How We Score Books
We don't rate books like products. Instead, our scores reflect a book's accessibility, its resonance for modern readers, and the quality of the free edition we recommend. Below is the full methodology.
The 10 Dimensions
| # | Dimension | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accessibility | 15% | How easy it is for a first-time reader to enter the text. |
| 2 | Resonance | 15% | How strongly the themes still speak to modern life. |
| 3 | Language | 10% | Beauty and clarity of prose or verse in the public domain edition. |
| 4 | Character Depth | 10% | Complexity and memorability of characters. |
| 5 | Structural Craft | 10% | Narrative or poetic structure, pacing, and innovation. |
| 6 | Historical Importance | 10% | Influence on literature and culture. |
| 7 | Emotional Impact | 10% | Power to move, disturb, or comfort. |
| 8 | Edition Quality | 10% | Quality of the free text we link to (formatting, errors, readability). |
| 9 | Rereadability | 5% | Does it reward multiple readings? |
| 10 | Personal Recommendation | 5% | The author's honest, subjective push. |
Rating Scale
We use a 0.0–10.0 scale. 8.0+ means highly recommended; 6.0–7.9 means good with caveats; below 6.0 means approach with specific goals in mind.
Testing Conditions
All scores are based on reading the public domain text on our own site, primarily on mobile and desktop. We update scores if the edition changes or after significant rereading.