What Makes a Good Book?

“What makes a good book?” When I first heard the question, I was confused. How would one define a “book”? Could it be a novel? A children’s book? Or, does it mean famous and ancient literary works? Like Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Homer’s Odyssey? In addition, what makes it “good”? There isn’t a straightforward answer, so one must begin with the book itself and then consider broader perspectives. A book begins with a plot, which could be defined as a series of events. Therefore, a book’s quality can be judged passed on the test of plot: its usage of continuity and conflict (Bruce). It could also be based on the written work’s physical attributes, such as rhetorical devices. An author could create an impressive combination of rhetorical strategies unheard of in the modern audience. One should also consider the book’s insubstantial qualities, such as its effect on the audiences. Books allow readers to feel something beyond the physical pages and stimulate their imagination. In addition, readers typically go to books looking for something, whether it be information, a sense of adventure, or simply the satisfaction of reading. One can also dive deeper; understand how different works affect different types of audiences, such as children versus adults. A book’s secret theme or message could also be considered when determining a book’s quality. How would readers, and potentially a society, benefit or be disadvantaged from learning the book’s main theme? Finally, whether a book passes the test of time and verisimilitude (“likeness to truth”) should also be considered when evaluating its quality (Ashley). 

In short, many qualities can make a book good. But, one must look at the book itself: continuity and conflict. Continuity refers to how well ideas connect to each other (Bruce). These connections manifest themselves in different ways. They can transition from one sentence to the next. For instance, the following describes this trend; “Barbara was having ice cream. She gave that ice cream to her little brother, Caleb.” One key quality of continuity is that the subsequent sentence refers back to the information presented in the previous one. That information accumulates and forms the essence of the plot. This aggregation of information could also make the book’s setting come to life and allow for character development. Essentially, continuity lays the foundation for a book. Another essential quality of a book is the use of conflict–whether it’s within an individual or between characters. Conflict adds excitement and suspense. Bertam Bruce brought up an example; “‘ The cat sat on the mat’ is not a story. ‘The cat sat on the dog’s mat is a story’” (Bruce). One can imagine the eventual conflict between the cat and dog, and that is what prompts the reader to continue reading the book. In other words, conflict motivates the audience to read the book. Good fairy tales, such as Cinderella, effectively use continuity and conflict to maintain a reader’s interest and promote understanding. In Walt Disney’s version of Cinderella, the tool of continuity is used as shown in the following: “Cinderella’s mother died, so her father remarried. Eventually, he also died, leaving Cinderella in the care of her stepmother and stepsisters.” This is the beginning of the conflict. The continuity lays the foundation of Cinderella, and the conflict keeps the reader’s interest. What will happen to Cinderella? Will she be forever abused by her stepmother and stepsisters? Because the reader internally asks themselves these questions, they continue reading the story to resolve them. The conflict gives Cinderella a challenge to overcome, and readers want to see that. On the other hand, continuity also keeps the plot relevant. Because Cinderella is being mistreated, she went to the ball, met the prince, and lost her glass slipper. The combination of continuity and conflict allowed the fairy tail to survive and last for generations. For connectivity, the events followed the previous events. Later sentences reference information from previous ones. The conflict between Cinderella and her stepmothers and stepsisters keeps the reader interested in their story. It also creates a challenge for Cinderella to overcome, prompting her own character development. 

An author’s use of rhetorical devices can also determine a book’s quality. Authors typically use a combination of rhetorical strategies to create an overall theme with hidden messages. Rhetorical strategies can prompt the reader to think of the theme differently and make their own interpretations about the text. For example, Margaret Atwood’s award winning novel The Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of a woman named Offred, who navigates the totalitarian regime Gilead while finding her missing daughter. In this dystopian society, Offred and the few remaining fertile women become ‘handmaids,’ subjected to the duty of desperately repopulating Gilead. Atwood took advantage of symbolism, in the form of Offred's white cap. While shopping with her friend Ofglen in the market, Offred reflects, “What they must see is the white wings only, a scrap of face, my chin and part of my mouth. Not the eyes'' (Atwood 28). Offred’s eyes are synonymous with her identity. Although wings symbolize freedom, Atwood generates irony by having Offred’s “white wings'' literally shield her eyes - her individuality - from others. The handmaids’ “white wings” don’t permit flight for freedom; instead, they keep the handmaids grounded within Gilead’s oppressive standards. As the handmaids are deprived of their individuality and mobility, Atwood’s political reality inspires her to portray Gilead as a dreadful alternative to America. Overall, her use of symbolism prompts the reader to think deeply and form their own interpretations about the work. The way that Atwood structured the quoted sentence is different from typical, vernacular English. To get a better understanding of this sentence, the reader will have to stop and observe the sentence more thoroughly. In a sense, rhetorical devices force a reader to slow down and think critically. Through this means, the author could elicit readers to think about an author’s background and how that could affect a book’s message. On the other hand, an author’s use of literary devices can prompt a reader to pull knowledge from their own experiences, which is what makes their interpretation unique. For example, this particular reader remembered previous literary meanings, such as wings can symbolize freedom and eyes are windows to the soul. Moreover, this reader was able to pull from this previous knowledge and incorporate it into her own unique interpretation of The Handmaid’s Tale. Overall, the strategic use of rhetorical devices encourages the reader to slow down and look at a work more critically. It also prompts the reader to pull from previous knowledge and create their own unique interpretation of the work. 

Criterions to determine a book’s quality can constantly change based on a reader’s personal experiences. According to academic Cyndi Giorgis, “Readers develop their own criteria, generally unwritten, that evolve over time and are influenced by age, gender, life experiences, and prior literary explorations” (Giorgis). She suggests that the readers’ perception of a book’s quality is directly correlated by their own experiences and values. “When readers revisit books again and again, it is generally because they are familiar, comforting, or much loved” (Giorgis). In other words, a book’s quality can be determined by its ability to involve a reader’s empathy and memories; their experiences could be similar to the book’s storyline. For example, Marilyn Singer’s Josie to the Rescue could remind a reader of when children wanted to help parents in what they considered difficult times. Second grader Josie wanted to help her parents after listening to parents discussing financial issues. Throughout the whole book, Josie created schemes to help them but they never achieved the desired effect. For example, she planted healthy vegetables but mistook tulip bulbs for onions. The audience, especially this particular reader, resonated with this experience. When I was six years old, I wanted to make my mother something sweet. I grabbed some sugar from the cabinets and microwaved it in a glass bowl for approximately six minutes in hopes of making caramel. Before I knew it, the microwave was ringing its alarm, and the kitchen smelled of burnt sugar. I feel as though I resonated with this book more than other people because the plot triggered past memories. Essentially, a good book can remind a reader of their memories, allowing them to empathize with the work. 

Another means to determine whether a book is “good” is by its likeness to truth (Ashley). In his article “What Makes a Good Novel?”, Robert P. Ashley discussed the test of verisimilitude, which literally translates to “likeness to truth.” Truth may not mean literal facts, people, or places. However, “likeness to truth” refers to the author’s ability to create a real world–to make the audience feel as if they were inside that world. While Ashley intended this test for novels, it can also be applied to books. For example, Elisabetta Dami’s hit-series Geronimo Stilton follows the story of a mouse named Geronimo Stilton, who travels from his home in Mouse City to several adventures in the World of Fantasy. It's believable that children would be this work’s primary audience. In addition to employing the principles of continuity and conflict, this series also created a clear transition from the real world to the fantasy one. For example, a dragon known as the “Dragon of the Rainbow'' transported the protagonist Geronimo Stilton from his home in Mouse City to the Land of Fantasy. The dragon provided a mode of transportation between the real world and the fantasy world. It represented a clear, physical transition, which likely made it easier for kids to understand and visualize. In that sense, Dami completes the test of verisimilitude because she made the transition from the physical to the fantasy world believable. In addition, she enhanced the “likeness to truth” by using pictures to help kids visualize the transition. Because of this quality, children were attracted to Geronimo Stilton, going on their own adventure alongside the protagonist. 

In essence, many qualities can determine what makes a book “good.” One can look at the book itself, such as its use of continuity and conflict. If used effectively, these devices can lay the foundation of the plot and maintain a reader’s interest. Fairy tales, such as Cinderella, are the most simple literary models that use continuity and conflict. In addition, one can also study an author’s use of rhetorical devices to create their main theme. Margaret Atwood used symbolism to warn her audience about a potential future in the United States. The criterions can also change based on a reader’s personal experiences. Marilyn Singer’s Josie to the Rescue reminds the audience of their childhood memories and antics. In addition, Ashley introduced the test of verisimilitude for novels. This test can be applied to books, such as the Geronimo Stilton series and Japanese manga. The authors of both works used pictures to help the readers visualize the setting and inspire their imagination–to make the world seem more alive to the audience. Every person may have their own criterions of a “good book.” However, a good book unequivocally connects an audience to a world different from their own.

Works Cited

Ashley, Robert P. “What Makes a Good Novel?” The English Journal, vol. 60, no. 5, 1971, pp. 596–620. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/813069. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.

Atwood, Margaret, and Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid’s Tale. New York City, Anchor Books, a division of Penguin Random House, 2017. 

Bruce, Bertram. “What Makes a Good Story?” Language Arts, vol. 55, no. 4, 1978, pp. 460–66. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41404649. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Giorgis, Cyndi, et al. “Children’s Books: What Makes a Good Book?” The Reading Teacher, vol. 53, no. 4, 1999, pp. 344–52. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20204801. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.