I have read and reviewed lots books, but I always seem to hit a wall of self-doubt when deciding how to rate a novella. I have a couple of novella reviews coming up and I really enjoyed both of them. My first inclination is to rate them both four out of five. A four rating at Fiction Vixen means: Good book, I’ll recommend it. I enjoyed these novellas, I was entertained, but if I compare the novellas to full length novels I’ve rated a 4, there are big differences.
For me, a good novella will be nicely plotted, well paced and the characters should capture my interest so that I look forward to and care about their happily ever after. Most importantly I insist on being entertained. But because of the limited word count I tend give a little if the story lacks slightly in one area as long as it focuses nicely on another. For instance, good characterization but lacking somewhat in setting. Some might say that I lower my standards when it comes to shorter works. Perhaps I do, but if I go in with unreasonable expectations what is the point of reading the story?
What I’d like to know is how do you review and rate novellas? What’s important to you and what’s not?
Do you hold shorter works to the same standard as you would a full length novel?
When rating and reviewing a novella, would you lower the rating because you didn’t get to know the characters inside and out even though the action was great and you gladly read it in one sitting?
Or although you loved the protagonists and totally connected emotionally, there was little time spent on establishing setting or there was no dramatic conflict so you feel you should knock a star off the rating?
Or, do you base your rating and review mostly on your overall enjoyment of the story? Are you more likely to give on one area of the story if another is well developed?
Do you think you are more critical of longer works than you are shorter works?
About Sophia (FV)
I always think the mark of a good novella is if you are left wanting more, but not needing more — so, the story is complete, but doesn’t seem lacking.
From a writer POV, novellas are paced completely differently than full novels. That said, you have to have all of the story components there. You can’t meander off into subplots, lots of lengthy internalization and setting description, but the characters should be fleshed out, the conflict should be clear (if anything, the conflict stands out in more relief in the short space — if there is no conflict, that’s a problem), the arc should be complete, and the story should reach a satisfying end.
Authors might also experiment with different forms/techniques in a novella or short story that they can’t do in a novel — focusing on one conversation, one scene, one snapshot from someone’s life — and so that has to be considered. Every novella won’t be template, cookie-cutter, in the same way all novels aren’t. It’s a different format. So I think if you enjoy it, took something away from it, can consider it a “complete” story in any way, then that’s it, but that also can’t become an excuse for bad form, or bad writing.
Sam
I don’t think I rate a novella any more or less then a full length. I don’t write as long of a review but I try to hit the same points in reviewing one .
I will rate higher though if it can give me a full length satisfied feeling though because of it being so much shorter.
@Samantha Hunter: Thank you for your insight! I really do think that at the end of a story I tend to rate based on how much I enjoyed it but your comments give me something to think about when reviewing. Thanks!
@tori: Thanks Tori. My reviews on novellas tend to be shorter too. Otherwise I find myself giving too much away or rewriting the story (and not well lol).
So if a novella skimps on setting/world to focus on the relationships you would rate it lower?
This is a hard one. I like to think I rate them the same as full length books, but at the same time you just can’t. There’s always going to be something missing in a novella, just because of the length.
For me, what makes me not like a novella is the same as not liking a regular book-not connecting with the characters. There has to be something there leaving me wanting more..
@Colette @ A Buckeye Girl Reads: I agree, something is usually missing but for me, if it’s written so that I don’t really miss the something that’s missing, it’s a good novella.
I know I don’t rate novellas the same as I do full-length books, but I don’t lessen my quality standards, just my expectation of what can be achieved in the span of the story.
I still expect great writing. If I can’t get a fully-fleshed out story, then give me characters that fascinate me, a piece of a story I would love to read about in full-length and an ending that leaves me satisfied. That’s a five-star novella.
I start taking points off when elements stop being as interesting – if the story starts making me skim paragraphs or if one of the characters starts to annoy me or if the ending either irritates me, makes me wish there were a few more pages or wish I’d never read it.
Yes, this is what I was trying to say, only you said it better.
Honestly, if the story keeps and maintains my interest, the length of the story doesn’t really come into play for me. I base more of my evaluation on how the story ultimately draws me in and how it makes me feel…which is how I evaluate novels. I’ve experienced novellas that have impacted me more than a full length novel. Sometimes some well placed explanatory sentences can do the same work as paragraph upon paragraph of explanation or description. I find novellas less repetitive which I find more refreshing. So really how the words affect me as a reader determines my review not length.
How the writing draws me in and makes me feel. Some well placed descriptive sentences can take the place of long drawn out passages and if well written can really convey the same information. So really I really don’t worry about length.
Hmmm…this make me think.
My gut reaction is to day I might not review them the same..but as I sit here and think about it I don’t think that is true.
If I don’t believe in the HEA at the end or if I don’t feel the world is explained enough, my rating would definitely reflect that. But I also keep in mind if the novella is just a glimpse (like one or two days) into a character’s life – it definitely read differently than a 400 page book. But it still needs to be a well done, believable scenario.
I start novellas expecting there to be an unanswered question or two and not every detail and secret of the protagonists to be revealed. Don’t get me wrong, I want there to be some meat to the story and some type of a connection to the main characters but there is only so much an author can do when writing a novella.
I do rate novellas a little differently because it would be unfair to rate them as I would a full length novel.
Stephanie G
Paranormal Haven
All those questions you asked at the end are all reasons I, more often than not, steer clear of novellas. I do expect the same things out of any book I read–developed characters, well plotted, and a well developed romance. I always find myself frustrated and disappointed when I finish a novella because all of those things are rarely there at the same time.
I think it’s almost impossible to rate a novella with the same standards you would a regular full length book. If you try to, you’ll just end up like me–frustrated.
A story being a novella is not an excuse for anything lacking. If the setting feels off or the characters are under-developed…it’s not a good novella.
I write novellas and novels, and they’re very different animals. The story should be fully arced; the setting, encapsulated; the conflict, resolved. In order to do this, you have to pick a smaller story (not just a segment of it). “I want to read more of this world,” is a different reaction from “this feels unfinished,” you know?
Novellas seem to sell very well in the ebook market, so we’re seeing more of them. What also seems to be the case is that they’re being used as free products or publicity materials for longer works. With that considered — no wonder they often feel unfinished.
So I would say: rate a novella the same way you’d rate a novel. Just because you spend less time reading them, doesn’t mean you ought to be more forgiving.
I definitely rate/review novellas different than full-length books but my expectations of character development, chemistry, storyline, etc.. remain the same. Content is key. More than anything the story/relationship has to be authentic and believable. I know that when a novella leaves me wishing it had been a full-length novel or for a sequel, the author has achieved their goal of writing a great story.
@Sophia (FV):
I wouldn’t rate it lower for that…but I give extra kudos if it can make me feel like I read a full novel. If that makes any sense.
Good point. Many authors do a damn fine job writing a well rounded novella and those always rate high with me. It’s when the author focuses on one aspect heavier than the others I wonder how I should rate. But if it doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, should it matter?
@Mandi: So basically you have different expectations going in. Me too.
@Paranormal Haven: I want there to be some meat to the story and some type of a connection to the main characters but there is only so much an author can do when writing a novella.
@Catherine: I don’t tend to be frustrated by novellas because as Mandi said they are usually a blip in time and I keep that in mind. For instance Ava March has a novella, (maybe even a short story) called Beyond Reckless that focused on a brief encounter between two lovers. It was short and sweet but although the focus was on the encounter I got a good sense of setting and characterization. I thought it was well done. I guess it just all depends on your expectations?
I didn’t really mean my time spent reading. I was thinking more about how much to expect from an novella. For instance in an UF novella I expect to understand that basic world and I want to have a good feel for the tone of the atmosphere but in a novel I expect more detail and I want to know the intricacies and ins and outs.
@amyt865: If I miss the characters either in a novel or novella I consider it a win.
@tori: Ah I see, yes that makes sense. Bonus for for going big in a small package
@Sophia (FV): I think so. I tried to read them knowing that they wouldn’t be as developed as a full length novel, but I guess I get caught up. I just feel like I need more.
I don’t think I’m the audience for novellas.
I don’t read them anymore, even when they’re by authors I love or an in between of a series I’m reading. Unless they’re necessary to the setup of the story, like Briggs’s Alpha & Omega series.
It just feels pointless for me to read it and then criticize it in a review for being less than I wanted it to be, when I knew going in that I’d probably be left wanting.
So…I guess that was really no help to your original question. LOL. I suppose I just had to horn in and act like a downer and whine.
@Catherine:
I totally agree with this. And your input is always appreciated.
It all depends on what the author is trying to achieve. Is it a H/H that have no past history and a declaration of love at the end? Did the author make that happen? Or is it a few days into already established lovers lives…Did the author give us enough meat to keep the story strong? (and meat in the other sense works well too ;p)
Never thought about it..I mean things are rushed and so, but in the end I just rate as I always do
You know what I find interesting? As someone who writes in many, many different lengths, I always find it fascinating, how subjective a reader’s idea of length is.
For example, I’ve had someone call a 47,000 word ebook a short story and the same person call a 18,000 word ebook a novella, and a 35,000 word story a novel. And it’s not a rare occurrence. It happens a LOT. If they greatly enjoyed the story and seemed to find nothing lacking, they often seem to think it was longer than another story they didn’t enjoy as much.
It always interests me, how enjoyment changes the perception of length, and how sometimes people perceive books they enjoy as longer because they seemed complete, and sometimes they perceive them as shorter because it felt effortless to read.
I think I’m often more guilty of the latter. If a book feels like work to read, it will feel longer to me.
Which is not really an answer to your question, but an entirely different thing I’ve noticed when it comes to reviews and length. LOL
I don’t buy the argument that shorter works mean the reader should give the author more leeway, for instance, “Lacks in characterisation but the sex scenes were hot.”
In such instances, I’d argue, “Well, guess the author should have written a novel instead.”
I’ve read too many novellas that felt rushed and a common problem I come across is sketchy worldbuilding, which leads to me either not believing in, or not caring about what happens. If the author fails to convince or make you care, then…they’re not doing their job properly, as far as I’m concerned.
I know that sounds harsh, and if I ever publish a novella, I expect the same to be dished out to my work by readers and/or reviewers. It’s only fair.
F’r'instance, the book I’m working on right now? I thought it was a novella. OH HA HA HA what do I know? The characters had different ideas. It needs to be around the 45k mark so the two guys don’t read like I’m just dumping them in this situation and watching them fuck a lot.
There needs to be background and worldbuilding (which applies not just to UF but contemporary and other subgenres as well) for it all to be authentic, otherwise you’re just reading bland, repetitive books that came off a conveyor belt rather than from the author’s computer.
If a novella skimps on anything, it shouldn’t be a novella.
@Bree:
Interesting, I never thought of that. So is there any hard and true rule as to how many words make a novel, novella and short story?
@Sophia (FV): I’ve worked with different publishers and they always have vaguely different standards, so it’s hard to say.
Most of the averages seem to fall out with stories being 20k or less, novellas running in the 20k-40k range, and novels being 75k or longer. (Then there’s that in between range of category length…)
Actually, the And the Beast stories are on Samhain’s border. Sabine missed the novella word count by less than two hundred words, so it’s considered a short story. Kisri is longer and into novella territory (18,000 – 35,000 words at Samhain).
We don’t review novellas anymore because we are always left feeling the story wasn’t complete. Usually there is info dump somewhere or, like you say, due to length something missing. So, we just decided we’re novel people. The one I did do a formal review for I gave what I liked and didn’t liked, but made sure to point out it was a novella. Those that like to read them may have not cared at what I thought was missing. Sorry not much help, but hats off to you for attempting to review them fairly.
I usually rate a book, any book by how I feel when I was reading it and howI feel when it ends. Whether the book is 200k or 3000k. I’ve also noticed that the way books are rated now may hr been
May have been different if previously reviewed.
The only reviews I’ve done have been of non-fiction publications, so this comment is as a reader.
What’s important for me is that the reviewer identifies the format she’s evaluating, then reviews accordingly: novellas as novellas, novels as novels, series as series.
Not all publishers’ websites make the distinction clear, and I’ve d/l what I thought were novels at bargain prices, only to find there was a reason for the low price — the ‘book’ was a 30-page short story.
OTOH, I’ve d/l novellas on the strength of good reviews, knowing them to be novellas and not expecting more.
@Jud: Very good point. I’m pretty sure we make sure we say we are reviewing a novella here at Fiction Vixen but I will double check from now on.
I don’t have a set standard as to how I rate a book or novella. While I do look for things like characterization and setting development, I don’t keep a running tally. For me, it’s all about how much I enjoy the story. Like Samantha said, am I left wanting more or needing more? If I think the story fell short (either book or novella), I rate it as such. If I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down, I rate it as such. I don’t really have a different way of reviewing books from novels to novellas – it’s all in how I feel while I’m reading and once I’ve finished.
I don’t think I treat novellas differently than full-length stories in many ways. I review and rate a story based on how I like it. If I find that joy in a shorter length, then cool. I will say that if the novella is part of a series I regularly read, I will look at it and how it fits in the bigger picture – did it progress the story, can it be read stand-alone, is it a critical piece of the pie???