“However,” I proceeded, “instead of uniting them, she pits those loves against each other with words often chosen as much or more for her fondness for quirky diction than for their precise meanings. There’s a lot of showing off in these pages, a lot of energy given over to charming the reader, to flirting with him. And as I’m sure all of you know, flirting can be enjoyable for both the flirter and the flirtee. Still, at some point flirtation must come to an end and real lovemaking, again if you will, if you’ll grant me the analogy, must begin. Otherwise, for the reader anyway, the result — to put it as generously as possible — is frustration. On the other hand,” I was quick to add, “to commit these particular sins requires considerable talent. But let’s deal with the specifics …”
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