[2] She has cited Jean-Patrick Manchette and John le Carré as inspirations for the book, along with time spent with performance artists in the 1980s.
[3] The main character Sadie is based on the real-life events surrounding Eric McDavid's arrest and the UK undercover police officer Mark Kennedy.
The magazine's critical summary reads: "This fun, highbrow thriller should have broad appeal and “consolidates Kushner’s status as one of finest novelists working in the English language” (New York Times)".
[10][5] M. John Harrison, also writing in The Guardian, praised Kushner's characterization of Sadie, describing the character as "complex and fascinating.
"[11] Dwight Garner, writing in The New York Times, described the novel as an improvement over Kushner's previous works and noted the integration of philosophy and historical flashbacks into the story.