scoring

 

The Three Parts of a Score

Every book reviewed will be scored using three parts:

1. GOE (Grade of Execution)

2. PCS (Program Components Score)

3. Total Score (Final Impression)

1. GOE (Grade of Execution)

GOE measures how well the book is executed.

In skating, GOE is applied to elements to reward clean execution or penalize mistakes. For books, I'll be using GOE in the same way. This will be applied to how well the plot was executed — i.e., whether tropes were used correctly, plot points were fully fleshed out, or I was left with questions or plot holes that disrupted my reading experience. If you're wondering how in the world this is going to make sense, let me explain it in terms of star ratings.

+3 GOE is about 5 stars. I had zero complaints about the plot; all tropes were executed beautifully, and some things were even unexpected (in a good way).  +2 GOE is about 4 1/2 or 4 stars. The plot was great, and I had a great time, but it didn't shock or surprise me.

+1 GOE is about 3 1/2 stars. It was good, but some plot points didn't make sense or felt rushed. 

 0 GOE is about 3 stars. It was just okay. Nothing major to complain about, but things were definitely rushed or missing. 

-1 GOE is about 2 stars. There are noticeable plot holes or points that disrupted my reading experience. 

-2 GOE is about 1 star. The execution was poor, and I struggled to get through it.

-3 GOE is 0 stars. This would be reserved for a DNF. 

2. PCS (Program Components Score)

In skating, PCS measures things like composition, performance, and interpretation. For books, PCS is more of the vibe. PCS reflects how strong the storytelling is overall, even if execution isn’t perfect. Sometimes a book is so good vibe-wise, I don't care if the plot isn't great, ya know?

PCS is rated on a scale of below 6.0 to 10.0. In terms of star ratings, it'll look like this:

10.0-9.0: 5 stars

8.9-7.9: 4 stars

7.9-6.9: 3 stars

6.9-6.0: 2 stars

Below 6.0: 1 star

3. Total Score: The Final Impression

The Total Score combines GOE and PCS into one overall judgment— so, execution and vibes.

A book can:

• Have a high PCS but low GOE (beautiful ideas, not so great execution - think Carreria/Ponomarenko 2024 FD - they didn't score the best technically that season, but those vibes....)

• Have a high GOE but average PCS (well written, but not very fun - think Fear/Gibson 2019 RD - they scored high technically, but it was lacking a sort of vibe, resulting in a lower PCS score.)

• Score well overall by balancing both (think Virtue/Moir 2018 FD - everyone remembers where they were. Goes viral every so often. Showstopping, incredible, 10/10). 

The total score represents the book’s final impression.