This is a good quality composition book. I've found that regardless of brand, the binding is a little stiff and you have to push the book down a bit to flatten the page you're writing on. That's just the nature of a composition book. But in other aspects, I find the Mead composition book to be of higher quality. The pages are a nice thickness; writing doesn't show through the other side. The pages are crisp and bright with distinct lines. Tearing out a page was slightly easier than the store brand books I've used, but it still wasn't a clean tear. The cover is pretty sturdy and protects the pages well. It's easy to transport and overall a great notebook.