As a reader, what do you find best in a novel?

Biggest-Kusa-Out-There

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Characters knowing how to communicate unless physically unable to do so.

The MC being their own person instead of a placeholder for the reader.

Antagonists being more than [Protag's opposite gender]. I especially dislike the kind of stories in which all men are evil, or all evil characters are men. Same the other way around with only women being evil, or non-binary people being saints.

While character growth is good, consistency of character is better. People aren't two dimensional when dealing with more than one aspect of life. We all have fears and insecurities, and we also have strengths and things we excell at. Howard Gardner wasn't wrong.

Suspension of disbelief, especially in fantasy where levels and magic are commonplace. One of the many crimes against humanity is that SOMEHOW sexism exist in a society where women have the ability to literally summon fire just like men. They're not chained up since birth, and yet they're the 'weak' sex... what?????? Rulers being insanely high level when they're most likely busy 90% of the time with political responsibilities.
 

EternalSunset0

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Is it the character development that someone goes through, or the way the protagonist uses his/her wits to come on top of a crises? The romance aspect of the story, or the action-packed scenes? Or perhaps is it the way the author builds up their story to instill a sense of mystery?

Personally, I’m a sucker for the psychological-mystery aspects of a novel. COTE does such a masterful work in building a sense of tension in the story with us trying to figure out just how in the world is the main cast going to get on top when their rivals have their own plans and goals too.

I thought it might be interesting to know what others find best in a novel and why they love it since on that note I could get some juicy novel recommendations too.
I'm not sure how I can describe it, but I like it when the pacing is fast and thrilling (?) Basically when things start happening quickly and you have to keep turning the page to see what happens next. Even better if I can imagine the voice acting and how those scenes would look in movie form. That kind of feel that you often see in thrillers. That's for Western novels.

For Japanese light novels, it's when I can see a different perspective of my favorite scenes in the adaptations, since I'm more often a secondary who watched/played the anime or the games first before reading.
Parasite won four awards at the 92nd Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. It became the first South Korean film to receive Academy Award recognition, as well as the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture.


At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, the film had three nominations, winning Best Foreign Language Film. At the 73rd British Academy Film Awards, the film received four nominations including, Best Film and Best Direction and won for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Not in the English Language. At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, it became the first non-English language film to win for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

-stfu
To be fair, some of the things that gave Parasite those awards may not mean much to Forest. People have different tastes after all. That's why I don't put much stock on these things personally, since I personally enjoy a lot of panned Hollywood films for one reason or another.

Although I also think a more elaborate comment than "boring and overrated" would have been better lol.
 
D

Deleted member 45782

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Plot development. Character development. Something that makes the story believable why things happen that way. Build up bc you want to go through the journey who the characters and the story transforms, cause it sorta gives you maybe a slight impression you're going through a journey with them and you see how they have improved or come so far.

Also, grammar. Bc sometimes its chunky. I read silently but I imagine it as to how I would read it aloud. So when it feels kinda off and I had to pause to understand what it means, then it sorta breaks the transmission? or the flow or smoothness of the story. Definitely how smooth the story flows.

Also, its hard for some to avoid, but sometimes info dumping. Its hard to balance but I don't want to read descriptions off things right off the bat. I want to feel like I can submerge myself into the story, not a list of things my mind has to run around and log to keep up with the story pace.
 

Snusmumriken

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Immersion.

When I read I want to lose myself in the book. I don't want to stumble into mistakes, logical inconsistencies or glaring plotholes. I want my mind to glide through the story like a skater on a clean road. Without fear about loose rocks and incoming traffic.
 
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