Written partly during Aber's studies in New York City, the book's poems contend with, among other things, historical events in Afghanistan such as the Soviet–Afghan War and the funding of the Afghan mujahideen.

"[6] Similarly, The Los Angeles Review of Books stated that "If documentary witness shows us what is, Aber’s is a lyric witness—summoning the conditional and counterfactual as constitutive components of the present.

"[7] The Kenyon Review found that "A sharp morality directs this collection, demonstrating the speaker’s power in her ability to understand and relay the complexity of her position in global conflicts.

"[8] The Bind stated that "The poems range impressively from zoomed out catalogues of US military interventions to focused considerations of how the political impacts family and the displaced self.

"[11] The Atticus Review observed Aber's "deep love" for "her mother, family, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke ... and the many people of Afghanistan—those who brave the war and those who are in exile, their compass pointed toward home.