The "Critique of Monogatari" starts with a short review of chapters, characters, and impressive scenes of "The Tale of Genji," followed by discussions of tsukuri monogatari" (fictional tales) in the Heian Period, such as "Sagoromo Monogatari" (The Tale of Sagoromo), "Yowa no Nezame" (Awaken at the midnight), "Mitsu no Hamamatsu" (Hamamatsu Chunagon Monogatari [The Tale of Hamamatsu Chunagon]), and "Torikaebaya Monogatari" (The Changelings).
「物語批評」では源氏物語の各巻や登場人物、印象的な場面に関する短評を先頭に、『狭衣物語』『夜半の寝覚』『みつの浜松（浜松中納言物語）』『とりかへばや物語』ら中古の作り物語についての議論を交わす。