The book was notable because it gave English-language speakers access to new work in the fields of dichromatic and polychromatic symmetry.

Shubnikov's book Symmetry and antisymmetry of finite figures (Russian: Симметрия и антисимметрия конечных фигур) originally published in 1951.

Allen Nussbaum in American Scientist praised the editor for constructing a consistent story from the original works, but criticised the papers in part two for being difficult to read.

"[13] R.J. Davis in a brief review in Mineralogical Magazine said "this book is therefore unique in English and forms an essential introduction to modern developments in symmetry theory.

Shephard in their book Tilings and patterns[16] the work of the Russian color symmetry school led by A.V.

Schwarzenberger, and Grünbaum and Shephard, give credit to Shubnikov and Belov for relaunching the field of color symmetry after the work of Heinrich Heesch and H.J.