The book was well-received by critics. Ian Morris wrote for The New York Times Book Review that Imperial Twilight was “[A] superb history… Platt has written an enthralling account of the run-up to war between Britain and China", while Julian Gewirtz of The Wall Street Journal noted that the “Masterly . . . [Platt’s] book is important reading not only for those interested in China’s history but also for anyone seeking to understand the explosive intersection between trade and politics today.”
