Several critics noted the atmosphere of loss, nostalgia, music and reinvention throughout the collection.[6][7]Gary K. Wolfe, in a review for Locus, wrote that memory "may be [Pinsker's] characteristic theme".[8]Publishers Weekly wrote that "In all of Pinsker’s tales, humans grapple with their relationships to technology, the supernatural, and one another."[9] Michelle Anne Schingler of Foreword Reviews observed that yearning was integral to many of the stories in the collection.[10]
Many of the protagonists of the stories in some way rebel against or break the norms of their society.[11] Many stories feature characters whose communities have been displaced in some way,[12] and the impact of social and technological change on culture is a recurring theme.[13]Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Pinsker’s characters are often loners dedicated to idiosyncratic artistic pursuits".[11]
The collection also prominently features LGBT characters,[9] and many of its themes tie into gender and sexuality. Alexander Carrigan of Lambda Literary noted that "Pinsker presents characters who are all over the LGBT+ spectrum, and in many cases, it allows for further reading and exploration of each story’s themes and characters."[14]
^Wagner, Wendy (2014-09-02). "No Lonely Seafarer". Lightspeed Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
^Words, Sarah Pinsker in Uncanny Magazine Issue Fifteen | 23786. "And Then There Were (N-One)". Uncanny Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
