Sympathy is a knife, but empathy - and envy- is the hand that twists it. Huang has taken the impersonal antics of the art world and the dying ethics of corporate technology firms to twist love, desire, and jealousy into a string of horrors that question how pure can passion and ambition be if you're willing to pay any price.

I went into this novel completely blind and I thought it was a solid read. I must admit, I am not a huge fan of the author’s writing style. It was clunky and disjointed. I think if I would’ve enjoyed the prose more then I would’ve bumped up my rating. The plot is what saved this story for me. I like reading about codependent and dysfunctional friendships. The main character is deeply troubled and overly involved in her friend’s personal life. Interesting concept and the ending was very good, but it was still short of brilliance.

4.5 stars

If you loved this author's last book, "Natural Beauty", I think you'll love this newest foray into obsession and the art world.

Main characters Enka and Mathilde meet at art school. Enka is there on a scholarship. Mathilde is already somewhat famous as an artist and Enka is immediately drawn to Mathilde by awe and envy. The story chornicles the lives of these two women as they navigate the world of art, artists, and the elite.

This story appears to take place in an alternate present time, as reference is made to the death of Mathilde's father in 9/11. Society is separated by a type of technology that sets up physical barriers between the haves and the have nots. Enka is a "have not" and is deeply embarrassed by her parents and life before her scholarship. As she grows closer to Mathilde, Enka becomes one of the elite through marriage to the son of an extremely rich and influental family.

I have to admit that I found the main character extremely unlikable, which I believe was intentional. While it was sometimes frustrating to be in the head of someone so intensely flawed and destructive, it did move the narrative in a particular way that was effective. I found the ending of the story somewhat unsatisfying, but I think a certain type of reader is going to love it.

If you like odd stories such as Bunny, Catherine House, and Natural Beauty, I think you'll love this book and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 - This is one of the most thought-provoking books I've read in a long time. If you're at all curious about how AI/technology might affect art, you should read this. I'm finding myself more and more drawn to literary horror as a genre lately. It scratches the itch of deep character development while at the same time keeping me on my toes with visceral visuals and plot twists. Immaculate Conception leans much more heavily towards literary than horror, more haunting than anything. If I had to describe the vibe of this book, it'd be that feeling when you need to be so close to someone you want to crawl into their skin...with a little bit of Ex-Machina mixed in.

At its core, this book is a tragic and haunting exploration of friendship, loneliness, and the search for success and originality in a world of advanced technology. The characters were deeply nuanced, but their inner workings are not spoon fed to you - the author makes you work to understand them. It shows the fallibility of technology, how lives can be forever altered through one small misunderstanding. It's beautifully written and hammers home the idea that technology will never replace genuine human connection, in contrast often eroding it. I loved how the art exhibitions mirror the things happening in the plot to the point where you can't tell what's art and what's technology. I can tell I'll be thinking about this book for a long time. It also ends on a hopeful note, which felt right.

The only thing - I'm not sure why, but I assumed that more of the book would be about the empathy technology mentioned in the blurb, when in reality it's only ~25% of the book. I think this was the strongest part of the book and wished it was explored further.

Enka and Mathilde meet as art students and quickly develop a codependent friendship, spurred in part by Enka’s inferiority complex and worship of Mathilde’s apparently bottomless artistic success. Unable to compare in terms of career success, she mostly leaves art behind while marrying into a rich family and having children. Mathilde becomes a star—albeit troubled, whose trauma peaks with her titular Immaculate Conception work. Enter Enka, whose family offers a convenient solution to “save” Mathilde while Enka effectively mines her consciousness for the raw material for more, profitable, art.
This would make an interesting book group discussion; it covers a lot, from art and capitalism, ethics of technology, cloning, wealth inequality, talent, parenting, trauma and exploitation, and maybe most universally,: what happens when you let your insecurity define a relationship.
I liked it. I think it probably could have gone deeper on one or two of those themes, but the plot keeps moving and overall I was absorbed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I really enjoyed Ling Ling Huang’s first book, so I was very excited to receive the ARC for this one (thank you NetGalley). Huang is great at creating a sci-fi world that feels believable and familiar, like it’s a path our society could’ve easily taken. And the relationships feel familiar too — I don’t know if she intends her books to be read this way, but to me, Huang’s writing feels very queer. There’s a kind of intense jealousy and codependency that is achingly familiar to me from my repressed teens and early 20s. Jealousy and obsession as a form of love. Anyway! All that to say, I love how fantastical yet realistic this book was. If you liked Natural Beauty, I would really recommend this one as well.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. This book was shocking and twisted. It's a story of a friendship between Enka and Mathilde. They meet and become friends in art school, but Mathilde becomes famous from her art and it starts a distance from their friendship. Enka finds a way to control it and it's just twisted.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

Five star read. Immaculate, amazing, breathtaking. The toxic relationships were so well depicted, the was not one healthy one in this entire book. The depiction of art slowly devolving as AI starts to mimic and infringe upon the rights of artists...chilling and all too real in this day and age. This book will be one of my top reads of 2025, guaranteed. Every part of this book was original, and truly just stunning. It will provoke some truly visceral reactions out of you when you least expect it. I will definitely be reading more by this author, Ling Ling Huang please create more like this!

just finished this ARC and this was a solid sci fi/dystopian/horror story that was super chilling at times. focuses in on obsession and jealousy, and somehow deeply emotional all at once! it felt very futuristic, clones and sharing consciousness? insanely good

“The internet stopped being a place to connect to others or to exchange knowledge, and became a way to perform belonging in the world you had inherited.”

5 stars! Couldn’t put it down! I was expecting greatness and this exceeded my expectations. I can’t begin to summarize what this book is about but it explores technology, loss, friendship, trauma, art, and so much more. It’s honestly a book that, the less you know going in, the better the experience. It’s beautifully written and I found myself highlighting a quote every other page. Natural Beauties has been on my TBR for the longest time and I am even more excited to read it this year.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC and thank you Ling Ling Huang for this excellent novel!

Ling Ling Huang’s Immaculate Conception is a chilling, thought-provoking novel that masterfully explores the complexities of obsession, creativity, and the murky boundaries between love and possession. Set in the cutthroat world of contemporary art, this novel dives into a relationship that is as magnetic as it is toxic, all while raising unsettling questions about technology’s role in human connection.

Enka and Mathilde’s friendship is at the heart of the story—two women from art school whose bond grows obsessive and codependent as they navigate their personal and professional lives. Enka is captivated by Mathilde’s prodigious talent, while Mathilde’s growing fame only serves to exacerbate Enka’s need for validation and proximity to her best friend. When Enka marries into a wealthy family, she finds herself drawn into the world of cutting-edge technology that promises to enhance human empathy, specifically one that could allow someone to literally experience another’s trauma. As the boundaries between Enka and Mathilde blur, the consequences are devastating and shocking.

Huang’s writing is sharp and insightful, capturing the tension of the art world and the fragile nature of relationships with intensity. The portrayal of Enka’s emotional entanglement with Mathilde is as compelling as it is unsettling—Huang digs deep into themes of ambition, self-worth, and the dangers of over-identification with another person. The concept of the empathy technology is both fascinating and horrifying, raising questions about ethics, consent, and the nature of human experience.

The novel is definitely a slow burn, and there are moments where the pacing feels a bit uneven, particularly as the technology aspect comes to the forefront. However, the chilling atmosphere and the unraveling of Enka and Mathilde’s bond more than make up for it. Huang expertly builds suspense and a sense of inevitability, leading to a dark and haunting conclusion that leaves the reader reflecting on the story long after the final page.

Immaculate Conception is a sharp, intellectual exploration of friendship, obsession, and the ethical quandaries of modern technology. While it may not be for everyone due to its slow pace and heavy themes, it’s a thought-provoking read that will stay with you. Fans of literary thrillers that delve into the human psyche will appreciate this haunting and complex novel.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I’m just obsessed with her writing. This book was so intriguing and kept me interested the whole time. I highly recommend this book, and the authors previous book Natural Beauty, if you haven’t read it yet.

2.5 rounded up to a 3 lol
this book in one sentence: hell is other people. I think this book does a lot of things well. I love ling ling Huang's writing. it's simultaneously straightforward and lyrical/literary prose which I love. I think the book gives some of its themes lots of space for exploration and room to breathe like commodifying trauma for art; I really like the depiction of being obsessed with a person in the first half of the book. I don't think the synopsis is really what the book is about. the allure of the book is explored for like 15% and it's in the latter half of the book. I wish we had explored the buffers more and maybe fleshed out the explanation of how they work and their impacts a little more. I hated the arc of the main character. the ending felt very unearned. I also was not the biggest fan of some of the language around trauma and conservatorship!!!! and how a lot of the language is wretched and goes unchallenged. the reactions around conservatorship felt unrealistic like there should've been more pushback and fighting and turmoil, but it was mainly just like a one liner: x is gonna be in a conservatorship now cool moving on. absolutely not. I understand that we as the reader are probably supposed to understand via the later elements of the book that conservatorship bad, but I wish the narrative had gone further/it didn't feel like it was blatant enough that conservatorship inhumane and bad.

thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for an eARC for this book.

two art students form a deep at times co-dependent bond in school that continues on in their lives as they pursue art professionally. main character is jealous of her friend who is the wunderkind genius. as friend gets more and more infamous in the cutthroat art world, main character is clawing at relevancy by clinging onto the friendship.

it was good to finish reading this while watching severance. will try to discuss the book and the show with limited spoilers. in severance there's technology to sever your work persona from your personal and the main character on the show does this because of the deep trauma of losing his wife in a car accident.

early in this book they introduce art and technology intersecting for good and for bad. main character in the book specializes in art x technology. her friend gains more prominence in the art world for art that's trauma-informed. when friend hits a wall creativity from a deeply scarring trauma, they consider technology where you can upload part of your brain to another.

the severance show and this book do not share the same technology in the slightest. they do introduce a layer of corporations invested in having folks undergo these procedures for production which is just the most bleak and sad portrayal of capitalism. in the book our famous artist friend is traumatized by the idea of making more art but her foundation board wants to crank out more. artist friend undergoes the procedure with our main character who is then able to access her memories, trauma and artistry. main character is embolden by the new skills and confidence and starts tapping into her friend's mind at first here and there to create art but then taps more and more for other aspects of her life. when friendship goes from codependency to obsession.

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang was bonkers, but bloody brilliant. Enka is enthralled with Mathilde, a successful debut artist that has everything the competitive Enka wants. As Enka becomes more obsessed with Mathilde, an interesting invention potentially provides the solution to Enka's (somewhat unrequited) obsession. But is it really a solution? It's not safe.

Huang's depiction of the art world was fantastic - as someone in that world, I can say that they fully encapsulated what it is to be part of that sphere. Huang's writing was unique, well paced and not overly esoteric. 

I loved Immaculate Conception and would suggest it to anyone that likes a sci fi but also an arty book!

Thanks NetGalley for this eArc!

Where do I even begin? I was absolutely enthralled from page one. I couldn't put this book down. Ling Ling Huang's character development is remarkable and deserves close study. It's truly an art to live inside Enka's head and experience her descent to rock bottom. The irony of this is even more apparent once you've finished the book.

I loved Enka's honesty at the end. It really struck a nerve with me. I wish I could experience that complete surrender, free from any mask. I consider myself an authentic person, or at least I try to be. But we all play roles depending on the day, circumstance, and crowd. Consciously or not, we all put up a mask, whether it covers our whole face or just a part of it. The thought of experiencing utter self-honesty, vulnerability, and complete openness because there's no point in hiding, sounds incredibly freeing.

Everything about Mathilde was absolutely brilliant. Her character, her actions, what she represented – brilliant, art, 10/10. I'm obsessed with how she took impermanence to a whole other level and redefined the world at the end. If she were a real person, I'd sell my dog and my house just to talk to her for five minutes.

Building on that, I loved how she represents a commentary on our obsession with perpetuity and everyone having access to everything. I'm not talking about basic necessities or human rights. I mean experiences that are supposed to be unique and lived, which we've bastardized via the internet and the obsession with preventing FOMO. This speaks to how we've tried to make everyone and everything feel so special and important that nothing truly is. Mathilde's medium switch to permanent works was brilliant.

Also, I loved the commentary on faith. I loved that it was important and deep for her and that she was traumatized by losing it. As a society, we often view faith of any kind—religious or not, in people or systems—as stupid and naive. But faith is absolutely a paramount part of the human experience. We have a need to believe in something, anything, anyone. I thought Ling Ling Huang's description of the loss of her faith and its indescribable effect on her was absolutely on point, beautifully and empathically written.

Also, the fact that the tests showed she would eventually heal, somewhat, and become more than her pain was heartbreaking in the best way possible. I love the idea that pain embodies us at times, when the loss is too big, the hurt too large, but that time does heal all wounds, and recovery isn't on a timer. Recovery is a part of life, meant to be experienced day by day, month by month, year by year, slowly or quickly, it doesn't matter.

Also, the book itself is just absolutely beautifully written. I'd want to print every page and make it wallpaper for my room. The writing is poetic; some sentences made me literally ponder my life choices and who I am as a human being.

This is the best book I've read this year, and I can't believe it's only March. It's literally downhill from here. I may never give another five-star review because I'll just compare everything to this.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with this ARC.

This is wonderful, challenging, difficult, and powerful stuff. I am intrigued and I’m sat. Can’t wait to read more by this author. This style is right up my alley!

Enka and Mathilde are best friends who meet in university. Enka is drawn to Mathilde’s brilliance and they form a deep relationship built on Mathilde’s trauma. Enka’s deep seated feelings of envy and insecurity fuel her decisions throughout her adult life.

The story follows the commodification and perversion of art due to technology, followed by the use of technology to create ‘art’. It was really interesting to read about how technology both supported and crushed the art world.

What I most enjoyed about Immaculate Conception was the relationship between Enka and Mathilde. It was a toxis and self-serving relationship (for Enka) but it was also an avenue for Enka to grow.

“You left your conceptual design project at my apartment. Straight from the tortured artist’s department

I think some things I’ll never say, like what do you need bodily autonomy for anyway”

Ling Ling has such a beautiful and in depth writing style. Her debut novel Natural Beauty kept me guessing and Immaculate Conception was no different! Enka and her best friend Mathilde are students in a prestigious conceptual art program competing with a newly created artificial intelligence program. Despite the majority of aspiring artists failing out of the field as a result of this AI program, Enka is holding on while Mathilde is continuously pushing boundaries to create never before seen works of art. Mathilde is recruited to create for a multi-billion dollar tech company, that Enka’s new in laws own. When the company believes Mathilde’s personal trauma is becoming a liability to their bottom line, she is placed under conservatorship by her best friends in laws, and given two not-so-great options regarding her future as an artist.

To be honest, this book took me a little while to get into. The first 30% or so kind of lags, the next 20% is a little all over the place and hard to follow, but the last half had me sucked in. There is definitely a lot going on in this book. I’m not sure that all of the added details were beneficial to furthering the plot of the story, but the futuristic and technologically advanced elements were well placed to set the scene in this sci-fi horror novel!

Thank you to Netgalley, Dutton Books, and of course the amazing author Ling Ling Huang for the early copy of this book to review!

Immaculate Conception is a beautiful book that explores the influence of AI on humanity. I was floored by the integration of art and technology, how Ling Ling Huang sets up a world lead by AI that is seen as the resolution to all problems. As we explore deeper, we come to see the complexity of relationships and what it means to be successful.
Ling Ling Huang, you never fail to disappoint me with your work!! It is so creative and your prose and plot stick with me (Natural Beauty will continue to be a favorite). Thank you for being a leader in books that push boundaries and make us consider the future of what could be.