[1] In 2021, while working for Twitter in the product development field, Gao decided to write and publish a short comic talking about life in Wuhan as a response to the beginning to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted the city's lockdown, and the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings.

They concluded by praising the Gao's illustrations and Xu's coloring, and called Messy Roots "[a] nuanced representation of being Asian and transnational in the contemporary U.S."[6] For the School Library Journal, Elise Martinez said: "A tender story of self-acceptance that lifts the story of Wuhan beyond COVID and shines light on a region with a rich culture and history.

"[5] Publishers Weekly gave Messy Roots a starred review and opened by saying Gao's debut graphic novel is "fresh, frank, and tender".

They praised the book's narrative, noting the various parallels between China's culture and history and the author as a queer Chinese American.

"[7] Jerry Dear, reviewing for The Horn Book, commented on how "Gao personalizes her experiences with insight and humor", and said Messy Roots is a "candid depiction of the universal search for one’s place in the world.