"[1] Foer himself explains the writing process as follows: "I took my favorite book, Bruno Schulz’s Street of Crocodiles, and by removing words carved out a new story".

"[2] Michel Faber, at The Guardian, said that while Foer showed a strong sense of poetry, the book was less successful as a work of fiction.

[4] The book was adapted into a ballet by choreographer Wayne McGregor, composer Jamie xx, and visual artist Olafur Eliasson.

It was first shown in the UK as part of the Manchester International Festival in July 2015, for which it was commissioned,[5][6] and subsequently received its US premiere at the Park Avenue Armory in September 2015.

The opera's US debut took place at the 2018 Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina in a new production under the direction of Ong Keng Sen.