This from Amazon. A reviewer offering appraisal of a first novel.

The problem with a lot of first novels is that they start off impressively (often with a terrific opening sentence or first page) and then kind of disintegrate after that. –Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

Lizy, can you guess my advice to you? Don’t whimper while you write. Chew your thoughts before spitting or swallowing. “Kind Of” weakens most thoughts, putting you on a side road instead of the main road.