Hemon's first short story collection was extremely well-reviewed in the press; as Richard Eder writes of the book in the New York Times Book Review: "Several of the shorter pieces are so good as to make the reader feel certain of having discovered not just an extraordinary story but an extraordinary writer: one who seems not simply gifted but necessary." Other reviewers were equally positive, and the collection received a significant amount of attention. Perhaps, in part, because of the continued crisis in the former Yugoslavia, reviewers tended to pay particular attention to Hemon's treatment of history and politics, praising his insights about Bosnian culture.

Although critics were almost entirely positive and the collection was nominated for a number of awards, some dissenting opinions emerged, including a National Review article, in which Stephen Schwartz writes, "In The Question of Bruno, Hemon has produced a first volume...