In the interest of transparency, the Karabou Review's star-rating system has been—at least somewhat—illuminated on this page.
Below are each of the five categories that make up the rating system here on the blog. Each category counts for a total of one star out of the five stars it is possible to earn. It is possible for a book to receive partial points in any category.
Beneath each category heading are the sorts of questions asked when reviewing a piece. Not all of these questions apply to every piece read, of course, so it isn't possible to offer a full breakdown of how stars are awarded. This should, however, give you at least some idea of what is being evaluated, so you may better understand why a book received the rating it received.
Plot
- Is the plot sturdy and explainable for the world that it's taking place in?
- Does the plot progress only because it hinges on absurdities?
- Deus ex Machina
- Characters making decisions that are out of character and unexplained
- Character developing sudden strengths or weaknesses that are unexplained
- Characters being nothing more than plot devices
- Are there plot holes?
- Is the plot appropriately threaded through the story?
Characters
- Did the author craft solid psychologies for their characters?
- Do the characters' personalities / behaviors make sense for their situations and ages?
- Do the characters feel real (or at least slightly nuanced) or are they just tropes / cardboard / the sort that could be replaced by a lamp without anything changing?
- How do the characters play off of each other?
- Do they sound like different people?
Writing
- Did the writing flow well or was it awkward / stilted / choppy?
- Did the book need more or less content?
- How was the pacing?
- Was the piece compelling / entertaining?
- Did the dialogue feel organic or contrived?
- Were there fewer than three typographical errors in the text?
- How was the consistency (plot, tone, characters, story details, etc.)?
- How was the suspension of disbelief?
World
- How is the worldbuilding (applies to real-world fiction, too)?
- Does the author use the setting well?
- Are the details at least mostly accurate to the time period / physics / science / etc.?
Themes & Audience
- What audience was the piece aimed at and was it appropriately structured for that audience?
- Did the piece handle the conversations it started / questions it asked in a meaningful way?
- Did it leave the conversation in an appropriate place (An open-ended discussion is fine, but forgetting to finish a conversation is not.)?
- Were there issues that went unaddressed?
Obviously, we would all prefer to enjoy the books that we're reading, but just because I don't like the book doesn't mean it should be rated poorly. Similarly, just because I love a piece doesn't mean that it is without flaws.
Hopefully this system is easier to understand and, hopefully, it promotes better organization here on the blog.