Price was inspired to write the novel after the 2014 East Harlem gas explosion, which caused multiple buildings to collapse and killed eight people.

[5] Associated Press opined that the novel benefited from Price's screenwriting experience, noting that the character shifts were easy to follow and praising the unconventional story structure.

[6] The Boston Globe wrote that the book's characters were diverse and that the novel highlighted the "racial and religious identities" present in New York City.

[7] The Los Angeles Times and The San Francisco Chronicle concurred, with the former complimenting the novel's dialogue and the latter naming Price "the bard of everyday life in America.

[12] The Washington Post's review, written by Ron Charles, praised the novel's structure and Price's writing for giving each character an individual voice.