Kirkus Reviews was positive, calling the book "a tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem". Publishers Weekly and Library Journal also had positive reviews, saying Brooks "packs his plot with action, information, and atmosphere, and captures both the foibles and the heroism of his characters", and that it was a "creative and well-executed conceit" that would also appeal to "those who appreciate nonfiction survival stories". The Washington Post was negative, with the review titled "A great Bigfoot novel may be lurking out there. Max Brooks's 'Devolution' isn't it." USA Today gave it a mixed review, saying it was "ambitious mishmash of individually interesting pieces. Not quite sharp enough for compelling satire, a little too sneering for effective horror, it will find plenty of readers among devotees of Brooks, but will be a miss for most general readers." American gun enthusiast and self-defense instructor Massad Ayoob reviewed the book, concluding that it presented a good case for firearms ownership. References Further reading American books Mount Rainier in fiction Novels set in Washington (state) Bigfoot in popular culture Books about the COVID-19 pandemic Survival fiction 2020 science fiction novels 2020s horror novels Del Rey books