[5][3][4] Darke, who graduated in German and Arabic from Oxford University, did not pursue a career in academia but rather worked as a journalist in Damascus, Syria until the start of the civil war.

[7] Prior to its release, the book was the subject of an article in The Guardian by architecture correspondent Oliver Wainwright, titled "Looted landmarks: how Notre-Dame, Big Ben and St Mark's were stolen from the east".

[2] In the Asian Review of Books, Peter Gordon wrote that Wren's statement on Gothic architecture was actually one of contempt, though the double dome he used on St Paul's is of Middle Eastern origin.

[8] Hart wrote that Darke's comparison between Big Ben and a now destroyed minaret of the Great Mosque of Aleppo has no evidence of direct influence and could distract from her argument.

[1] Gordon argued that starting the book with the church of Qalb Loze is inaccurate as the building is Christian and predates Islam, while mosaics, coloured glass and bell towers were in Europe before that religion began.