There have been quite a few mentions of Rosemary's Baby in reference to 'Delicate Condition', but while the title rang a vague bell somewhere, I had never read/watched it so that wasn't helpful to me at all. I don't know that it would have made much of a difference, although I suspect it might have prepared me better for the icky and the creepy. I don't mind telling you, many a time did the word "ewww" slip from my lips. This was most definitely not the thriller I was expecting.

At its heart though, this is a story about pregnancy. Never having been pregnant, I can't possibly relate. But judging by the friends around me who went through it, some more than once (ohmygod why?!), it isn't always roses and sunshine as so many seem to think it is. For one of them, it was the longest nine months of her life, and she hated every minute of it.

For Anna, it's supposed to be the best time of her life. The gruelling IVF regime she's been enduring is finally paying off. But from the moment she sees her tiny baby on an ultrasound, everything seems to be going wrong. Appointment times seem to move, and important medication is left unrefrigerated. Anna thinks someone might even be following her. Is Anna reliable though? Are the hormones getting to her? Is she losing her mind? Why won't anyone believe her? And why does her doctor think aspirin is a miracle cure?

Anna's symptoms go from bad to worse, yet there is seemingly nobody she can turn to for help. Her husband is busy, her best friend is very poorly, and the doctors apparently have better things to do. I couldn't at all figure out what was going on with Anna. The things she was going through were so vividly described that they felt incredibly real, and her fear was almost palpable. I couldn't at all decide if she was a reliable narrator or not, yet I was eying everyone around her with suspicion, almost convinced that someone meant her harm but I couldn't figure out who. Or why, for that matter.

Things veered off in a direction I didn't see coming at all. I quite liked it though. Women should always be there for other women. Those who have gone before know what's what. Their knowledge is invaluable at every turn, and maybe if more women told their stories of nightmare pregnancies it might result in better care and help. As is mentioned in the book, how is it there are so many remedies to fix a man's problem, yet to this day, nobody can figure out why a woman has to suffer through a miscarriage.

'Delicate Condition' is incredibly compelling, dark and powerful. It is addictive in that "oh come on tell me what the heck is going on" kind of way, and massively creepy. Honestly, if this had been a film, I might have had to watch through my fingers during quite a lot of it. (/wuss). But it also shows remarkable insight into pregnancies, the emotional impact of having to deal with miscarriages and infertility. And how somehow the world keeps turning and everyone just expects you to keep playing your part.

Excellent thriller with a side of horror. And if you're able, take a minute to read the author's notes too.

Anna Alcott and her husband, Dex are trying for a baby through IVF. With Anna getting older, the fear is that time is running out.

When Anna finally gets the good news that she’s pregnant, she starts to suffer from terrible hallucinations, bizarre cravings and a list of strange goings-on.

This is a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give away anything!

I found the story started slow but did gather pace. Some parts were quite nasty and even made me feel a bit squeamish.

There is a warning for triggers with this book and I would recommend taking note of these before you read this book.

Overall, I would say that I did enjoy this story. It was different to my usual sort of reads and I was certainly intrigued.

My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book.

As a huge fan of The Silent Patient, I was excited to read "Delicate Condition" by Danielle Valentine, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The Silent Patient had its own unique appeal, saying this book is like the Silent Patient is such a BOLD statement and trying to compare the two is like mixing oil and water – they are completely different.

One of the drawbacks for me is the lack of warmth and compassion in the relationship between Dex and Anna. Their connection feels forced and distant, leaving me struggling to find any emotional attachment to their journey. While later revelations attempt to justify Dex's sneakiness, it wasn't enough to repair the disconnect I felt between them.

Furthermore, the novel leaves readers with more questions than answers. The abundance of intertwined characters and ambiguous themes, such as witchcraft, stalking due to Anna being a celebrity, women's experiences of IVF, pain and psychosis during pregnancy, left me utterly perplexed. The bizarre hallucinations involving a tooth and an animal in the pool only added to the confusion, leaving me scratching my head in bewilderment - psychosis was never even mentioned in the book so I have no idea what the tooth, animal etc were about.

The book's overall weirdness left me feeling utterly confused, with no clear understanding of its central focus or purpose. I couldn't decide if it was about IVF and pregnancy, mental health, witchcraft or something else entirely. This lack of coherence detracted significantly from my reading experience.

Upon reaching the end, the author's explanation for writing about pregnancy and the dismissal of women's pain resonated with me. However, I couldn't recall Anna having substantial conversations with a doctor about her pain, making her labour experience feel unrealistic and far-fetched.

In conclusion, Delicate Condition was a confusing and disappointing read for me. The disjointed narrative and lack of emotional depth between the characters left me feeling unsatisfied and yearning for a more cohesive storyline. While the author's intent and themes were commendable, the execution left much to be desired. Unfortunately, I'm left with more questions than answers, and the confusion surrounding this book lingers like a stubborn fog.

A haunting, beautifully written book that drew me in from page one and left me wanting more, absolutely brilliant

Well, that was a wild ride. This book is crazy but in the best way possible.
In this we follow Anna, who is desperately trying to became pregnant. Right from the start she is an unreliable narrator, however I was fully on her side the whole way through.
From the first page I was immediately hooked and invested in the plot. I really liked the writing style and you combine that with the plot, it made the whole thing flow so brilliantly, I raced through this is two sittings. I couldn't put it down.
The way the author wrote the medical misogyny scenes, was scarily true and will hit home for many (myself included) so beware of that going in.
I must say by the halfway point I had a bad feeling that this would became so over the top and ridiculous it would spoil my enjoyment. Thankfully, whilst things do get a little bit unbelievable nearer the end, I did still enjoy it.
I see this gets a lot of comparisons to Rosemary's Baby and The Push. I 100% agree with that, so if you enjoyed those, give this a shot.
This is a powerful, emotional, feminist tale that I highly recommend.

TW: miscarriage, medical misogyny

A weird mixture of a thriller with a supernatural twist. You are never quite sure where the story is going so the suspense is amazing. Lots of triggers so make sure you are in the right frame of mind when you read it, but, wow!

Delicate Condition was not at all what I expected from reading the description. It was all a little too dark and graphic for me and I am not a big fan of the supernatural elements. If supernatural is your go to genre I am sure you will enjoy the book, it just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Trigger warnings: pregnancy, IVF, miscarriage, abortion, medical trauma. Just don't read it if any of these issues will affect you - it gets graphic.

Delicate Condition is about Anna Alcott, an actor who is desperately trying to conceive via IVF, but whose fame has left her open to stalking and hate from online trolls. She becomes increasingly paranoid that her haters are trying to keep her from conceiving, and when she does become pregnant, everything goes downhill from there.

I enjoyed Delicate Condition and was compelled to keep reading to find out what was really happening to Anna. the novel felt like a thriller at the beginning, but is definitely supernatural body horror by the end - there are some fun, creepy elements as Anna loses control of herself during her pregnancy. By the time the story wrapped up, though, some of the supernatural stuff started to feel silly, rather than scary or meaningful. Overall, a good read, if you're prepared to go with the flow.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review #DelicateCondition.

This is definitely not an easy read if you've had fertility issues or a miscarriage and it certainly brought back some very difficult times when we were embarking on our own ivf journey.
The story captures some of the difficulties experienced throughout pre conception and pregnancy very well however and it was easy to identify with the main character Anna as she so desperately wants a baby.
The story quickly turns into more of a psychological thriller as Anna feels she is being watched and that someone has been inside her house and is threatening her pregnancy. As events spiral.and Anna experiences some extreme symptoms and cravings she becomes a slightly unreliable narrator. It was very hard to know whether the events were actually happening or were in her head. There were some clever twists and a very unpredictable ending with some supernatural undertones!
I found this a page turning, engrossing and original (if not disturbing) story. It is a clever mix of thriller, horror and mystery. Beware of the trigger warnings before reading though!!

This book comes with trigger warnings so isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea but I enjoyed reading it, even though the subject matter was largely about a difficult conception and pregnancy, IVF and some witchcraft. What struck me most was the injustice of the medical profession not being able to be more informative or supportive to couples trying to conceive and grow a baby. Something women have been doing since the dawn of the human race but yet we probably understand more about outer space than we do the inner workings of the female body. This is a book that will make you think.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I read the blurb for this and had to request it. Then I found out it is possibly the baseline story to AHS season 12 so was even more excited to read it.

Anna Alcott is managing a new found fame as a leading actress while going through IVF for the baby she has always longed for. Finally pregnant after moved appointments, the feeling she's being followed and a break in where her scan picture is stolen it's like someone doesn't want to her to be pregnant.

When the doctors tell her she has miscarried she is devastated but back home the baby starts moving, yet no one will believe she is still pregnant. Not knowing who to trust Anna moves away with husband Dex to a remote holiday home to protect her unborn daughter. But as her symptoms become more and more strange and extreme she begins to wonder exactly what is growing inside her and will they both survive.

I read this in two sittings and would highly recommend.

Anna is desperate for a baby and is currently going through IVF treatment to hopefully become a mum one day. She's also just been catapulted into the public eye due to the success of a film she acted in, juggling her parenthood journey with work commitments. What Anna doesn't realise is how weird a pregnancy can actually get!

I definitely got creepy vibes from Delicate Condition, I'd put it firmly in horror. In the beginning I thought is was a little Rosemary's Baby crossed with American Horror Stories (there are 2 episodes that this story nodded it's hat to). But as we went into the story further I realised the true horror was with the treatment of Anna and how she is dismissed and gaslit at every turn. I got so angry at her treatment and it made me feel heard as I had a horrible pregnancy / birth experience.

There were a few red herrings within the action that sent me off in some bizarre directions and when the climax came it wasn't disappointing. Thanks for a fab read!

No spoilers from me for this page turner! Ana and Dee have been struggling with infertility and finally, finally, she's pregnant thanks to IVF. Oh, and her movie is doing unexpectedly well. And then,,,,,a miscarriage shakes her. But she feels something, something like a living child inside her, which no one else believes in. She's being stalked, there are weird things happening and....I'm not going any further, This does indeed have Rosemary's Baby vibes but Valentine has created an entirely new horror. She's got great storytelling skills. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Great read.

First of all I would emphasise: do not read if you are pregnant or likely to be triggered by difficult scenes of miscarriage and childbirth. I was intrigued by the description of this book and to begin with I really liked it. However as the story went on it turned into supernatural horror, a genre which I do not like. My fault really as I should have taken heed of the reference to Rosemary's Baby on the description.

Anna is an actress on the cusp of real success. She's been nominated for an Oscar. However she desperately wants a baby and at last, after IVF, she is pregnant. At first all is well but then things start to go wrong. She misses appointments, loses medication, feels that she is being followed. These initially mildly disturbing things become more intense and sinister. Are the things happening to her real, is she being gaslighted or is it all in her mind?

This book wasn't really for me. It is very well written and there were parts when I thought I really liked it but the supernatural element is something I like to avoid. There were a lot of characters who were left undeveloped such as Adeline, Anna's husband's first wife. Having said that I did like the ending and this redeemed it in part for me. Overall though, I wasn't wowed, Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Definitively not what I expected, it`s a supernatural Rosemary`s Baby type of book.
Not my type of book so not for me but if you like supernatural book it`s a good one.
It did keep me reading wondering who was the baddy and where it was going as the plot points at everyone.
The ending was a bit unbelievable.
To me it didn`t show lack of sympathy from Drs during pregnancy as the ending suggested.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC

Finally! A book without outrageously absurd twists!! Everything flows together much more naturally and you can slot the puzzle pieces in as you go along. The biggest mystery for me was whether or not it was going down the thriller or horror route but it definitely has a foot firmly in both camps. My preference is usually a slow burn, character driven story and even though this is more of a foot on the gas pedal style of storytelling, I was still very entertained. It was a lighter, easy read despite some important subject matter in there and I’d recommend this for fans of Weyward and Rosemary’s Baby.

I also think it’s important to read the authors note afterwards - it will absolutely ring true if you have had any kind of experience on the reproductive health front.

Wow, this is a disturbing book and I nearly gave up reading it because parts of it were making me scared and jumpy - I am a sensitive soul who never reads or watches horror lol.

I am glad that I persevered and finished it though, because it is a good and twisty story and more importantly, I think it is a book with a lot of interesting things to say about how society and the medical profession downplay the very real difficulties many women experience with regard to fertility, pregnancy and childbirth.

Having said that, I cannot say that I particularly enjoyed my reading experience. Some of the things that happen to Anna are both horrifying and harrowing and I hope they do not linger in my mind. The supernatural aspect with her thoughts and cravings are bad enough but we also have graphic descriptions of the IVF process and labour which make me so glad that I have never had the least desire to have a child. I had no idea that IVF is so painful and horrible - surely there must be a better way? I cannot begin to imagine why women put themselves through this.

In the afterword the author says that she hopes that women recognise some aspects of their own experiences in the book and that society, men and the medical profession change how they treat women and specifically female health issues and we can only hope that this happens.

This is a timely book given that we are now starting to understand that medicine is not gender neutral and is very much developed by men for men with very few doctors trying to understand that women's symptoms are not always the same as men and women and men react differently to drugs.

Although I did not "enjoy" the book as such, I feel that I have certainly benefited from reading it.

DELICATE CONDITION


Like a mix of both Stephen King and American Horror Story, Delicate Condition was a beautifully, dark novel.

Reading the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it. And I was not disappointed.

Fantastically written with a fast pace it exceptionally blended between the thriller and horror genres, whilst still managing through thoughtful dialogue to deal with sensitive issues in pregnancy such as childbirth and even miscarriage.

Thank you #Netgalley and both the author Danielle Valentine and the publishers for my E-arc of #DelicateCondition giving me the opportunity to read this outstanding novel, in exchange for my honest review .

A superb novel an highly recommend.

I’ve recently enjoyed quite a few books relating to pregnancy and so the synopsis definitely intrigued me. I would say the pacing is a tad slow and the chapters in between will make very little sense until the end of the book. I did enjoy the book overall but I would say the genre this turns into towards the end isn’t really my sort of thing but I’ve no doubt this will be a well received book and this is just my personal preference.

Thanks to netgalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

I’ve been picking up some great vibes on social media for this book, so was excited to check it out for myself. It’s listed as women’s fiction / mystery thriller.

Anna Alcott is in the public eye as an actress, the story follows her journey through IVF. Anna is desperate to become pregnant but increasingly suspicious that someone is trying to ensure that never happens.

Bullet points for Delicate Condition
📕unique storyline that ventures away from the ‘norm’ so you need to be open for something a bit different.
📕features IVF and may contain triggers for some
📕innovative plot

The storyline is innovative. It has 2 time lines, one historical which provides context, and is minimal. It’s very difficult to talk about this book without spoilers. It has so many unexpected twists and turns that kept me engrossed, it took a direction I wasn’t expecting, but I didn’t find it went overboard with it.

Anna’s character has so many layers, throughout you’re left wondering if she’s very switched on with her paranoia, or mentally ill.

I don’t think this book is one for women undergoing IVF, your hormones will be giving you a hard enough time already.

It gets full marks for being innovative, and for the execution of the storyline which sounds totally positive, so I’m not sure why this one didn’t resonate with me more. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it especially if you enjoy something a bit different.