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The sentence contrasts “stylistic brilliance” with a negative trait of the plot: “predictable” and lacking suspense. The blank must convey conventionality or routine. “Formulaic” means produced according to a fixed formula, lacking originality—precisely the sense required. “Enigmatic” means mysterious, the opposite of predictable. “Labyrinthine” suggests extremely complex, not predictable. “Capricious” implies erratic or unpredictable; this again contradicts the stated “predictable.” On GRE Verbal, key is to link clues like “predictable manner without suspense” to a synonym that captures “conventional, unoriginal.” Plugging in “formulaic” yields: “faulted its plot for being formulaic, unfolding in a predictable manner without genuine suspense,” which flows logically. Wrong answers often tempt with “difficult” or “unusual” words but must be rejected if they clash with context.