[5] Among others, the book was reviewed by Kerri Greenidge,[6] Yohuru Williams,[7] Colin Grant,[8] Kehinde Andrews,[9] Mark Whitaker,[10] Alex Preston,[11] and Trevor Phillips.

[12] In her review, Kerri Greenidge wrote that the book is "a meticulously researched, compassionately rendered, and fiercely analytical examination of the radical revolutionary as a human being".

[6] Among literary publications, Publishers Weekly posted a starred review of the book stating that it is "richly detailed" and "an extraordinary and essential portrait of the man behind the icon".

[13] The New York Times Book Review wrote that "[n]obody has written a more poetic account".

[14] Library Journal posted another starred review that opened by stating that the "book is a monument to investigative reporting" and, in a "verdict" section, it was given their "highest recommendation" with a byline that says in part: "This gripping read, essential for anyone interested in the man or his times, delivers penetrating explanations and fresh insights into previously unexamined dimensions of Malcolm X and his becoming and being El-hajj Malik El Shabazz within the context of Black life.