Limning Reviews

The excellent blog of the National Book Critics Circle Board of Directors lists ten words and phrases that, they say, ought to be avoided by all book reviewers. Let's hope the Indian ones are listening:

1. "limns." 2. The construction: "Thanks to (this author),...." 3. "mordantly funny." 4. "Laugh out loud." 5. "By turns x and x" 6. Recipe sentences, i.e.: "Put a little Charles Olson, mix it with Charles Manson, and you'll get an idea..." 7. The adjective "insightful." 8. "It is a testament to..." 9. "Sophomore effort" 10. "more than the sum of its parts."