Feminists approve of the novel, about an aging rock star and her two abandoned children, because it coldly documents the woman's abuse and is clear-eyed about the economic forces that shape women's lives (Valerie Sayers, the New York Times Book Review ). Others say Allison leans precariously toward melodrama and tries too hard for gut-wrenching emotion (Phyllis Richardson, the Los Angeles Times Book Review ).
Feminists thought it was the most accurate movie of the year.