[7] The New York Times' Michelle Goldberg described the memoir as a "rich, arresting and ultimately generous investigation of [Faludi's] father",[3] while The Guardian's Claire Harman called it a "remarkable, moving and courageous book".

"[8] NPR's Maureen Corrigan noted that the book "seems like especially pertinent reading in these, our own dark times, when questions of identity keep coming to the fore, as matters of life and death.

"[9] Entertainment Weekly's Tina Jordan gave the memoir an "A−" rating, concluding that: "It’s a gripping and honest personal journey—bolstered by reams of research—that ultimately transcends family and addresses much bigger questions of identity and reinvention.

[12] In a rare lukewarm review, USA Today's Sharon Peters gave the book two stars out of four, concluding that: "In the end, though, In the Darkroom fails to shed real light.

[15] In the Darkroom also found a wide international audience and has been translated into multiple foreign languages, including Spanish, Italian, German, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Turkish, Dutch, and Chinese.