Nasty reviews are fun to read, usually because the fury inspires a more creative use of English than a mediocre or positive one. Two local auteurs have now exchanged jabs - Leah McLaren - the ostensible Carrie Bradshaw of the Globe and Mail - has just released a book called The Continuity Girl.

Ryan Bigge gives it a huge boo and hiss in the Star.

Why the rage?

The fine book bloggers at Quill and Quire remembered back in '01 when McLaren dissed Bigge in a review of his book A Very Lonely Planet.

Both books are about the moderate angsty-ness of twenty-something folks who are all relationship-baffled. I haven't read either, nor do I intend to - though I'm sure both titles have an audience.

It's the cattiness between the two I find more compelling. Star vs. Globe, Lonely Man vs. Baby-yearning Woman, Author/Columnist vs. Author/Columnist, Moderately Low Income vs. Moderately High Income.

You know they're totally going to end up together in a rom-com style twist. Then he won't be so lonely, and she'll get joyfully preggers, and maybe they can start writing a joint column about the moderate challenges facing people who can afford to send their pampered enfant to private day care and choosing the right SUV for the mean streets of Toronto after months of mommy yoga and daddy coaching.

Images courtesy of the theglobeandmail.com, and Artsandopinion.com