Earlier this year in May, I published a blog post detailing my criteria for judging a round of the Booktube Prize. Click here to read how I ranked the books I read for the quarterfinal round I was again invited to judge the semifinal round of the Booktube prize, which consisted of a couple of the same books but with 4 new-to-me titles thrown in. I decided to use the same series of questions to help me rate the 6 books that were contenders. Below are the questions and my answers for each of the 6 books
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
On a scale of 1 to 5:
- Literary – are there references to other works (fiction or non fiction) – 3
- Social commentary – are there political or historical references – 4
- Allegorical – did the characters represent something bigger than themselves – 4
- Readability – was it a page turner? – 4
- Pacing – did it move along to share info but not dwell on anything?- 3
- Would I recommend this book to other people as a drop-everything-and-read? – 4
Washington Black Tally – 22/30
Silence of The Girls by Pat Barker
- Literary – 4
- Social commentary – 4
- Allegorical -3
- Readability – 4
- Pacing – 4
- Would I recommend? 4
Girls Tally – 23/30
West by Carys Davies
West Tally – 25/30
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
On a scale of 1 to 5:
- Literary – 3
- Social commentary – 4
- Allegorical – 3
- Readability – 4
- Pacing – 3
- Would I recommend? 3
The Great Alone Tally – 20/30
Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
On a scale of 1 to 5:
- Literary – 3
- Social commentary – 4
- Allegorical – 2
- Readability – 4
- Pacing – 2
- Would I recommend? 3
Fruit Tally – 18/30
A Ladder To The Sky by John Boyne
On a scale of 1 to 5:
- Literary – 4
- Social commentary – 3
- Allegorical – 3
- Readability – 4
- Pacing – 4
- Would I recommend? 4
Ladder – 22/30
Ranking
- West Tally – 25/30
- Girls Tally – 23/30
- Washington Black Tally – 22/30
- Ladder – 22/30
- The Great Alone Tally – 20/30
- Fruit Tally – 18/30
Click to watch my video where I share what it’s like judging a bookish prize
