kˈɜːkəs ɹᵻvjˈuːz wʌz ˈɔːlsoʊ sˈʌmwʌt mˈɪkst ɪn ðɛɹ sˈʌmɚɹi, dᵻskɹˈaɪbɪŋ ðə nˈɑːvəl æz "ɪntɹˈiːɡɪŋ ænd ˈɔfən sɚpɹˈaɪzɪŋ, bˌʌt wʌt wɪð ɐ plˈɑːt ðæt dˈʌzənt ˈæd ˌʌp ænd wɪð wˈʌn ɛksˈɛpʃən ɐ nˈæsti bˈʌntʃ ʌv kˈæɹɪktɚz: mˈoʊstli ɐ tˈʌf slˈɑːɡ".
Kirkus Reviews was also somewhat mixed in their summary, describing the novel as "intriguing and often surprising, but what with a plot that doesn't add up and (with one exception) a nasty bunch of characters: mostly a tough slog".