Veronica contracts AIDS, and their evolving relationship becomes a central element in Alison's reflections on love, beauty, and the fleeting nature of life.

[5] Through Alison’s relationship with Veronica, Gaitskill examines how societal attitudes toward women, particularly in the fashion industry, shape their identities.

[9] ReviewofBooks said on the critics consensus, "Mary Gaitskill's novel has received mostly positive reviews (and a National Book Award nomination) with the Seattle Times saying, "Never before in fiction has a model been this knowing, this feeling or this poetic.

She further noted that while the novel starts slowly, it eventually reveals its depth, portraying youthful impatience and the fragility of beauty with striking prose.

[6] Not all reviewers were positive, some critics noted that the novel's themes of illness and suffering were often challenging to read but ultimately rewarding for their insight into human frailty.