I think a book can be good in two different ways. The one you're talking about, and what most people seem to mean, is that a good book has well-crafted prose, plot, characterization, etc. Another definition of good is thiat it does a good job entertaining its readers.
Yes, I think ultimately I object to people calling a book "good" or "bad" (or similar terms) without giving any context. I need their definition of "good."
This is why I hate reviews of the "This book is great/awful!" variety. I need to know what aspects of the book the reviewer thinks is awful, what frame of reference they're using.
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I think a book can be good in two different ways. The one you're talking about, and what most people seem to mean, is that a good book has well-crafted prose, plot, characterization, etc. Another definition of good is thiat it does a good job entertaining its readers.
One does not preclude the other, as you noted.
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This is why I hate reviews of the "This book is great/awful!" variety. I need to know what aspects of the book the reviewer thinks is awful, what frame of reference they're using.
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