[4] Pardlo's poems specifically employ the notion of spectral evidence in order to observe modern-day prejudicial projection with regard to both race and gender, citing cases such as the killing of Michael Brown and the 1985 MOVE bombing.

Moving between past and present, Pardlo's poems weave a racial genealogy between the sentencing of Tituba for witchcraft with more modern incidents of anti-blackness such as predictive policing or the medicalization of black bodies.

[6] With an additional starred review, Booklist wrote that "Form, lyricism, and imagery are expertly presented, and the result is a compelling, cohesive collection addressing timely topics.

"[4] The Las Vegas Review of Books said "Through dad jokes and endnotes, legal briefs and altar pieces, Pardlo has crafted an impressive collection that speaks with poetic urgency to our own weighty moment.

"[2] The Poetry Foundation analyzed Pardlo's approach to black life with mention of works by Frantz Fanon, Isabel Wilkerson, and Audre Lorde.