Instruct: Classify a given review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: A steaming pile of mediocrity

Augusten Burroughs is a so-so storyteller and a so-so writer. There's nothing exceptional about how he delivers a story, how he turns a phrase or creatively depicts situations and inner psychologies or character development. He doesn't make language his own. He just coasts on bitchiness.He uses the smokescreen of outrageousness to veil his lack of real talent. But when the scenarios he writes about become increasingly hard to swallow, as they consistently are in MAGICAL THINKING, you're just left with a steaming pile of mediocrity.