Good books: In defence of competent, but not quite great novels

There's much to be said for indulging in so-called beach reads, airport novels and cosy mysteries, as well as mid-list fiction or other volumes written to make you turn the pages. (Photo via Pixabay/Pexels)

Nowadays, it seems that everything can be slotted into either epic and mind-blowing or vanilla and predictable. Works of fiction are no different: everyone wants their next read to be a life-changing experience and not a quickly-forgotten encounter. Yet, there's much to be said for indulging in work that falls short of greatness but remains perfectly enjoyable.

These could be so-called beach reads, airport novels and cosy mysteries, as well as mid-list fiction or other volumes written to make you turn the pages. Literary snobs often judge the rest for picking up such books, dismissing them as too popular, cheesy, or commercial. Without denying the worth of critical acclaim and literary merit, that isn’t an especially productive stance to take.

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In a recent blog post, Book Riot’s Danika Ellis weighs in on the merits of listening to audiobooks that are “just okay”, those to which she would give a three-star rating. In an aside, she extends this to print books, too. “They may not be perfectly crafted or thought provoking,” she writes, but they’re fun, “and there’s something freeing about not having to take them too seriously”.

Such reading provides a familiar pleasure. It doesn’t demand a lot of your brain, says Ellis, so “you can rest and recover mentally, just like you can’t exercise all the time”. Competent novels, with their familiar tropes and predictable narratives, offer effortless immersion. Often, they tend to be shorter, faster reads, not getting in the way of busy schedules. Think of them as literary comfort food, satisfying basic narrative needs without the complexity of a Michelin-starred meal.

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In a sense, the act of going through such work can be seen as thumbing a nose at the concept of reading as a productive and extractive activity in an achievement-obsessed world. Not all reading needs to be carried out to learn how to get ahead; not every book needs to be a manual for maximising output. This ethic is where the misguided notion of a “guilty pleasure” originates, and it’s time to reclaim the pleasure without the guilt.

Contrarian views apart, not-so-great novels can sometimes act as gateways to new genres. They provide a low-risk entry point, allowing readers to experiment with the unfamiliar without investing significant time or emotional energy. If the genre sparks interest, they can move on to critically acclaimed works within that category – in science fiction and fantasy, for instance.

Occasionally, a seemingly “meh” novel can also surprise us. A character arc resonates unexpectedly, a plot twist catches us off guard, or a turn of phrase sparks a reflection. Such concealed treasures are another reminder that sometimes, rewarding discoveries can lie hidden in plain sight.

In the same vein, some novels, while not exceptional in terms of merit, may hold cultural or historical significance. They can provide insights into another time period or society, serving as windows into the past as well as unfamiliar cultures and places.

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Middling works of fiction can also help to hone your critical eye. When you compare “good enough” novels with the ones that critics rave about, you're basically training your own inner critic. You’ll get answers to questions of what makes one story more gripping than another, or what makes a book go from just okay to terrific. One example is the quality of the prose itself: are the sentences clunky and cliched or fresh and original? Over time, the ironic result of this could well be that you lose your taste for the pedestrian – which is fine, too.

The next time that inner voice nags at you when you’re reaching for a beach read instead of the Pulitzer Prize winner, ignore it. Indulge instead in the unpretentious pleasures and familiar comforts of the less-than-great. Wallow in the mental break they offer, look through their portals to new worlds, and find out for yourself what moves you when reading. A book that entertains, relaxes, or sparks your curiosity is never truly “bad” and sometimes, the most rewarding pleasures aren’t to be found on shelves of acclaimed volumes.

Also read: Why readers leave books unfinished