Goodreads, once the top online community for book lovers, has become a story of missed opportunities and decline. Since Amazon bought the platform in 2013, it has faced criticism for its outdated design, poor moderation, and growing user frustration. Scandals like the Cait Corrain incident have only added to its problems, leaving both authors and readers unhappy with the platform.
Outdated Design and Frustrated Users
“The beige aesthetic, the clunky interface, the slowness of the search feature—it all feels like a relic of the early internet,” said The Walrus. Despite being owned by Amazon, Goodreads feels stuck in the past. The platform’s five-star rating system hasn’t changed, even though users want more options. Its app is also buggy and unreliable, frustrating readers.
“Goodreads hasn’t been all that well maintained, or updated, or kept up with what you would expect from social communities or apps in 2023,” said publishing consultant Jane Friedman. For a platform with 125 million users in 2022, Goodreads’ lack of improvement is hard to ignore.
Moderation Problems and Scandals
Goodreads’ culture has become a problem. Review-bombing—where users flood a book’s page with negative reviews—is common. “Goodreads has enabled the weaponization of displeasure,” said The New York Times. Authors are often targets of these attacks.
The Cait Corrain scandal shows how bad it has gotten. Corrain, a debut author, used fake Goodreads accounts to give one-star reviews to other authors’ books. When caught, she created a fake chat to blame someone else, but later confessed to having a “complete psychological breakdown.” Her book was canceled, and her career is likely over.
“The lack of effective moderation has turned Goodreads into a battleground,” wrote The Walrus. Even bestselling authors like Elizabeth Gilbert have been hurt—her novel The Snow Forest was pulled after it was review-bombed for being set in Russia. Goodreads’ minimal oversight has made these problems worse.
Amazon’s Role in Goodreads’ Decline
Goodreads’ problems are tied to its parent company, Amazon. The platform pushes popular titles through algorithms, making reading feel like a chore. “Your ‘to-read’ list becomes an endless obligation,” noted The Walrus.
Amazon’s reputation hasn’t helped. Controversies, like Jeff Bezos halting The Washington Post’s tradition of endorsing presidential candidates, have frustrated readers. Bezos’ praise for Donald Trump after his election win only added to the backlash against Goodreads.
Can Alternatives Take Over?
As Goodreads struggles, platforms like The StoryGraph, BookSloth, and Libib are stepping in. These platforms offer modern features like half-star ratings, personalized recommendations, and better community engagement.
“Letterboxd has succeeded where Goodreads hasn’t,” said The Walrus, comparing Goodreads to the popular movie-discussion site. But while these alternatives are promising, none have yet matched Goodreads’ size or influence.
Is Goodreads Worth Saving?
Goodreads’ issues may seem overwhelming, but it’s possible to still right the ship. It all starts with people—bringing in more human moderators to actively monitor and manage the platform’s activity. With better moderation, updated features, and clearer policies, Goodreads could become a much better space for everyone involved.
Despite its many flaws, I still see the value in what Goodreads represents: a place where readers can connect and share their love of books. As other social platforms continue to lose their appeal, this is one worth fighting for. If Goodreads doesn’t evolve, though, it’s at risk of becoming nothing more than a relic of what it once was.
An avid book reader and proud library card holder, Angela is new to the world of e-Readers. She has a background in education, emergency response, fitness, loves to be in nature, traveling and exploring. With an honours science degree in anthropology, Angela also studied writing after graduation. She has contributed work to The London Free Press, The Gazette, The Londoner, Best Version Media, Lifeliner, and Citymedia.ca.
