Chryiss Yep. The small few can actually be big gains. A supportive reader is still a win for the story, even if it's one or two.
Regarding allusions and subtleties. They can be hard things to pull off, as you know from my Zaldizko experiences. Sometimes it works, other times it can make the story look like it's lacking. I guess you'd need to weigh up the sacrifices if you try to pull off allusions/subtleties. And, be prepared for the less savoury verbatim, which comes with the package.
I knew that my character design would look weak with some characters in Zaldizko when I attempted subtleties. I took that sacrifice since I needed this to make them a contrast for upcoming volumes. To compensate this sacrifice I gave Famine a more center stage and focus. It kind of worked to a certain degree. I did receive the more critical verbatim or rating because of it. Since I was expecting it, I wasn't miffed or surprised.