The Bloomsbury Companion to Stylistics

With its historical emphasis, comprehensive coverage of some spheres, and innovative exploration of various issues, The Bloomsbury Companion to Stylistics, the first companion in the field, constitutes an important contribution to this interdiscipline, which is developing with new impetus in the twenty-first century. The companion consists of four parts: "The Discipline of Stylistics," "Theoretical Approaches and Research Methods," "Current Areas of Research," and "Genres and Periods." This essay analyzes the emphasis and characteristics of each part, pointing out in what ways the investigation is valuable and innovative, and in what ways certain parts of the discussion leave room for improvement. The essay also tries to clarify some relevant issues, such as the relation between stylistics and narratology and how the distinction among stylistic approaches is based on different criteria.A&HCIBOOK REVIEW188-1005