# Book reviews vs. movie reviews **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-reviews-vs-movie-reviews/605975 "2011-12-13T02:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-reviews-vs-movie-reviews/605975/1 "2011-12-13T02:00:01Z")
It seems that, at least in my hometown paper, all movies are rated on a four- or five-star system, but books are given no ranking. Why aren’t books given stars? (I know they are rated with stars on Amazon by reader polls but I am wondering about reviews by professional reviewers in mainstream media.) ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-reviews-vs-movie-reviews/605975/2 "2011-12-13T03:47:56Z")
I would say it’s a high-brow/low-brow thing. Movie reviews in the _New Yorker_ and _New York Times_ do not have starred ratings. Book reviews in _Entertainment Weekly_ get a letter grade. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-reviews-vs-movie-reviews/605975/3 "2011-12-14T11:42:53Z")
Books tend to be more complex then films. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-reviews-vs-movie-reviews/605975/4 "2011-12-14T11:50:23Z")
Books are also more diverse in what they are trying to accomplish. If you’re reviewing an instructional book, a historical book, and a fiction book, does it really matter which one you enjoy most?