The darkness and deftly woven claustrophobic feeling was really vivid. I’m looking forward to recommending this heartily. Unflinching…Valentine successfully mines pregnancy’s horrors for dramatic effect while condemning condescension toward, and ignorance of, women’s struggles with fertility and childbearing. It adds up to a fiercely feminist millennial heir to Rosemary’s Baby." — Publishers Weekly

The book’s gestation was almost as fraught as Anna’s baby’s. Valentine, who’s written several young adult novels, had spent a year and a half on a thriller for adults that just wasn’t coalescing. During that period, she’d also lost a pregnancy—and learned, in the early stages of miscarrying, that her doctor had noticed a potential problem weeks before. Why hadn’t someone told her? “Nobody wanted to scare you,” she remembers them replying. “Which is essentially just saying, ‘Well, we’re not telling women things about their bodies and their health because we don’t want them to get hysterical.’ That’s ludicrous.” It is when Anna learns that her daughter’s birth was a result of a mystical intervention by the coven cult. Yet, there is a condition— she must convey Sobhian’s past memories to her daughter to ensure her healthy upbringing; failure to do so will result in Sobhian’s demise. This book is so dark and disturbing, it’s safe to say I loved it! After finishing the book I read that the next AHS series is going to be based on this book and it is going to be INCREDIBLE if it’s even half as good as the book. This book, Delicate Condition, has been called an "update to Rosemary's Baby" and I am old enough to remember seeing the original movie with Mia Farrell. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next scene. Terrifying! This book is very much like the old movie, except it is a terrifying read. As I got deeper into the book, I was trying to determine who was doing these things to this woman, or was she just nutty? Her friend's and spouse's support, was it real? The people she met along the way, were they friends or ??? Was she really driven to do some of the things she did? Enduring pain in prenatal yoga classes adds to Anna’s fear, and she questions everything going on in her body.

Delicate Condition

A visceral rallying cry against the horrors of medical gaslighting, our culture's indifference to birthing people's pain, and the complete terror of creating and sustaining life―Delicate Condition is beautifully written, unbearably tense, and deeply scary. A modern fairy tale that asks what we'd be willing to sacrifice for the thing we want most. Danielle Valentine will sit on my shelf beside Julia Fine, Jessamine Chan, and Rachel Yoder--writers who remind us of the monster inside every mother." ―Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You’ll Ever Know Beautifully written, unbearably tense, and deeply scary. A modern fairy tale that asks what we'd be willing to sacrifice for the thing we want most." ―Katie Gutierrez, National Bestselling author of More Than You'll Ever Know A spooky, devour-in-one-sitting story that's guaranteed to have everyone talking."―Leah Konen, author of You Should Have Told Me Thank you #Netgalley and both the author Danielle Valentine and the publishers for my E-arc of #DelicateCondition giving me the opportunity to read this outstanding novel, in exchange for my honest review .

Fabulously original. A deeply unsettling read that plays on women's darkest fears of pregnancy." — Gemma Rogers, author of The Secret a b c "Kim Kardashian Debates an Oscar vs. a Baby in 'American Horror Story: Delicate' Trailer". The Wrap. September 6, 2023 . Retrieved September 8, 2023. Griffith, Eric; Steele, Chandra (October 13, 2023). "Must Watch: The Most-Streamed TV Shows and Movies This Week". PCMag UK . Retrieved October 17, 2023. A visceral rallying cry against the horrors of medical gaslighting, our culture's indifference to birthing people's pain, and the complete terror of creating and sustaining life— Delicate Condition is beautifully written, unbearably tense, and deeply scary. A modern fairy tale that asks what we'd be willing to sacrifice for the thing we want most. Danielle Valentine will sit on my shelf beside Julia Fine, Jessamine Chan, and Rachel Yoder—writers who remind us of the monster inside every mother." — Katie Gutierrez, bestselling author of More Than You’ll Ever Know Anna is a woman who is always in control. She set her goals high in her acting career and met them. Now, she is not in control, and not knowing what is “normal” and what isn’t regarding her body changes, and food cravings, she views everything as a threat to the baby (?) growing inside her.Mangalindan, JP (September 21, 2023). "Kim Kardashian's 'American Horror Story: Delicate' Debut Served Up the 'Campy Fun' the Series Needs". People . Retrieved September 29, 2023. The book successfully engages with the reader's emotions, providing a rollercoaster ride of suspense, tremendous suffering, and unexpected twists. It's comparable to classic horror novel "Rosemary's Baby" but with a modern and distinctly feminist approach. Anna Alcott had a loving husband and a fast developing career as an actress but she only wants one thing: a baby. After years of IVF, she’s finally pregnant but then suffers a devastating miscarriage. The only thing is, she feels the baby moving still and has strange symptoms. What a thrilling, visceral read. So dark, and very fast paced - Heather Darwent, author of THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR FRIENDS

Potential spoilers ahead for American Horror Story: Delicate. Fans of American Horror Story will be thrilled to find out that the latest season can be spoiled for all the bookworms. American Horror Story: Delicate is based on a book by Danielle Valentine, and here’s Delicate Condition‘s ending explained if you don’t want to wait another year to watch the whole season.Anna and Dex only want a baby. After going through years of IVF, they finally get a positive test. Anna is over the moon thrilled. She begins noticing strange things around her and someone lurking in the shadows. She's an actress who's got some traction lately, it can't have anything to do with the child growing inside her. Until one day she feels extreme pain, she is miscarrying. The emotional and physical pain are too much for Anna. She hides away from the world and loses herself. Then, she feels something stir inside her. Could it be? Could the doctors be wrong? Is her baby still alive? When Anna starts hallucinating, she's no longer sure who to trust and what in this world is safe. Will she make it out alive?