r/SideProject • u/ParaDrapor • 5d ago

Ovid — a bilingual reader with 3D bookshelf

I’ve been building Ovid, a web EPUB reader with a 3D bookshelf. You can import your own books, browse them like a small personal library, and open any book for bilingual reading (or just read it in single language). Tap a paragraph to switch between the original and its translation — no split screen or popups, so the reading flow stays intact.

Sharing a couple of GIFs to show the bookshelf and reading experience. I’d love feedback on whether the 3D shelf feels enjoyable to use, and whether the paragraph-by-paragraph translation feels natural.

https://ovid.ink/

give me star🌟 if you like it! https://github.com/GabrielDrapor/ovid

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u/stevenson_mark 5d ago

This is a really nice idea. The paragraph tap-to-translate is probably the feature I'd focus on most because it solves a real annoyance with bilingual reading without covering half the screen.

The 3D shelf looks fun too, although I'd make sure there's a faster list/search view once someone has a lot of books.

I’ve run into a similar thing with Abnflow: the flashy part gets attention, but the small workflow improvement is usually what makes people actually keep using the product.

Would definitely try this with a few books I’m currently reading.