The magazine's critical summary reads: "In sum, Shepard "has produced a remarkable novel destined to join the shelf of essential Holocaust literature" (Washington Post)".

[1] The Book of Aron received starred reviews from Kirkus,[2] Library Journal,[3] Shelf Awareness,[4] and Booklist,[5] as well as positive reviews from The Guardian,[6] The Boston Globe,[7] The New York Times Book Review,[8] The Washington Post,[9] NPR,[10] The Seattle Times,[11] The Toronto Star,[12] and the Jewish Book Council.

[13] Writing for Booklist, Donna Seaman noted, "Shepard’s magnificent tour de force will hold a prominent place in the literature of compassionate outrage.

"[5] Library Journal's Patrick Sullivan wrote, "Surrounded by devastation, hopelessness, and cruelty, [the main character] becomes an exemplar of all that is good and decent in the human spirit.

Although this novel paints an unflinching portrait of the ghetto, many characters seem to stand in for ideas, and the limp plot is propped up only by Shepard’s eye for detail.