I was casually doomscrolling threads a couple of nights ago (like we all do) and I came across this post
There are some pretty bold claims and from the comments, people were not shy.
So is it true? Have readers stopped thinking critically… or are we confusing “critical reading” with “not enjoying yourself”?
Having read ACOTAR when it was first released in 2015 I can say with confidence that there is no fandom more critical of ACOTAR than fans of ACOTAR. Everytime I open threads there’s a new debate about Tamlin/Nesta/Rhysand, plot holes of the series and my personal favourite fan theories. I’d go as far as to say that ACOTAR is a brilliant example of how people have critically engaged with a story, even if those same readers still give the series five stars.
The same can be said for the other books mentioned, from Fourth Wing to Quicksilver you can easily find many discussions and open discourse, whether its plot holes, character development or just celebrating the story out there.
Critical Thinking vs Personal Ratings
The biggest flaw in the post is that it’s treating critical analysis and personal ratings as though they’re interchangeable.
When you read critically you look at:
- Does the ending make sense?
- Is the character development believable?
- Does world-building work?
When you are rating something, you ask different questions:
- Did I enjoy it?
- Would I recommend it?
- Would I read it again?
These are two very different things. I’ve read books where the writing was questionable, the situations in the book were far fetched and I’ve still given it 5 stars but I loved it not because it was a masterpiece of literature but because the vibes were high. On the other hand I’ve read beautifully written books that were so boring I could have fallen asleep and rated it 2 stars
Critical analysis asks “How well does this book achieve what it’s trying to do?” A personal rating asks “How much did I enjoy spending time with it?”
Critical Thinking and Emotional Impact.
The argument that we shouldn’t just be reading for entertainment is flawed. Reading for me is a hobby. It’s fun getting lost in a world that isn’t mine, do I rate a book on vibes… hell yes, I do, because this argument has forgotten a very important part of reading, the emotional impact. People love to treat emotion as though its less valuable than analysis but that is a key part of reading, if a book makes you cry, laugh, or stay awake until 2am those are meaningful responses.
While critical engagement allows us to take a step back and look at a book’s underlying message, emotional impact is what is creating that deep, empathic connection to what is happening on the page. These two things are what makes reading a rich immersive experience.
What your brain is doing when you read
Even so-called “turn your brain off” reading is cognitively active. Neuroscience tells us something fascinating about reading fiction. Your brain doesn’t simply decode words on a page. It builds a mental simulation of the events you’re reading. Language areas process the text, sensory regions activate when scenes are vividly described, motor areas respond to actions, and networks involved in empathy help us understand characters’ emotions. Reading isn’t your brain switching off. It’s your brain constructing an entire world.
So even when we’re reading purely for escapism, our brains are anything but switched off.
Reading is a form of media/entertainment
I don’t think that anyone has forgotten that reading is a form of media/Entertainment. I do think the argument that books should be analyzed and engaged with by the audience interesting. Arguably reading a book and writing a review, whether you rate it for vibes or not, is still a form of engagement right?
I do agree with one part of the post though, books should absolutely be engaged with. But engagement wears many faces, it doesn’t only look like writing an essay. Debating theories, arguing over the plot, leaving a review or even recommending a book. They all count as engagement.
Final thoughts
I think the post has combined 3 different ideas:
- reading critically
- reading with comprehension
- rating a book
They’re related, but they aren’t interchangeable.
Perhaps the problem isn’t that readers have stopped thinking critically, maybe it’s that we are judging how people engage with books as not academic enough.
Rating book 5 stars doesn’t always mean it was perfect. Sometimes it’s because it made us feel something and that has been true for as long as stories have been told.
The beautiful thing about reading is that it can be thoughtful and entertaining at the same time. And after all isn’t that why stories stay with us long after we have turned the last page?
Books & Other Pursuits 