Reviewers considered that the anthology "has the characteristics of a classic. .. it is a book that will be definitive and delightful for many years to come"; it "not only adds to our knowledge of specific writers, but changes our understanding of surrealist art." In her introduction, Rosemont disputes some commonly held misconceptions about surrealism, including that it was sexist and did not encourage women's participation. Instead, she presents a case that "surrealism was both accepting of and tremendously influenced by women members", and their obscurity was due to critics, not male members of the surrealist movement.
Reviewers considered that the anthology "has the characteristics of a classic. .. it is a book that will be definitive and delightful for many years to come"; it "not only adds to our knowledge of specific writers, but changes our understanding of surrealist art." In her introduction, Rosemont disputes s.ome commonly held misconceptions about surrealism, including t:hat it was sexist and did not encourage women's participation. Instead, she presents a case that "surrealism was both accepting of and tremendously influenced by women members", and their obscurity was due to critics, not male members of the surrealist movement.