

Are you an avid re-reader? If you like to re-read, how long do you usually leave it before you go back to a story? Or do you steer clear of re-reads altogether?

We (don’t) need to talk…

Writing can be intensely personal

I was doing a little digging around to find out more about Amy Zhang, whose recently released debut novel, Falling into Place, is creating a bit of buzz, partly because it was written and published all by the time she was just 18 years old. Everything about this girl is knocking stereotypes right out of the park: She’s young; she’s female; she’s of Asian ancestry, and yet she’s already chasing and achieving her dreams. I can’t speak for the quality of the book, having not read it yet myself, but can say that regardless; Amy Zhang is pretty darn impressive.

More to the point, I was reading an interview with the author when I stumbled upon this quote:

“I try very, very hard to keep my writing life and […] the rest of my life separate. I can honestly count the number of people who know me personally and are also aware that I write on my fingers. Writing is something I love so much that I’m honestly terrified to talk about it with people I know.”

This hit me like a ton of bricks because I relate to it so much. Obviously by this point, having released two books of my own, people who know me generally know that I write, but I can honestly say that – like Amy – I can count the number of serious, in-depth conversations I’ve had about my work with loved ones on just one hand. Sure, they get excited for me when I release something. I post about it on my Facebook to let everyone know at once; some of them like the post; some of them share it; heck, a few of them even buy and read it, but very few of them truly understand the extent of what I do.

This is, ironically, largely down to my own doing. Whenever a friend or family member has attempted to show an interest in my writing, be it asking of the ins and outs of publishing or the details of my current projects, I clam up and mumble a half-hearted, awkward response that tells them next to nothing of any significance. This isn’t because I don’t care. On the contrary, it’s because I care so much that I find it difficult to let them into that part of my life. I can’t explain it; it just feels wrong somehow to talk about my imaginary worlds, fictional characters and royalty payments with the people I’ve known since our schooldays… They know what I love to do and are happy to let me get on with it.

That’s why I love this platform so much, as – whether it’s odd or not – I can happily chat away endlessly about all things literature with fellow readers and writers around the world, many of whom I consider dear friends but who are, I suppose, technically strangers.

I like to hope this is something that is universal. ‘Real life’ friends are, for many of us, all about escaping the stresses of our day to day routines. They’re the people we go to at the end of a long week to unwind, take our mind off things and recharge, so we can start all over again. The last thing most people want to do after work is talk about their day at the office; maybe this is just my equivalent of that same feeling.

I’d love to know if this is something you also experience or if it is yet another quirk to add to my list?

All Good Things Come to an End

The right ending is always crucial.

I am currently in the process of writing the final scenes of the present draft of my WIP. Obviously there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of editing, formatting, publishing and so on but it’s a very exciting time nonetheless.

Actually writing an ending sequence is an exhilarating yet oddly intimidating task for me however. Especially since I have known how the plot would wrap up since long before I wrote so much as a word, getting it down on paper seems daunting now. I often find myself feeling this way; specific, major plot points – including the ultimate climax – live in my head for so long that I find myself almost hesitant to actually form the scenes in words in spite of my own anticipation to progress. I suppose it’s down to a fear that I won’t be able to do justice to the clarity within my mind and this inkling of doubt is more than enough to spark off some rather annoying bouts of procrastination from time to time.

Still, I press on regardless, as my desire to share stories is far greater than any fears I may have lingering in the depths of my rather bewildered brain.

Do you picture your ending long before you write it? Do you ever worry that your words won’t do your story justice?

To the Bitter End

Would you stick with a boring book?

In a recent conversation with fellow writer and blogger, Mel, we both mentioned that we will continue reading a book – no matter if we are enjoying it or not – because once we are committed to a story we are determined to see it through to the end. This is very topical for me at the moment, as I am actually currently reading a book that I’m not particularly enjoying; I’m not hating it but I’m certainly not loving it either.

It’s quite frustrating, as I have a pile of other books I want to read and a part of me can’t help but feel I’m wasting precious reading time on a story that’s just not really for me. On the other hand, especially since this particular book is a detective novel, my curiosity is driving me on; I’ll be damned if I don’t find out ‘whodunit’.

Sometimes an ending can be powerful or unexpected enough to lift the whole story and give things a new perspective and I suppose I would want readers to give my books a fair chance, so I feel almost obliged to see a book through to the (bitter) end.

Do you carry on reading a book until the end regardless of whether you are enjoying it or not? If not, how far would you read before you decided to call it quits?

Kindle Vs Books

Books or E-readers; which do you prefer?

As someone who loves to both read and write, I am often asked about my views on whether e-readers are a good thing or not. Firstly, I should point out that I do indeed have an Amazon Kindle; not a flashy new HD one I hasten to add but rather one of their early and much simpler models.

While I firmly believe that anything that can increase access to and interest in literature should be welcomed and celebrated, I do still have my reservations where e-readers are concerned. Hugely convenient, portable and often cheaper in the long run, I don’t doubt their credibility as an option and do frequently rely on mine for browsing the bookshelves in search of a quick download. No amount of practicality however will ever outweigh the feeling and even the smell of having a proper, physical book in my hands.

So in my case, I suppose you could say I sit on the fence somewhat with this issue, as when it comes to travelling or a quick reading fix, I will opt for my Kindle but whenever I want to truly kick back and relax or come across a book I adore and know I will want to read it again in the future, I would always prefer the humble paperback.

What about you? Can you gravitate between the two as I do or are you exclusively in Team Book or Team Kindle?