Publishers Weekly praised Jin's "honest, restrained look at his philosophies about home, writing, and staying true to oneself," calling the poems "muted, yet arresting."[3]
The Asian Review of Books called the book "ambitious and original" as well as "witty, metaphorical, and imbued with tenderness," praising how it reveals "the reverberations of home for those who have left it."[4]
The International Examiner found the collection a reminder of Jin's multifaceted talents as a writer, not merely as a fiction writer but also as a poet: "His poems spend their time in simple language but show a sophistication of character. The poet speaks behind distances. His understanding steps in between a prayer and the possibilities offered to the poet by just a piece of paper."[5]