In 17th-century London, unnatural babies are being born, with eyes made for the dark and webbed digits suited to the sea…
We’re thrilled to share the cover of Lina Rather’s A Season of Monstrous Conceptions, an eldritch historical fantasy of midwifery, monstrosity, and the rending of the world—forthcoming from Tordotcom Publishing on October 31, 2023.
In 17th-century London, unnatural babies are being born, with eyes made for the dark and webbed digits suited to the sea.
Sarah Davis is intimately familiar with such strangeness—having hidden her uncanny nature all her life and fled to London under suspicious circumstances, Sarah starts over as a midwife’s apprentice to a member of the illegal Worshipful Company of Midwives, hoping to carve out for herself an independent life. But with each new unnatural birth, the fear in London grows of the Devil’s work.
When the wealthy Lady Wren hires her to see her through her pregnancy, Sarah quickly becomes a favorite of her husband, the famous architect Lord Christopher Wren, whose interest in the uncanny borders on obsession. Sarah soon finds herself caught in a web of magic and intrigue created by those who want to use her power for themselves, and whose pursuits threaten to unmake the earth itself.
***
“An entrancing and transformative queer tale of cosmic horror, unbelonging, and self-definition. I adored every page!”—Caitlin Starling, bestselling author of The Death of Jane Lawrence
“A dark, heady blend of immersive (and subversive) history, queer love story, and world-twisting magic. Fierce, strange, compassionate, and beautifully written.”—H.G. Parry, author of A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians
“A blood sacrifice of a novel, guaranteed to open the doors and whet the blades of your mind.”—Meg Elison, author of Big Girl
“Gripping, horrifying, and unexpectedly touching. The historical detail is vivid and gritty, with a fascinating focus on women’s worlds of witchcraft and midwifery—I loved it!”—Veronica Schanoes, author of Burning Girls and Other Stories
Buy the Book
A Season of Monstrous Conceptions
Lina Rather (she/her) is a speculative fiction author and graduate student living in Central New York. Her short fiction has appeared in venues including Lightspeed, Podcastle, and Shimmer. Her Tordotcom Publishing novella series, Our Lady of Endless Worlds, is about devotion, empire, and nuns living in a giant slug in outer space. When Lina isn’t writing, she likes to cook overly elaborate recipes, read history, and collect cool rocks. Find her on Twitter or Instagram as @LinaRather, and find her other works at her website.
