What a Three-Star Rating Really Says
The three-star review ... it’s not what authors dream of. It’s not great, nor is it horrible. That said, I’m sure we can all agree that it’s a much happier thing than a one- or two-star review. Somehow, though, three stars remain somewhat of a disappointment—like winning a bronze medal in the Olympics or getting a C+ on a school paper.
On Goodreads, a three-star rating means the book is recommended. Worth reading. On Amazon, it means the less-positive “not great” or “read at your own risk.”
As an observer of books and their popularity, I’ve noted many facts about reviews and ratings over the years. For one, the art of receiving a review properly must be learned. The knee-jerk reaction to a five-star review is to celebrate; the response to the opposite, a one-star, is to either decide your book is terrible or the reviewer who left the rating is. Perhaps the most important lesson when it comes to reviews, good or bad, is to take them with a grain of salt.
I suppose you could call this unstructured education part of “learning the ropes,” something every published author goes through on their way toward growing a thicker skin.
As it turns out, there are plenty of things to learn about ratings and reviews that venture beyond the basic “every book will receive bad reviews, so don’t feel bad when you get one” understanding.
Here are some of my observations:
1) ARC readers and those who know you personally write the kindest reviews, often laden with superlatives. This is not surprising. They know you. They want to like your work. They do like your work! They are generous with the compliments and the ratings, which is perfectly legit and welcomed by all. Their reviews are invaluable, as they do a good job of setting the tone and giving the book a healthy, positive start.
2) Goodreads readers are harder to please than Amazon readers. They are more likely to write an actual review and give a slightly lesser rating, whereas Amazon readers tend more toward leaving a better rating without a written review. Amazon makes it really easy for those who have made a verified purchase to leave a rating. They send an email with five big empty stars that simply require the reviewer to click.
3) Netgalley readers are the toughest I’ve ever encountered. Maybe because many of them read and review huge numbers of books each year. I'm not sure, but they do not hold back when they’re not pleased (in my experience). Use Netgalley for the opportunity to gather a lot of early reviews very quickly. Just be ready for a few non-complimentary (scathing, possibly) surprises that may burn your eyeballs when you read them.
4) In general, the more reviews a book receives, the more its average rating creeps downward and then plateaus. Look up any well-received book that’s been out there for a while and has racked up thousands of reviews. Many of them, as popular as they are, end up with an average rating in the low 4s (4.0, 4.1, 4.2). This is not mathematically proven and is just an observation.
5) People everywhere seem to be suffering from Review Burnout, and I don't blame them. Everywhere we shop and dine, we are asked to leave a review or take a survey. And yet, for self-publishers, reviews are crucial to our career—so we must ask for them.
GOOD TO KNOW
When I googled the following question—Do any very popular books have a three-star average on Goodreads?—Google’s AI replied with some interesting points that I believe any author would enjoy knowing. Just to be clear, these are not my words, just an interesting search that I conducted and thought you might find useful.
AI Overview
Yes, there are indeed very popular books that have an average Goodreads rating of around 3 stars.
Here's why and some examples:
Ratings Inflation and Subjectivity: Ratings on platforms like Goodreads can sometimes be skewed, with many reviewers tending towards higher ratings, meaning a 3-star rating might actually indicate a book is "good" or even "very good" to a discerning reader. What one person considers a masterpiece, another might find average or even unengaging, especially if it's outside their preferred genres or style.
Controversial or Challenging Books: Books that are considered challenging, experimental, or have controversial themes can receive a wide range of ratings, bringing the average down.
High Expectations: Some very popular books, especially those in highly anticipated series or from well-known authors, might disappoint readers who had exceptionally high expectations, resulting in lower ratings that contribute to a lower average despite the overall popularity.
Based on Goodreads data, several popular books have an average rating around 3 stars, or slightly above. Examples include:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Divergent by Veronica Roth
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
A 3-star rating on Goodreads can be affected by different viewpoints and the subjective nature of ratings. Some well-known and widely read books fall into this range due to these factors.
My Thoughts
I like what the AI says about why popular books end up with three-star ratings because it illustrates how subjective ratings and reviews truly are.
I also like the list of book title examples. While these are very popular books, I would also say that, aside from Gatsby, which is not holding up as well in modern times, I would agree that some of them probably deserve three stars. For instance, while I enjoyed Twilight when I was younger, I never thought it was stellar in the writing department. It was a fresh, fun vampire read. Back when I read it, I would have rated it higher than I would today.
The other thing that stands out here is that this list of books consists of books in the young adult genre.
Either way, it just goes to show that so many variables apply to ratings and reviews. That’s why I try to take each one—good or bad—with a grain of salt, remembering that most readers don’t put a whole lot of thought into a rating or review in the first place. They definitely don't think about them as much as we authors do!
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