225 Book Reviews

Book Reviews in 225 Words

Just the naked and unashamed truth (Genesis 2.25).

Doing any type of review is generally a subjective thing anyway, but in this post I’m going to try to take the mystery out of the ratings of our 225 Book Reviews.  In essence, there are 5 questions that I’m asking as I reflect on the book that I’m reading.

Does the book accord with what I believe is absolutely true about reality, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to redeem fallen man?

Is the book well-written from a grammatical and literary standpoint? Can’t get away from this one. I mean, it is a book. This should be a give-me for any book.

Is the book written at an engaging level, or is it written too high (academically) or is it written too low (popularly)? This is a subjective thing, I know. But, if I get the sense that the book could have went a bit deeper, or could have stated things a bit simpler, then it affects this rating.

Did the book accomplish the aim of its thesis? Whether or not I agree with what the author is stating, this question addresses whether he was able to do what he set out to do in the book.

Did I enjoy the book? Another subjective category, but a vastly important one in my opinion. No matter how good the writing is, or how important the material is, if the writer doesn’t actively seek to engage the reader, then the book will fall flat.

In summary,

• A 5 Star book is one of the best books I’ve ever read.  It changed my life.
• A 4 Star book is a very good book that is worth reading again.
• A 3 Star book is a good book that may be worth reading, but not more than once.
• A 2 Star book is an average book that would be a good choice when you can’t find anything else to read.
• A 1 Star book is one that doesn’t advance anything in the field written. There are other books, and better written, that address the author’s topic in a more important way.