Negative Positive
Title: Fumblin in Dublin
Review: In my humble opinion, this is a pretty dull book of criticism. Vendler's clear personal affection for Heaney--revealed by her familiar biographical detail and history teaching alongside the poet at Harvard--doesn't so much bias her critical approach as much as limit the reach of her inquiry.She's made up her mind so neatly, boxed her topoi up so tightly, that these essays feel more like a hermetic prescription than a platform from which to launch interesting criticism and discourse. One gets the feeling that a critic with more distance from her subject might produce fresher, more engaging criticism.Heaney's stunning work and Vendler's accomplished scholarship have both seen better settings.
Is the review positive or negative? 