One MeToo novel has too little humor, the other too much

When literature is defended, it is often said that it explores current issues in a way that only literature can: It adds “nuances,” “depth,” “perspectives,” and “reflection,” one says, without considering that these words are precisely what literature is fighting against, namely dead metaphors and abstract concepts. Especially when the books deal with current and important topics, this defense of literature is mobilized. Why should we read about…