[3] It was originally published in Copenhagen by Det Schubotheske Forlag[4] as part of a collection of four stories entitled Stille Eksistenser (Quiet Existences), centering on women who are subdued or living in isolation.

I am frantically striving to make every single impression clear and precise and distinctive, and so I never think about the whole"[6][9] Jean-Claude Polet adds that while he owes much to Zola, Daudet and Maupassant, he channels naturalism into a quite unexpected direction, that of impressionism.

[6] Longtime Scandinavian Studies scholar Niels Ingwersen[11] states that the novel "engagingly, ironically, sadly captures the quite trivial life of a rural, provincial community" and illustrates an unconsummated love relationship between two ordinary people.

[1] He highlights the "amazingly suggestive impressionism" of the novel which permits the reader to become more intimate with the characters, especially the scene at the vicar's party which provides a vivid image of the personalities of the people attending it, with their individual voices coming together to form a complete picture.

[1] Although Katinka Bai, a timid individual, is not a heroine in comparison with today's depiction of a strong independent woman, the reader is naturally drawn to empathize with her situation and with her as a character.

Jensen found that Bang "depicts the infinitely simple existence and everything it covers with the finest and most sensitive art... His style gives the reader an impression of reality's monotony, allowing him to imagine the emotions hidden behind it.

"[14] Vilhelm Møller of Nutiden i Billeder og Text praised Ved Vejen as the best of the four stories in Stille Eksistenser, "containing all Bang's qualities in good measure and very few of the weaknesses which have disrupted his earlier work.

"[15] Only Berlingske Tidende's (unnamed) critic was dismissive, commenting: "The story Ved Vejen is weak in content and often unreadable in form... We recommend the author to be less nervous, less jumpy and less impressionistic.

With its almost cinematic sequences, the novel conveys a balance between its subdued humour and a strong sympathy for what goes on in people's minds, especially in a secluded environment removed from mainstream society.