the feminist librarian reads

[Criticism is] not simply about what’s good or ‘bad.’ It’s about the ability to contextually evaluate work, considering who made it, when, and where. What sorts of goals were established at the start of the project, and whether they were realised. How it fits into the larger body of work in that field and genre. When someone writes a review of the latest Stephen King novel, it’s not just an assessment of whether the book is worth reading. It’s a complex cultural discussion, and one that interacts not just with other King books, but also with the horror genre, with criticism in general, with contemporary politics and society and culture.