I defer to no one

Except Norm, who links to this guide to book review-ese that includes a helpful glossary of literary euphemisms. A sample:

Exquisite sensibility Gay.

Veiled sensibility Closet gay.

Shot through with mordant wit This phrase tends to be used by reviewers to describe books written by other reviewers. It means:

“Extremely nasty, but I don’t want this bastard to work me over next.”