In the same part of another book

While I was away, nineweaving asked what we look for in a book.

"What I read for, first of all, is voice. Do I want to hear more of this rant, chant, whisper, Tuvan throat music, kazoo? If not, farewell."

she said, and I was about to leap in with a comment, and say yes, of course, voice is what does it, and then story, and, as lnhammer comments, to find out what happens next, and... Go read the original post, and then read all the comments on it, it's all excellent stuff.

But the more I tried to formulate my own list, the more I began to feel that it doesn't work like that: ( For two reasons )

Meanwhile papersky considers not what, or why, but how we read.