It was longlisted for the Booker Prize[1] and won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Adult Fiction.

[5] She did not originally intend to write a novel,[6] and after completing the first chapter, Zhang stopped working on the project for a period of time.

[26] Alexis Burling, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, called the author's prose "exquisitely crafted," saying that "Zhang captures not only the mesmeric beauty and storied history of America’s sacred landscape, but also the harsh sacrifices countless people were forced to make in hopes of laying claim to its bounty.

"[3] NPR's Annalisa Quinn provided a mixed review, stating, "Zhang's style can be densely, airlessly lovely.

[32] The audiobook, narrated by Catherine Ho and Joel de la Fuente, received a starred review from Booklist's Jane Philbrick, who stated, "The discrimination the family experiences brings an almost constant feeling of danger; Ho leans into its menace by emphasizing slurs, threats, or speeding through the adrenaline of violence.