Upon publication, the novel received mixed to favourable reviews.
Kirkus Reviews appreciated Michaels for showing "exceptional poise and command in his debut novel" and mentioned that "both the voice and the stories it tells transcend the dusty contrivances of much historical fiction, resulting in a novel that feels both fresh and timeless." For Orlando Bird of
The Telegraph, the novel has "extraordinary stories" which are "worth retelling" but "the results are mixed ... [and] can make for unsatisfying reading", as "the fiction has a hard time adding much fascination to the bare facts". Lucy Sussex of
The Sydney Morning Herald mentions that "[the novel] is problematic in places, but then so is its subject" and adds that "
Us Conductors is one of those books that improves as it goes on."
Brendan Canning, a founding member of the band
Broken Social Scene, appreciates Michaels for "delving into Termen's one true obsession, Clara, reflecting his never-ending inner dialogue with her that continues for days, months, years." and calls it as "a novel of epic proportions". Matthew Adams writing for
The National compares the novel with
Vladimir Nabokov's 1947 novel
Bend Sinister and calls it "a debut that is charming, amusing, often deeply affecting". == Awards ==