Unfortunately, there is no criticism available for "The Sun, the Moon, the Stars" because Díaz has yet to publish the story in a collection. Although the story is included in the anthology Best American Short Stories 1999, reviews of that book generally refer to the composition of the volume as a whole, offering plot summaries of a few selected stories rather than focusing on the individual achievements of their authors.

The Sun, the Moon, the Stars: City slums of Santo Domingo as described in "The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars" [graphic graphicname="TIF00003310" orient="landscape" size="B"]

According to Contemporary Authors Online, the critic reviewing Díaz's short story collection Drown for Publishers Weekly noted that Díaz's intensity gives the collection "a lasting resonance," and the critic writing for Kirkus Reviews observes that "Díaz's spare style and narrative poise...