He further praised the writing style, noting, "Khalid is such a gifted commentator that his methods bear close examination [...] Brother Alive is neither a press bulletin nor a position paper.
[20] Publishers Weekly highlighted how "Khalid brilliantly reveals new shades of truth from each character’s point of view, and perfectly integrates the many ideas about capitalism and religious extremism into an enthralling narrative".
[21] The judges for the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses Firecracker Award for Fiction described the book as "...surreal, complex, puzzling, mind-expanding, imaginative, original, and presciently relevant to our times.
[25] On a similar note, Booklist's Terry Hong said the novel is "riotous with erudition" and that the "multilayered, nonlinear narrative turns unwieldy and ultimately disappointing as an exercise in sly cleverness rather than rewarding storytelling.
"[26] Kirkus Reviews called the novel "bulky" and "ambitious", noting that "Khalid has plenty to say about art, relationships, religion, and family [...] But the novel creaks from its overabundance of ambition [...] Whatever power Brother might have as a symbol for hidden lives and alternate existences is sapped by the busy plotting.