Mediocre books being popular

[Anonymous]

I am starting The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and see it's a 3.76 on Goodreads but the waitlist at MCPL is nearly 300 people long. I have seen popular books get not great ratings many times. What causes these books to become popular? Was it because Obama put it on his favorite books list (does he really read these books?)

[Anonymous]

This isn't new, OP. It's been happening since the dawn of storytelling. Same for songs. Same for other art. The great stories, art and music are the ones that stand the test of time.

I was rather happy when my teen, after a year of binging YA novels, finally told me they were all trash. She's starting to read some classics and now sees the difference.

[Anonymous]

Not all readers use Goodreads.

[Anonymous]

Also if they're just easy to read.

I'll cop to hate reading all of the Bridgerton books. Sometimes really something a bit terrible has it's own satisfaction. Like watching a silly B movie.

[Anonymous]

BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

[Anonymous]

I’ve noticed this as well. There’s a certain type of book needed for book clubs (something that can be discussed) - so those types of books become popular. But it doesn’t mean they are good books. Often I find them to be extremely mediocre. I wish there were a book club that discussed non-fiction more as those are books that can lead to discussion. But fiction books - hard to find ones that lend themselves to discussion (if you’re not an English professor/major).

[Anonymous]

Colleen Hoover to the max.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BookTok (the original site that got younger readers reading Colleen Hoover, as an example) type videos are now all over Instagram and even Facebook. A lot of regular readers are driving reading right now.

I've also noticed that a lot of reader promoted books are diversity and/or progressive pushes, more than simply a great reads.

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am starting The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and see it's a 3.76 on Goodreads but the waitlist at MCPL is nearly 300 people long. I have seen popular books get not great ratings many times. What causes these books to become popular? Was it because Obama put it on his favorite books list (does he really read these books?)

Literary books don't always get the highest ratings on Goodreads, and I would put The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny in this category. It was in the NYT's top 10 books of 2025.

[Anonymous]

People like an easy read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People like an easy read.

And that's totally fine.

There's lots of popular literature that I could not force myself to read, and I'm sure true literary snobs would look down on things I've enjoyed. If people read and get something out of it, all good as far as I'm concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am starting The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and see it's a 3.76 on Goodreads but the waitlist at MCPL is nearly 300 people long. I have seen popular books get not great ratings many times. What causes these books to become popular? Was it because Obama put it on his favorite books list (does he really read these books?)

Literary books don't always get the highest ratings on Goodreads, and I would put The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny in this category. It was in the NYT's top 10 books of 2025.

+1
Good lit fiction often ends up with a 3-4 star rating. There may be exceptions, of course, but that's pretty normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People like an easy read.

And that's totally fine.

There's lots of popular literature that I could not force myself to read, and I'm sure true literary snobs would look down on things I've enjoyed. If people read and get something out of it, all good as far as I'm concerned.

100% The fact that people are reading is huge, engaging in a way that is different than reading social media. I am not reading nearly as much due to SM. It's like a drug!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People like an easy read.

And that's totally fine.

There's lots of popular literature that I could not force myself to read, and I'm sure true literary snobs would look down on things I've enjoyed. If people read and get something out of it, all good as far as I'm concerned.

I didn’t intend for that to sound judgmental. I respect readers, even if they choose different material than I might.

[Anonymous]

Are you implying The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is mediocre? I have not read it myself, but I am one of those waiting for a library copy.