It takes place in a Chicago advertising agency that is experiencing a downturn at the end of the 1990s Internet boom.

The book was greeted with positive reviews from GQ,[1] The New York Times,[2]The New Yorker,[3] Esquire,[4] and Slate.

[6] According to Book Marks, primarily from American publications, the book received a "rave" consensus, based on thirteen critic reviews: eight "rave", four "positive", and one "mixed".

[7] In May/June 2007 issue of Bookmarks, the book received 4 out of 5 stars, with the critical summary saying, "Concludes the Los Angeles Times: "It may even be, in its own modest way, a great American novel".

[8] Time magazine's Lev Grossman named it one of the Top 10 Fiction Books of 2007, ranking it at #2.