Shame on Me received a starred review from Quill & Quire, which said: "Tessa McWatt’s original and moving memoir, interrogates ideas of race, belonging, shame, purpose, destiny, desire, and identity. Through an examination of her physical body, she holds up a mirror to the ways culture and society read race and the bodies of others – their skin, hair, bones, and more. She does this with remarkable research and precision – an anatomical and literary close-reading of her own history and heritage."[2] Among other positive reviews were those appearing in Caribbean Collective Magazine ("a vivid picture of how oppressive regimes from colonial times follow us to the modern day"),[3] Medium ("McWatt seamlessly connects the past and present...a beautifully woven account"),[4] CBC Books ("a personal and powerful exploration of history and identity"),[5] and in The Guardian, where Barbara Taylor described Shame on Me as an "eloquent and moving book".[6] CBC named it one of the top nonfiction books of 2020.[7] The book also received the following accolades:
