I would more accurately give this book 3 1/2 stars ...I am a firm believer in Candlestick charting - not because it is foolproof, and not for some mystical ancient timeless qualities it possesses in predicting stocks.
The simple fact is, it is much easier to recognise patterns by looking at a "candle" rather than looking at the western plot (which I find visually confusing, especially if the graphs are cramped). Using candlesticks has its flaws but overall I think it is a good way to view price data.
The book: a bit light, however substantially more depth than anything I have found for free on the web, and I have found a lot. The book takes a pattern, shows you what is likely to happen next, explains deviations from normal and also tells you to what degree confirmation recommended. It is easy to use as reference.
It gave me enough information to create my own computerised candlestick recognition software .. the book also contains statistics from their own software, e.g the percentage of times they found "hammers" or "doji" patterns - this was interesting.
I chose this book over the work by Nison because it was 1. cheaper and 2. it was recommended on an investor site as being better organised than Nisons' work ... and it is very well organised. Also nobody really grilled it in a review.
However, I still plan to purchase the books by Nison to expand my understanding ... that does not mean this is a bad book, I just want more information. I would want an entire book just on the fascinating history of the ancient inventor of candlesticks, Sakata, what a character. I would not mind reading a translation of his work. Also I would like more insights into the psychological interpretations.
I recommend taking a look at this book and at Nisons', and deciding then. It is quite a good book. But don't expect any one book to give you everything you need to become a successful trader, that will take perspective, experience and a watchful eye.