The reviewer finds Martin Amis's 'The War Against Cliché' to be a mix of brilliant insights and overly competitive criticism. While Amis's wit and humor shine in some essays, his tendency to ridicule and lack of restraint in literary criticism detract from the book's overall impact.
Martin Amis's 'The War Against Cliché' is a collection of essays that showcases his sharp wit and incisive criticism. The reviewer appreciates Amis's ability to highlight the ridiculous in books and his entertaining prose. However, the book often feels more like a competitive game than a serious critique, with Amis's humor sometimes overshadowing his insights. His essays on serious authors demand more sincerity and restraint, which are often lacking. While Amis is brilliant and entertaining, his lack of reserve and tendency to ridicule detract from the book's overall impact. The reviewer concludes that Amis is more suited to being a creative writer than a disinterested critic.
Quick quotes
Amis for the most part emerges as the writer he wants to be — fresh, incisive, illuminating.
His sense of humor is a perilous asset, though, and leads him to reduce and ridicule all too often, even where sobriety and reserve are indicated.
He is brilliant, keen, and enterprising. He reacts with vitality and enthusiasm to literature.