I've selected this book as my book club pick for August 2025 and so will not be reading this as an ARC but after it is published. I have this as a 5 star prediction as I loved Ling Ling Huang's previous book! We meet on a monthly basis and discuss own voices/genre fiction! I host over 30 people each month in my book club.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the eARC! This book will be released in the US on May 13th, 2025.

What a brutal, breathtaking read. Immaculate Conception is a scalpel of a novel—sharp, deliberate, and terrifyingly intimate. Ling Ling Huang doesn’t just imagine a dystopia ruled by art, algorithms, and empathy devices—she dares to dissect what it means to be seen, used, and recreated in a world that commodifies trauma, creativity, and care. This book didn’t just hook me—it sank into my skin and dragged me under.

At the center of this speculative spiral are Enka and Mathilde, art school best friends turned estranged rivals turned technological entanglements. Raised on opposite sides of a class-divided society, Mathilde and Enka’s bond is forged through longing, admiration, and unspoken competition. Enka, from the impoverished fringes, sacrifices her original medium to make art the system will fund. Mathilde, raised in an elite enclave, is tragic and mesmerizing—a child of 9/11 whose grief births museum-worthy work. Together, they are what art school rumors thrive on: one is brilliant, the other beautiful. But in Huang’s hands, both are brilliantly broken.

This novel is speculative fiction that feels alarmingly now. The invention of neuro-tech like SCAFFOLD, the rise of generative AI and its impact on artists, and the corporatization of empathy and creative expression are chilling in their familiarity. Huang explores how art—particularly that of marginalized people—is surveilled, sanitized, and sold. Mathilde’s “immaculate” pregnancy for a museum piece? Horrifying. Enka’s descent into mind-merging obsession? Equally so. Their friendship morphs into a parasitic loop of mutual need and betrayal that left me reeling.

I found Enka to be a masterfully unlikeable narrator. Her resentment, her hunger to matter, her desire to be Mathilde or inside Mathilde—it’s all uncomfortable, and deeply real. I couldn’t look away. Huang’s prose pulses with this discomfort: lyrical, ruthless, utterly unflinching. There are lines I read twice just to feel the sting again.

If I had one critique, it’s that the ending wobbles under the weight of so many big ideas—cloning, artistic conservatorship, divine birth, and tech-fueled codependency. I wanted a slightly cleaner landing. Still, it’s a near-perfect read for fans of dystopian intimacy, techno-capitalist critique, and messy, toxic friendships. I closed the book, gutted and in awe.

Ling Ling Huang, if you read this, you have my whole heart. This is easily one of my top reads of the year, and I’ll be chomping at the bit to see what you write next.

📖 Read this if you love: feminist dystopias, speculative fiction about art and obsession, and toxic queer friendships with body horror undertones.

🔑 Key Themes: Surveillance and Artistic Exploitation, Toxic Intimacy and Obsession, Techno-Capitalism and Neurology, Class Stratification and Empathy.

Content / Trigger Warnings: Suicide (minor), Self Harm (minor), Racism (minor), Gore (minor), Blood (minor), Child Death (moderate), Alcohol (minor), Death of a Parent (moderate), Grief (severe).

While the tone of this book felt more serious than her first, I felt just as immersed in the world and lives of the characters. It was refreshing to see the main relationship of the book be between two friends as they grapple with AI's effects on art and their futures. Their friendship was complex, at times seemingly straightforward competition would wind its way into an almost parental nurturing, all framed by a deep love and respect. A deeply satisfying story all around.

What starts as an art school friendship in this imaginative novel becomes something of a Corsican Brothers tale in the art world. I really liked how imaginatively expansive this was. The plot blossomed in ways I would not have predicted, particularly with its incorporation of technology. The spiraling of the three main characters was believable and sad. It seemed like the format that was set up at the beginning of the book did not quite make it to the end. I really enjoyed this novel and it made for a quick read.

This short book covers a lot: The intersection of art and trauma and whether trauma should inspire art; the idea of artistic ownership and originality and whether art can be owned or original; and the role of AI and technology in creation.

Despite it's scope, it's a slow burn, with the increasing infiltration of technology happening slowly in the shadows, until it's not. The ultimate use of technology, and it's influence on art, is deeply unsettling. I wish the ethics of it had been explored more, but our narrator instead leaves those considerations to the reader.

Another solid work by Ling Ling Huang and I'll read more from her in the future.

A remarkable and imaginative speculative sci-fi story about art technology, centered two rival artist friends, Enka and Mathilde, both driven to outdo any art that can be created from AI, with Enka herself always looking to outdo Mathilde somehow. Mathilde is an art prodigy and well respected in the art world and Enka…is not and eventually marries into a wealthy family who supports her artistic but hopeless artistic aspirations.

Initially, it was rather difficult to connect to Enka, even though the story was told through her point of view, as the narrative describes her jealous obsession with Mathilde and there’s a lot of exposition that tells you why Mathilde is an art genius. This is also maybe the third new publication I’ve reviewed recently where the protagonist has some envious rivalry with another prodigious peer (see I Am Not Jessica Chen and Julia Chan is Dead), so this trope feels a little tired to me. I’m so glad I kept reading though because it gets so much better near the end when all the sci-fi tech is introduced and ties their friendship together. Quite literally. The payoff in this story is also really satisfying, and this is a novel that makes you really think.

As it turns out, the descriptions of Mathilde and her eccentricities and evocative art was the most compelling and moving part of the book. So much that I wish the book was just solely about Mathilde..at least in the beginning. Enka also lives a pretty privileged life, so her jealousy just comes off as whiny and out-of-touch, not to mention the cohort of pretentious acquaintances…

This book is a piece of art in itself. There’s a really good story in here once you move past Enka’s issues, and there’s no doubt that there’s so much creativity. I would not be surprised if this gets adapted to a film in the future.

Special thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Pub Date: May 13, 2025

Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was perfection. Ling Ling Huang is truly a genius. I haven’t read a book this quickly in a very long time.

The first half of this book leans more towards literary fiction, while the second half veers into dystopian, horror, and science fiction territory, though they share some elements. The world-building, character development, and plot devices were all exceptional, and every aspect felt like it had a satisfying conclusion. The book explores the complexities of art, the self, trauma, science, technology, power, class, gender, etc.

What I most enjoyed was the art world(s) setting. Huang is an astute observer who dissects the absurdity of today’s art world(s). What I found most remarkable about this book is her discussion of access to art. Our main character often found herself excluded due to factors like wealth, proximity, and status (early on in the book) and this is something many (myself included as someone who works/studies this field) can relate to.

I will note that Huang mentions many artists, movements, styles, and techniques. I think readers who are unfamiliar with them should search them, as I believe this will enhance the reading experience. You will be able to visualize better what she is discussing.

The author’s first book Natural Beauty was a 5/5, but this was even better. Wow! (She also mentioned Schiele, who I wrote my MA thesis on, so that’s another win.)

Immaculate Conception wrestles with the notions of art and self, and what they look like through the lens of trauma and life experience, within a rapidly advancing world that thrives on competition. There are so many more layers to this than I saw coming, and I'm haunted by it in a way that I think will stick for long after.

Enka's main struggle is with her perception of her self. It speaks to the highly critical and capitalistic/individualistic world we live in today. When she encounters Mathilde, something odd happens. Their friendship is something difficult to put into words, but everything about it is a result of both their environment and individual experiences. Nature v. Nurture is a HUGE theme throughout the story, adding to the idea that we are defined by our traumas, our marketability, and sometimes both.

With the new empathy-inducing device in an increasingly apathetic world that somehow feeds on the performance of empathy, comes complicated territory. How do we absorb someone else's trauma without absorbing them? And not to say that trauma defines a person or their art, but when that's all Enka sees in Mathilde, and when she's struggling with her sense of self in comparison to Mathilde, there's no way this ends well for either of them. Enka's view of herself is shadowed by her view of Mathilde, and the comparison is slowly choking off anything that could grow, aside from her envy.

Immaculate Conception is incredibly thought-provoking with twists at every turn. It's perfect for those with philosophical interests who indulge in a bit of morally gray "how much ethical evil can one person possess" thought experiments.

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the E-Arc! All opinions are my own.*

Ling Ling Huang's writing is so compulsively readable, so absolutely delicious. She is very quickly climbing the list of my favorite authors. I picked this up on my kindle on a night when my power was out and proceeded to read and think about absolutely nothing else until I finished it. I completely DEVOURED it.

First and foremost, I do want to note that I'm not entirely sure I'd call this a horror exactly? This is something I'm seeing thrown around in some spaces, but I completely forgot it was supposed to be a thing until I'd read the whole thing and I'm just not sure that's a genre that fits this novel in particular. So just to nip that in the bud initially.

What this book IS, though, is a deeply visceral look at jealousy, codependency, toxic friendships, greed. There are layers to this novel in which Huang tackles so many themes with a nuance that requires an amount of critical thinking I think is so important in modern literature. There's truly something for everyone in this novel and I think it's a great gateway book for those looking to get a loved one into deeper, more speculative fiction.

Thank you Penguin Books, Dutton, & NetGalley for an eARC copy of Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang, which comes out May 13th, 2025. 4.5 stars. Omg. I loved it and I am already so ready to read Huang's debut novel, Natural Beauty, which came out in 2023.

Part sci-fi, part literary fiction, and dare I even say part thriller? This book was so many things that come down to just weird girl litfic.

Set in a dystopian world where art is dying by AI and the Internet is rarely used, two struggling artists meet and develop a deep connection, becoming codependent best friends. This story spans a LOT of time, and we follow both main characters - Enka and Mathilde - throughout art school and their careers. Enka always envied Mathilde's imagination, her artistry, and the attention her work got. Their relationship falters. New connections are made. There are TWISTS!

It is hard to explain what this story is about because, as it spans a lot of time, a lot of different storylines are happening, too, which is probably my only critique. Because of this, it took me a little bit to get into this story. But once I did, I couldn't put it down. At the end of the day, this is an unsettling story about obsession. Loved it!

wow huang has done it again! i thoroughly enjoyed her debut natural beauty and was so excited to read this once i read the premise. it was very much a dystopian, sci fi, artistic (maybe a little more moral) yellowface by r.f. kuang + a mild y/n by esther yi.

this book tells explored the relationship/friendship between two artists, enka and mathilde (told from mathilde’s pov). i learned so much about the visual arts world, which has always fascinated me since i am very familiar with the music world as a former professional musician myself. it was very interesting for this novel to be about art since huang herself is also a professional musician- you could tell she did a lot of research in learning about the art. i especially loved the art installations and performance art that huang created - so creative!

from the beginning, i was immediately drawn in to the discussion of class/social status through the erection of buffers (being fringe class vs. enclave) and had me thinking about gentrification, the gatekeeping of art for the privileged (needing specialized training to go to art school - very similar to music) - it’s ironic that the study of art (and the resulting expression of it) is not democratic because of cooperations that capitalize on certain artists’ work (as seen with mathilde). there were many parallels to the music world and i felt similarly out of place like enka as i didn’t grow up in a family of musicians/artists or begin my studies when i was a toddler like many of my peers. enka's immediate reaction to art is also how i feel abt music - when huang described seeing her first oil painting (her then professor’s artwork) and crying when she got home was something i very much relate to after hearing a beautiful performer or hear my favorite piece.

i found enka and mathilde’s toxic friendship very interesting and well-written and thought huang did a superb job of detailing admiration and jealousy among artistic peers. their relationship is very much shaped by their respective successes and failures with manipulation that both brings them together and rips them apart simultaneously. it was very clear that huang has a deep understanding of this complex relationship having been in the music world herself. artistic competition and comparison are not often discussed and i am so glad that huang did not shy away from the ugliness of it.

lastly, i found the commentary on technology/AI in art absolutely fascinating and a discussion throughout the book on what truly makes an artist/what IS original art? i don’t want to spoil too much but the ideas that huang conjured for what roles technology could partake in enhancing/or even being art are things i will be pondering over for a long time. complex questions about whether something typically seen as destructive like trauma, can actually help create art and spur creativity rather than stifle it & if trauma is inexplicably part of an individual are discussed. other very interesting, thought-provoking, and potentially at times uncomfortable topics include digital identity, art ownership, bodily autonomy, inspiration vs ownership, technological ethics, etc

(side note: if you read yellowface by r.f.kuang, im curious to know if you found enka just as insufferable as june! i hate to admit it but found that i could actually relate to her in some ways but also found so many traits and decisions completely irredeemable).

thank you so much to netgalley and to the publisher for this arc! i am SO excited for the rest of the world to read another great work of art by ling ling huang!!

TW: this was a dark read - be aware of self-harm, death, depression, mental illness, mention of sexual assault

Absolutely loved this book! Had high expectations because I enjoyed Natural Beauty and this did not let down at all. Ling Ling Huang’s writing is very insightful and manages make the reader think and feel horrified at the same time. This book really made me self reflect on myself and the thoughts I have had in the past when it came to comparing myself to others. Ling Ling Huang is a one of a kind writer, and I can’t wait to see what else she’ll release in the future !

I have to be honest: I didn't really enjoy my time reading this one. The pacing is all over the place, with the first half feeling so incredibly slow and drawn out and the second one paced much more quickly. In the second half, I felt like I couldn't ever fully grasp what was happening because so much time was passing.

And that pacing greatly impacted the depth of the main character, Mathilde, and the other cast of characters. Even though we get so much time between Enka and Mathilde in the first half, I never really understood what drew them together or why they were such good friends -- and I especially did not understand that once we hit the second half. I can see how this might be a purposeful move, deliberately keeping the reader at a distance between this friendship. But, without understanding who our MC is, who Mathilde is, hell who Logan is, the impact of the ending doesn't hit quite as hard.

But Huang does have some interesting points made about art and technology and science. Some of it isn't as fully developed as I may have liked it, but the discussion around art and creativity and the intersection with technology, I found particularly interesting and impactful as we head into a more AI driven world.

The novel is well written (if a bit cold) and has things to say that I think are important given our current cultural environment, but I didn't personally enjoy being on this ride. I think some readers will find this impactful, and I can't wait to see what the conversation looks like when this releases.

Immaculate Conception is creative, incisive, and at times deeply uncomfortable to experience. In a strange dystopia(this isn’t the point) Enka finds herself an outsider to the world of art. She manages to follow her passion and earn a scholarship against her parents wishes, and at school she meets Mathilde, an extremely brilliant creator. Enka can’t help but compare her work to Mathilde’s as the two become such close friends as to be codependent. Being in Enka’s POV as she watches Mathilde reach ever higher creative fulfillment is difficult at times; it’s a total immersion in the self loathing of inadequacy. I read this book in one day. Even though I wanted more from it at times and didn’t always appreciate certain elements, I couldn’t put it down. Huang has made a number of impressions on me with this book and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.

To be honest, I am not entirely sure what I just read! While I did inhale the story it was not at all what I was expecting. The synopsis talks about two artists - Mathilde and Enka. I guess I didn't quite understand the sci-fi aspect where one woman would inhabit the other's brain - that's where the story kind of lost me, This book has amazing reviews - perhaps I am just not the right audience.

Two artists meet each other through an art school. Our main character is particularly envious of what she perceives as her best friends superior art skills.

I found the first third of the book The most enjoyable. Getting to know the two of them and even exploring the types of art that Matilda conceived of given technological setup of their existing world separating the haves and the have nots was interesting. The middle part though seems like it was out of character for our main character. The lengths that you would go to, The ways in which she wpuld sidestep All that is important to her seemed a bit too far-fetched Even for someone who is consumed by envy.

In comparison to natural beauty I don't think that this one achieved the same level of interest or astonishment. There are a lot of twist and turns but for the most part I think they are predictable.

What I found to be most interesting though was the ending and the story that would come after that is something that I would be interested to pick back up on. Skip the part that we spent the most time on.

wow....this book took me so many places I did not expect. A unique story and concept that brings some sci-fi to what I thought was just a literary fiction book.

You have the tortured artist, obsessive and unhealthy friendships, unlikeable main character that unravels a bit, clones, artificial intelligence. I think it's such a powerful story to read in the time we are at in our own current lives.

I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted to know where it was going and what was going to happen next.

I feel emotionally broken after finishing this.

In this current world where comparison and jealousy enter our minds everyday, the author explores what can happen when we take it too far. I’m a wreck! Loved it.

Ling Ling Huang is a genius. It is so clear that she has a deep understanding of the dark underbelly that connects the arts and tech worlds.

This book is about why anyone makes art, what makes art worthwhile, and what art can really be capable of (given who's funding it....)

It is incredibly prescient in its takes on artificial intelligence, social division, and the validity of catharsis as an artistic goal.

Now more than ever, this is an essential meditation on whether creating content for the sake of content compromises what really makes us human and will leave us unfulfilled.

After Natural Beauty, I knew Huang would be an instant-buy author for me and this book cemented it. Many thanks to Dutton / Penguin Group for the eARC.

3.5 stars.

I was very interested in reading Immaculate Conception because I enjoyed how smart Natural Beauty was. This novel stayed true in that concept - technology that involved the merging of two brains, human clones, agriculture tech.. you name it. There was also this existential crisis that seemed stereotypical of artists and such a complex female friendship that bordered on the side of obsession.

Huang took alot of my reading interests and merged them all into one book. I should be raving mad about it. But I'm not because of the pacing and the concepts that didn't quite feel clear enough. I will say that the second half of the book made up for the first half, and if you're even the slightest bit interested to see how things play out for primarily Enka (our FMC), it's worth finishing.