[4] Kirkus referred to the novel as "a chilling, atmospheric story that will haunt readers with its descriptions of a desolate terrain and Sig’s difficult decisions."

Publishers Weekly called Revolver a "intense survival story ... propelled by a relentless sense of danger and bone-chilling cold."

Their review highlighted how Sedgwick "gracefully weav[es] in sources as diverse as the Old Testament story of Job and an 1896 ad for the revolver," noting that these references, as well as the author's skill at plot development, "lures ... readers into deeper thinking.

"[4] Mary Hoffman, writing for The Guardian, noted that while "Revolver is a very short book, ... it's not slight: the issue of whether violence is ever unavoidable is both topical and difficult, and this deceptively simple story raises enormous questions.

"[5] The audiobook received a starred review from School Library Journal, who said the narrator, Peter Berkrot, "chillingly and expertly brings to life Marcus Sedgwick's short, yet intense mystery.