Received warmly within the established Elderlings readership, with praise for the intimate first-person narration and the historical framing device. Critics and fans noted the novella's effectiveness in contextualising the deep-rooted persecution of those with the Wit that shadows the entire Farseer sequence, giving the prejudice Fitz faces a documented historical origin rather than leaving it as background texture. Some readers felt it was best approached after completing the Farseer Trilogy rather than as an entry point, a view reflected in most reading order recommendations. Reception was limited in scope given the novella format and the niche audience - it was not widely reviewed outside the fantasy community but was received positively within it.