I am looking for an explanation, with examples and citations, of the attitudes of professional literary critics1 in established publications2 towards published fiction3 involving a closed time loop4.
A preference is given for literature that is Western European or American in origin, published between 1900 and 1999, and with an emphasis on poor critical reception where possible, or an explanation of bad practice where it is found.
The intention is to compare and contrast overall patterns and attitudes within the field of literary criticism, and to determine where boundaries form between critique of a closed time loop as a plot device and critique of the execution of a closed time loop as a plot device.
This is a question about literary criticism, not about any given franchise or fictional world.
1 A critic who is paid on a regular basis to review literature, as opposed to an Amazon review from a purchaser.
2 A paid-for publication such as a newspaper or periodical specializing in genre fiction, as opposed to a consumer review on a shopping site.
3 A piece of literary fiction that is selected and edited by an established publisher and/or distributor through conventional retail channels, as opposed to a fan-fiction on an ad supported website.
4 An event with no clear beginning or end, or where the effect of the event feeds into its cause creating an unbroken cycle.
