Writing this comment even before reading the actual review, just to say how much I appreciate *this*--this essay on reviews. I'm nodding my head vigorously at the points you make, especially about the fact that loving something doesn't mean you don't see the flaws. It's funny: we can see this about loving people (no one expects that loving a person means not seeing their flaws or loving their flaws [though sometimes those things can be true]), but apparently not so much when it comes to books? Or maybe people get derailed when there is a famously Big Flaw (or set of them) associated with a work--that fact becomes like a black hole into which people expect the conversation to have to be pulled.

And also, I very much agree--having had the experience--of being able to enjoy people's thoughts or insights into a work, even if I don't agree with them, but just for the quality of the insight and for the way of looking at the work.

Okay. Now I'll read the essay!