How I Define a "Good" Book

My computer died on Thursday (for the fourth time in five months) so I've spent most of the weekend reading. I read 11 books from Wednesday to Sunday. That's a lot in such a short time even for me. And it was a wide range of books and authors. Nine of the books were ones I hadn't read before and they were, for the most part, alright. There was a series of four books I read that was really good, but none of the books I read are my new favorite. Which got me thinking about how I decide a book is one of my favorites. What is it about a book that makes it better than others?

It's the feeling I have when the book is over. That's the first clue. I have one of two responses when I finish a book. The first is "Oh, that's the end. Well that was a good book. It was enjoyable. Now, what else do I have that I can read?" I feel indifferent at the end (or on rare occasions, I absolutely hated the book and never want to see it again). The second response is "It's over. It's over? But what now? Maybe I should read it again. No, I have other things to read. But none like this so I should read this again. Well, I could try reading this but it's not quite right. Neither is this. Hmm maybe I have a movie that's similar?" THAT is the response I'm looking for.

When I finish a truly good book, I feel like something is missing but I also feel complete. It's a paradox, an oxymoron, and a simply beautiful feeling. I can look back on the book and I know it is something that I could read a hundred times and never get tired of.

The funny thing is, almost all my favorite books are ones that I had to force myself to read at first. They are either written at a different time so I have to adjust to the language, or they start slow and  I have to tell myself it will be worth it if I just keep reading. It's still that way. Of my 10 favorite books, only 2 are ones that I can pick up and start reading with no trouble. And both of those are marketed as children's books (Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia). The other 8 are all books from a different time period or are a little slow at the beginning (The Lord of the Rings, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Blue Sword, Life of Pi, Jurassic Park, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and World War Z).

All 10 of my favorite books evoke that feeling of loss and completion. It's a bittersweet feeling and I honestly do consider reading the book again immediately after I've finished it. It's amazing I read as many new books as I do instead of just rereading all of my favorites. At least for the books with movie adaptations (good ones, that is) I have some way of relieving the feeling.

But it's not just the end result. I should be able to look back at a book that I really liked and pick it apart. I liked this, I didn't like that, this quote was amazing, I cried here. Something in the book produced the feelings I have at the end and I should be able to pinpoint it. And then I use that to find other works that are similar. For me, reading is an enjoyable experience. It's an escape, a way to relax, and a way to dream. I get lost in a truly good book and have to reconnect with reality. That's why I read. That's what I'm looking for in a good book.