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In late 1600s London, as described in this achingly spare novella, we encounter witches and a break between worlds. A break that lets in babies that are decidedly “other.” And in this version of London, we also find Sarah. A woman capable of seeing between the worlds and using great power, but only sometimes.

Sarah, after circumstances of birth and some life choices leave her in the dubious hands of Mrs. June as an apprentice midwife, finds herself swept up in the lives of Lady and Sir Wren, and asked to attend to Lady Wren’s upcoming birth. She is at odds with the group of midwives that Mrs. June consorts with, and also finds herself swept up in the promises given to her by Sir Wren to fix the breach between the worlds. At every moment Sarah’s life is held by the whims of those that lay claim to her, and the society she must move within. Her moments of want and love are furtive, risking her reputation.

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions is nothing that I thought it would be. It is a brief tale, but it is rich in threads of horror and magic, and societal expectations. It brings the feeling of “otherness” to the forefront, and asks Sarah to make a choice that is often given to those that are powerful – how would you fix the world? Can it even be fixed? And who decides what is the right path to take? And is it so wrong to be different?

*I received a free ARC from Netgalley and the publisher to read and review. All opinions are my own.