Literary criticism is interpretation and analysis of literature. For example, an essay about the role of symbolism in A Rose for Emily would be considered literary criticism. Literary criticism typically evaluates the content and/or quality of a work of literature; it is not a summary. You will find literary criticism in academic journals and books.

Use the links to the following databases to search for criticism and reviews of literature, poetry and other works of fiction. These are generally considered secondary sources.

For more contemporary works, you may need to search a broader pool of resources. Reviews in magazines and newspapers can be found by searching the following: