
Immaculate Conception
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Carolyn Kang
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By:
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Ling Ling Huang
About this listen
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.
©2025 Ling Ling Huang (P)2025 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
Named a Most Anticipated Title by Book Riot, The Nerd Daily, Gold House, Read or Dead, and Bookish
“Through these rich characters, Ling Ling Huang raises important questions about not only the boundaries between art and tech but also the blurred lines between originality, autonomy, and possession.”—Harper's Bazaar, "Best Books of Spring"
“Brilliant and unsettling . . . Driven by Huang’s compelling, flowing prose, the novel is an examination of a friendship that turns toxic in the most terrifying way. Huang is a master of mixing the speculative with the contemporary, harnessing near-future possibilities to show us just how far humanity will go to achieve the impossible while ignoring very real consequences.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Huang writes evocatively of Enka’s waxing and waning jealousy of Mathilde, which comes at the expense of developing her own artistic voice. This bracing novel gives readers plenty to chew on.”—Publishers Weekly
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