Is it correct -

A runs like B ?? (A = novel, B = apprentice work)

OR

A runs as B does

neither of these would be correct if "runs" is the verb. do you mean "reads"?

OPTION (A)
Originally published in 1950, Some Tame Gazelle was Barbara Pym’s first novel, but it (Barbara Pym’s first novel) does not read like an apprentice work.

over here is 'read' acting as a noun or verb??
for this option to be correct 'read' here should be a noun, else it would mean that 'the novel itself is performing the act of reading or not reading'
'....novel does not read like an apprentice work' (if read is a verb here, it personifies both novel and apprentice work)

Further to my understanding, 'does read' or 'reads' as noun would mean ' the work in the novel' which then would rightly be compared to 'an apprentice work'





in my opinion, 'does read' in (A) has same effect as 'Reads' in (E). I dont see why 'read' in "does not read'' (A) can be used as noun and 'reads' in (E) cannot be.

OPTION (E)
Originally published in 1950, Some Tame Gazelle was Barbara Pym’s first novel, but it (Barbara Pym’s first novel) reads unlike an apprentice work.

same issue as above in option (A)
only ''does not read like'' in (A) has been replaced by "reads unlike" in (E).

Since Option (E) is concise, it should be the prefered choice.

Please clarify

the person who is saying that “read” is a noun is wrong.



not true -- the word “read” works a lot like the word “look”. each of these verbs can refer to either (a) a person's action or (b) the way that an object appears to an observer. for instance,
i looked at john
john looked sad and tired
both of these sentences are correct.
the verb “read” behaves similarly. you can say “i want to read this book” (which works like the first illustration of “look”), but you can also send “this book does not read like an apprentice work” (which works like the second one).

i hope that clears up the issue.