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Book Cover for: Immaculate Conception, Ling Ling Huang

Immaculate Conception

Ling Ling Huang

Reader Score

83%

83% of readers

recommend this book

What if you could enter the mind of the person you love the most?

Enka meets Mathilde in art school and is instantly drawn to her. Mathilde makes art that feels truly original, and Enka--trying hard to prove herself in this fiercely competitive world--pours everything into their friendship. But when Mathilde's fame and success cause her to begin drifting away, Enka becomes desperate to keep her close.

Enter SCAFFOLD. Purported to enhance empathy, this cutting-edge technology could allow Enka to inhabit Mathilde's mind and access her memories, artistic inspirations, and deep-seated trauma. Undergoing this procedure would link Enka and Mathilde forever. But at what cost?

Blisteringly smart, thought-provoking, and shocking, Immaculate Conception offers us a portrait of close friendship--achingly tender and twisted--that captures the tenuous line between love and possession that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Dutton
  • Publish Date: May 13rd, 2025
  • Pages: 304
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 8.30in - 5.70in - 1.20in - 0.85lb
  • EAN: 9780593850435
  • Categories: Asian American & Pacific IslanderHorror - GeneralSatire

About the Author

Ling Ling Huang is a writer and violinist. She plays with several ensembles, including the Oregon Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and the Experiential Orchestra, with whom she won a Grammy Award in 2021. Her debut novel, Natural Beauty, was a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, a New York Times Editors' Choice, and winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction.

Praise for this book

"In Huang's Immaculate Conception, the desire to be close to the flame of genius leads to catastrophic obsession. Huang, the real-life genius holding the palette, deftly weaves competition, longing, fantastical technology, and gobsmacking imagery into an unforgettable tale. I found this portrait of artist friends utterly gripping: an immersive, transformative read, just the way true art should be." --Sierra Greer, author of Annie Bot