DANGIT -- this was so good.

I've been pining after this one for some time due to the cover art and synopsis alone, and when RB Media granted me audiobook access, I dropped everything on my to-do list to devour this one. A Season of Monstrous Conceptions is set to hit shelves on October 31, 2023, the perfect Halloweenie read for this spooky season.

Sarah Davis is an apprentice to a famous midwife in 17th-century London. Mrs. Davis, freshly widowed after the sudden death of her husband (which she may or may not have had some hand in) is reacting as any concerned caretaker would in her position, as many pregnant women are giving birth to half-human/half-creature-like monsters. This is hardly a coincidence, and I wouldn't say Sarah is frightened, for she was one of these creatures at birth and was spared her life but has been deemed a witch by her hometown.

When Sarah and her Master Midwife are hired by a couple whose patriarch is quite interested in the supernatural side, Sarah fears her life is at risk for the Wren family knows her best-kept secret. At first touch, Sarah can tell that this new Wren child is of the "other side" and not like any normal child, but still she has duties to uphold and a state of professionalism to manage.

This time in England is past the horrors of witch hunts and hangings, but yet there is still a tinge of hate in the air for those who like unlike everyone else.

I really enjoyed this. The themes of gender, sexuality, expertise, and childbirth were explored in an interesting way using the tight frame of the novella. I'm not an expert on the historical setting with regard to childbirth and medicine outside of what I know from Ehrenreich and English's Witches, Midwives, and Nurses, but it felt vivid and believable, particularly when put into conversation with the (male) scholarly establishment of the Enlightenment era.

This was a funky little book. Cool, abstract horror without being too gross about the real-life disgusting horror that is pregnancy.

The nitty-gritty: Lina Rather combines cosmic horror and a fascinating historical time period in this engaging and uplifting tale.

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions is an immersive story set in 1675 London with some wonderfully creepy cosmic horror elements. I loved Lina Rather’s Our Lady of Endless Worlds series, so I was curious to see what she would do with a different genre. This novella is completely different from her science fiction series, but just as beautifully written.

Sarah is a midwife’s apprentice, having been rescued from a dire domestic situation by Mrs. June, who took her under her wing and is teaching her everything about midwifery. But strange things are happening in London. Babies are being born with monstrous features, like extra eyes and appendages, gills, horns or fur. Most die as soon as they are born, but some survive and are eeking out a life among humans in secret. Sarah calls these babies “uncanny,” and in fact she has a touch of the uncanny herself. She was born with a tail, which her grandmother promptly chopped off, and now she bears not only a scar, but the ability to reach into the Other Place (where these uncanny babies come from) and pull power from it. Others like her have banned together to form a guild of sorts, although murmurings of witchcraft keep them from divulging these powers to others.

When Sarah helps a pregnant woman on the street, she is whisked into the strange life of the famous Sir Christopher Wren, an architect and scientist who senses that Sarah might be able to help him with a project. The world is out of balance, and Wren believes he can set it to rights. As Wren’s wife Faith gets closer to giving birth, Sarah must decide whether giving up the secrets of the guild will save the world, or put everyone in danger.

I was not expecting to love the historical parts of the book so much, but I was fascinated by Rather’s descriptions of the gritty, harsh lives of Londoners in 1675, especially women. I loved that midwifery is truly women’s work and is not meant to be interfered with by men. Sarah is shocked when Christopher Wren demands that he be in the room when his wife is giving birth, something that just wasn’t done in that time period. The author makes a connection between midwifery and witchcraft, which I’ve seen done before, but in this case that connection is literal. All the midwifes in the guild have a touch of the uncanny and can use the power of the Other Place in small ways. 

I also liked the idea of using a real life historical figure—Sir Christopher Wren—in the story. It gives a nice heft to the time period Rather has chosen, and I found the relationship between Wren and Sarah fascinating. Wren opens up a new world for Sarah, by showing her the mysteries of science, but later he threatens everything she believes in.

As the for horror, the monstrous births are presented as anomalies, something that will go away once the worlds are aligned again, and Rather gives these creatures an otherworldly, cosmic twist by suggesting they come from another world. Sarah, having uncanny blood herself, has a connection to each creature she comes across and is almost a mother figure to them. The horror elements in this story are subtle, and I ended up mostly feeling sorry for the poor babies who will never be able to fit into society, even if they survive.

There’s also a sweet romance between Sarah and another uncanny named Margaret, who was born with horns and keeps them covered with a head wrap. Their relationship is more in the background, but it was nice that Sarah had a soft place to land with Margaret outside of her hard life as a midwife.

The final climax was very weird, but that’s cosmic horror for you. The story ends on a hopeful note, and I was happy for once to read a horror story that doesn’t end in, well, horror. I would recommend A Season of Monstrous Conceptions to readers who love historical fiction with a touch of otherworldly horror.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

I loved this dark novella! The setting is 1675 London. The city still bears the scars of the Great Fire and famed architect Sir Christopher Wren is building his monument in remembrance of the event.

Midwives across London have noticed a significant uptick in uncanny births. Babies are being born with gills, tails, horns, or any number of monstrous appendages. Mothers are convinced they’ve been cursed by a devil.

Sarah is a midwifery apprentice with a sketchy past. Her survival in the city is dependent on the goodwill of Mistress June, the experienced midwife who is training, housing, and feeding her.

Sarah is drawn into the orbit of Christopher Wren after assisting his pregnant wife. Wren has a theory that explains why these strange babies are being born and a plan to set things right. But he needs Sarah’s help to achieve his goal.

A novella, with its economy of words, must inform and entice the reader with its very first sentences. Author Lina Rather does this effectively by dropping the reader directly into the action. We immediately know the plot’s crisis, the setting, the societal conventions, and the relationship between two of the main characters.

I was quickly drawn into the narrative, and the introduction of Sir Christopher Wren as a character was delightful. I have long been interested in the Great Fire and Wren’s rebuilding work. Rather employs both brilliantly in plotting this book.

I highly recommend A Season of Monstrous Conceptions to anyone looking for a tightly crafted dark historical fantasy.

Thank you to TorDotCom and NetGalley for this ARC. It was the perfect October read!

This was a beautiful novella. I would have loved to see the themes more complexly rendered but I think it was as nuanced as possible given its length. A lot of interesting commentary about gendered power, reproduction, and desire and some very powerful scenes.

A SEASON OF MONSTROUS CONCEPTIONS is an uncanny tale about what it means to live in between worlds. After fleeing her hometown, Sarah ends up in London to train as a midwife under the tutelage of Mistress June in the Worshipful Company of Midwives. But late 17th century London has seen a spate of births of strange babies that seem to belong to another realm. As the din of whispers grow louder among city residents, the illegal guild of midwives--and high society with eldritch interests--plan how to harness this otherwordly power.

Before I jump into the meat of my review, let me first assuage any potential questions about the writing style. Because of the comparison to THE ESSEX SERPENT, I was concerned perhaps the writing would line up more with the styles of Bronte sisters or Jane Austen. Thankfully this was not the case and I read this novella with ease and interest. There were sentences that I felt needed to be shorter and less meandering, but that is my personal preference.

Both the title and official synopsis of this book accurately describe what the reader will encounter. There are births of strange-looking babies who seem both part of the human and some other world. I do wish a few more uncanny births, or at least stories of them, were described to increase the tension. But the point is clear. Many are stillborn or don't survive long beyond the birth. Still, others do, some of which can pass as human while others will find a life of living in the shadows.

This "in between" theme is the strength of A SEASON OF MONSTROUS CONCEPTIONS. The main character Sarah is betwixt worlds in more ways than one, most blatantly with the fact that she is a woman. Women are human and a part of society, of course, but that very society limits their actions. And their actions must always occur within the permission and gratuity of men. So, naturally, women find ways to work around and within these confines. Additionally, though Sarah is in a lower class, her apprenticeship as a midwife brings her to all classes of society. Rich or poor, the pain or mess of birth doesn't discriminate. This is how she happenstance meets Sir Wren, a well-known architect with an avid interest in the other world. Sarah also harbors hidden secrets that allow her to pass, but would result in a shunning if society were aware.

For a 160-page novella, I felt Sarah's characterization was well written. I liked following her as she moves between high and low society. I even learned some new vocabulary when she spends some free time in some "less savory" areas of the city. I do wish there were more details about the Other World. I found myself wanting just a little more from this story that I can't quite put my finger on. Though, perhaps this is the result of a novella- rather than novel-length read. Regardless, as the weird events seem to reach a fever pitch, Sarah finds herself torn. Does she sacrifice herself for the desires of the illegal midwives guild? Or should she instead harness power to form an unnaturally perfect world free of pain?

A SEASON OF MONSTROUS CONCEPTIONS is a supernatural ode to finding self-acceptance in a messy world. Society at large may have too many rules and etiquettes, particularly 17th century London. But having agency for oneself is a boon as is the ability to create a life on one's own without being beholden to another, whether out of fear or a hunger for respect.

[This review will be posted to my blog on October 19, 2023.]

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions, unlike most books, if I were to give a point form summary of what occurred, I doubt it would be a spoiler because simply knowing how it ends would actually fail to capture what this story is about and what makes it so intriguing.
To put it plainly, this novella is not the type of horror meant to scare you. There’s no serial killers or vengeful ghosts. Instead it is horror in the same way that Eldritch lore or Lovecraft is—in that so much about what makes it unsettling lies not in the who or the why, but in the uncertainty and inevitability of the events that occur and whether or not the idea of autonomy is just that, a very nice idea meant to placate us.
In that regard, this really is an existential gothic horror. Almost nothing about the main mystery—the “monstrous” babies being born—is explained. Yet, the resolution still feels complete because in its open-endedness all of the catharsis for the reader is channeled into the characters’ acceptance or denial of the situation. What they choose doesn’t matter, only that the decision was made.
The book pulls on these threads while simultaneously focusing its plot around feminist theory. Pitting traditionally accepted avenues of feminine power, such as motherhood and childrearing against their taboo counterparts; sexuality, intuition, and the sharing of knowledge, but doing so in a way where all of this discourse occurs within a singular identity—the protagonist, Sarah; her history and her relationships with those around her.
All that being said, while I liked this book and would certainly recommend it, it will leave a bad taste in your mouth if you are someone who needs definitive answers and neat conclusions.

I felt very meh about this whole book. On one hand, the concept is incredibly intriguing. On the other, I don't think it fits neatly into 160 pages -- I wish it had been a short novel, rather than a novella. I was pretty bored at the beginning, and I felt like once the story actually gained momentum, so much happened at once that it felt unbalanced. I would have loved more development of all the relationships, since I think that would have made things more engrossing.

Not at all bad, but also not a favourite either.

Oh, I absolutely loved this! I was a bit worried since I didn't really vibe that well with the authors other novellas, but this one was exactly what I want in a novella. And it was such a wonderful mix of things I like in stories:

Bold main character? Check.
A group of midwives with magical abilities? Check.
Eldrich horror? Check.
Feminist themes? Check.
Queer themes? Also check!

It really discussed themes of othering so well, with many of the characters (along with the main character) having "beastly" physical characteristics to go along with their magical abilities.

Content warnings for childbirth and child death!

3.5 / 5

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions is a short, queer, cosmic horror slash historical fiction novella that takes place in 17th century London. We follow Sarah, a midwife apprentice with a preternatural sixth sense of sorts. All around London, babies are being born with increasingly concerning abnormalities; traits like razor sharp teeth, fur, extra eyes, and horns. Sarah finds herself unraveling what is causing these defects, how it connects to her own past, and the lengths the people around her will go to obtain these same answers.

I personally don't think this was truly a horror - it's got sort of a gothic vibe to it, and there are absolutely some heavy/grotesque things going on, but it felt more like a grim historical low fantasy. I thought the queer elements were well done and added an element to the story that I found interesting. I didn't feel particularly invested in any of the characters, most likely due to the story's length, but overall I think the page count was adequate. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a macabre tale with queer, feminist, & body horror elements!

Thank you to Tor, NetGalley, and Tina Rather for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this memorable novella of historical fiction set in an era not often covered, the late 1600s, and spiced liberally with queerness and the uncanny.

Sarah is our bi protagonist with a dark past, now an apprentice midwife in London of the late 1600s. She is supernaturally gifted by the same force that is resulting in mutant births across the world: children with horns, bat wings, too many eyes, and more. I was surprised as anyone that a plot largely focusing on pregnancy would interest me, but I love to be unpredictable! In a historical context I find the topic approached much more pragmatically and just - differently, I guess.

The wild thing about this book is that it was fulfilling for me, as a novella that took upon itself a pretty steep challenge; present a historical setting, layer its fantastical plot over that, and give me characters to care about. And somehow it succeeds; if plot was liquor, then rather than a fully fledged cocktail, this book is a shot glass. A dose of concentrated storytelling with just enough worldbuilding to let it stand on its own. Sarah's past, her powers, the glimpses we get of a menacing, parallel world; I think the story really is best as a novella without overexamining its innards through a full-length book.

While I had some doubts about what these characters could get away with - the late 1600s felt treated more like the Victorian era here - I overall very much enjoyed this dark look at a surrealist, alternate history of England. I'd highly recommend it if you enjoy both fantastical elements and feminist overtones.

A novella great for the spooky season. Monsters, witches, and a mad-scientist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor/Forge Publishing for the opportunity to read this novella for exchange of an honest review.

I enjoyed this novella. It was short and full of action and mystery. Set in 17th century London, Sarah is a midwife's apprentice and strange babies are being born all over London.

This story really took me for a ride. I wasn't sure where it was going at some points. I was looking for a spooky read for October and this did not disappoint.

I loved this novella, or whatever it would be classified as lol it was very short. I do wish it was longer because the world building was so fascinating and the characters were too.

The story moved really quickly, sometimes period books can be a bit of a drag for me but this one I finished in only a few hours. It was about a midwife in a fictional version of 16th century London where a lot of strange, not quite human babies are being born. The midwife is a little bit strange herself and feels a connection to the babies. I really wish we got more at the end, like I said this book actually would've benefitted from being longer but overall it was a great read for this time of year and I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for something dark and fast paced.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

My thanks to Netgalley for an opportunity to read this book pre-publication for an honest review. These are my opinions.

I'll start with what I didn't like: the story ended too quickly! I would have liked more than 160 pages to scratch my feminist side. The story is set in 17th century London, and apprentice midwife Sarah works to save mothers and infants of difficult pregnancies, especially now that the frequency of babies born with 'special features' are increasing. Sarah herself was such an infant, and she's retained a connection to the "Other Side," a parallel realm where creatures with horns, tails, and fantastical features exist. This magical land, accessible to women with 'other' talents, seems to parallel the patriarchal London of witch burnings and the male-dominated Royal Society that focuses on science instead of wonder.

It's this duality that is fascinating as the story arc in the book. This idea of twin opposites is again portrayed in the beautiful cover art, with the reverse images of a midwife and a monster. I would have loved to have read more of Sir Wren's quest to tap into the powers of the Other Side, and also the secret cabal of midwives and their apprentices. One hundred sixty pages was simply not enough for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions is a perfect novella for the spookyn season. Strange births+witches as midwifes=yes, please! I would have prefered a longer book just to see more interactions between characters, but overall I really enjoyed it!

This was super short, shorter than I expected, but it still packs in everything it was intending. It was riveting, with a phenomenally written atmosphere.

Set back centuries from current time, this is about a woman, a midwife, who is touched by the uncanny herself, working to deliver babies that are different. People are scared of these children, born with abnormalities, thinking an evil is upon them.

When Sarah is entrusted by the Wren family to deliver Lady Wren’s baby, her husband Lord Christopher Wren takes an immediate liking to her, recognizing her connection to the uncanniness. He wants to find the border between this world and the beyond, believing she can help him find it.

I really enjoyed the writing and the characters, especially Sarah herself. There is a power in her that awakens and I loved it!

Wow. I love this. Life for women in 1600s London was hard enough but to have babies with some serious birth defects would make it a lot worse.
Sarah is a midwife's apprentice, a widow, and she is secretly like the "monstrous" children being born. She can also predict things by tapping into another world.
This was weird and interesting.

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather is set in 17th century London. There have always been ... abnormal ... births, no doubt due to witches and demons and the like, but they've always been rare. For unclear reasons, they're now happening quite frequently in London. The protagonist of this novella is an apprentice midwife, who can sometimes sense when a baby is going to be born less than (or more than) human. An interesting and compelling read; I'd like to read more of Rather's work in the future.

I love Lina Rather's other novellas, so I have to admit when I saw she was coming out with a new one set in 17th century London and involving Lord Christopher Wren my inner heart and my art history degree demanded that it be read. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up an eARC through Netgalley and the publishers and I was not disappointed.

The characters, the writing, and the pacing were all excellent. I was curious to see where it would go involving Wren with witchcraft and I have to admit it was interesting and not quite where I thought it would go. There is also sapphic romance involved for anyone interested. I guess if I had any complaint it would be that it was too short and I think it would have been really interesting to see it developed as a full length novel. Generally, though, another highly successful novella from Rather, if it is rather different from the space nuns.