Word Count
The total number of words in each book. This gives a concrete sense of the book's size, from a short story to a lengthy novel.
Compare 2 or 3 books
Search this site's catalog and put books side by side. The tool compares measurable metadata and text statistics so you can see practical differences without turning them into a subjective quality ranking.
Choose books
Start typing a title or author. You can compare up to three books.
Searching…
What this comparison can tell you
The Compare tool puts the catalog's books side by side, letting you see word counts, reading times, and structural details at a glance. This can help you choose between similar titles or decide how many books to tackle in a given period.
The median word count across the catalog is about 80,000 words, and the median reading time is roughly 350 minutes. Individual books vary widely, so comparing them directly can be useful.
Reading Minutes
An estimate of how long the book takes to read, based on a typical reading speed of about 230 words per minute. This helps you plan your reading time.
Text Sections
The number of chapters or sections in the book. A higher number can indicate a more segmented structure, which might make the book easier to read in short sessions.
Comparing Books by the Numbers That Matter
The Compare Books tool places two or three titles next to each other, revealing the structural differences that shape a reading experience. It does not judge quality; it simply shows measurable facts — word count, estimated reading time, text sections, sentence flow, chapter rhythm, and subjects. For a reader deciding between two novels, these numbers can clarify what kind of commitment each book demands.
Length and Time: The Obvious First Glance
Word count and estimated reading time are the most immediate points of comparison. The House of Mirth — Background and Themes, for example, contains 137,123 words and is estimated to take 597 minutes to read. Brother Jacob — Background and Themes, by contrast, is a much shorter work at 20,164 words and about 88 minutes. That difference — roughly six and a half hours versus an hour and a half — changes how you plan your reading sessions.
These numbers also affect whether a book fits into a particular reading window. A reader with limited daily time might prefer the shorter option, while someone embarking on a longer project might choose the more substantial novel. The comparison makes this trade-off explicit rather than leaving it to guesswork.
Sections and Chapters: The Rhythm of Stops
Text sections and chapter rhythm reveal how a book is divided, which influences how easy it is to find a natural pause. The House of Mirth has 31 text sections, while Brother Jacob has only 4. That means the Wharton novel offers far more frequent stopping points, which can be helpful for readers who read in short increments. The Eliot story, with its few sections, may require longer continuous reading sessions or a willingness to stop mid-chapter.
Chapter rhythm, categorized as low, middle, or high, provides a quick label for this aspect. A book with a high chapter count might feel more episodic, while one with a low count may feel more continuous. Neither is superior; the right choice depends on your reading habits.
Sentence Flow and Subjects: Texture and Theme
Average sentence length, shown as sentence flow, gives a sense of the prose's pace. The House of Mirth averages 21.7 words per sentence, whereas Brother Jacob averages 25.6 — a noticeable difference in how the text moves. Longer sentences can feel more leisurely or dense, while shorter ones often feel snappier. This metric is descriptive, not evaluative; it simply helps you anticipate the reading experience.
Subjects, meanwhile, reveal thematic overlaps and differences. Both The House of Mirth and Brother Jacob are in the Historical Social Novels category, but their subject labels diverge: the former includes 'Psychological fiction' and 'Social classes,' while the latter includes 'Impostors and imposture' and 'Brothers.' Seeing these side by side can confirm whether a book matches your interests before you commit.