I want to talk about the experience of reading a book that a person you love hated. You know before you start that you're going to have a conversation about divergent readings, which is a specific kind of anticipation. You're reading the book and also reading your friend's relationship to the book.

The best version of this experience: a friend who hated Wuthering Heights gave it to me with her annotations. Her annotations were furious — questions about Heathcliff's behavior, incredulity at the narrative frame, frustration with Catherine. Reading her annotations alongside the text was a richer experience than reading the text alone.

Annotations of disagreement are a form of criticism that doesn't get enough credit. They're immediate, personal, and genuine in a way that formal reviews often aren't.