Fetal Position

“With piercing insight, Huynh expertly confronts motherhood and identity, gender and power, freedom and choice. The result is an unforgettable premise both fearsome and aspirational.”
—Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“Huynh’s novel feels very timely amidst our growing dependence on technology and our influencer-saturated media landscape. As she explores the shared human experience of loneliness, what separates people from bots, and the powerful and deceptive effects of marketing on culture and society, her captivating and thought-provoking novel will keep readers engaged until the end.”
—Booklist
“Hyunh delivers an eerie dystopian tale worthy of a Black Mirror episode.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Huynh creates a fascinating world [and] weavrs in a shadowy mystery that compels readers to keep turning pages…The thought-provoking elements of Huynh’s novel stand out and will appeal to philosophical, forward-thinking readers.”
—Library Journal
“Fetal Position is a gripping and original spin on the growing literary canon surrounding Trad Wives. This book is an eerie blend of The Handmaid’s Tale and Ex Machina, where every page feels impossibly relevant for today’s society, and something sinister is always hiding beneath the surface.“
—Liann Zhang, award-winning author of Julie Chan is Dead
“A propulsive and terrifying look at a possible future where women have triumphed over men, yet still long for traditional family structures—and the sinister plot to take advantage of the best of them. A haunting, innovative page-turner with razor-sharp social commentary on gender dynamics, AI, and the cost of power.”
—Gabrielle Korn, acclaimed author of Yours for the Taking
“Fetal Position is a wild ride, and I’d happily get back in line to experience it over and over again. Huynh has achieved what the best dystopian authors do so well: she’s at once given us biting social commentary, an intoxicatingly suspenseful story, and a hero we cheer for at every turn. Fetal Position so brilliantly interrogates the nature of motherhood, connection, bodily autonomy, the gender war, what makes a family, and beyond. If the fetal position is the position we naturally take to protect our vulnerable parts, then this book dares to ask the question: what if we find new ways to be in the world and with each other? Ways that lower our defenses to make way for new means of connection and love.”
—Mac Crane, author of I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself
Praise for The Family Recipe

“This story about bickering Vietnamese American siblings and their secretive elders is a funny yet poignant tale of one family’s search for belonging and understanding.” —Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

“Carolyn Huynh once again shares her wondrous ability to blend humor, history, and heart through her intricately woven story. With wit, warmth, and insight, she brings to life the powerfully haunting experience of survival and sacrifice for the Tran family, their secrets and struggles pushing them to a reckoning point. In The Family Recipe, Huynh explores complicated, fraught relationships and examines the sacrifices of reaching for the American dream, all while delighting us with her unforgettable characters. Vivid, whimsical, and wonderfully satisfying.” —Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle Women
“You can always count me in for a story about generations of cursed women, but I was surprised—and thoroughly delighted—to discover how much I would laugh out loud at the exploits of these mothers, daughters, and sisters. Carolyn Huynh’s The Fortunes of Jaded Women is a terrific debut. I’m eager to read more from her.” – Lisa See, the New York Times bestselling author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
“Superstition, sibling rivalry, well-meaning mothers who meddle in the lives of their daughters—who then grow up to be well-meaning mothers who meddle in the lives of their daughters. The Fortunes of Jaded Women pulls off the magic trick of being a heartfelt, multi-generational epic as well as a fast-paced, hilarious romp. It is your good fortune to have this novel in your hands.” – Camille Perri, acclaimed author of The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy

Carolyn Huynh is a novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. She loves writing about acerbic women who never learn from their mistakes but yearn for joy.

Her debut novel, The Fortunes of Jaded Women, was a Good Morning America book club pick and picked as one of the best books of the year by NPR.

A homegrown Californian, she resides in Los Angeles with her partner, her daughter, and her demon girl dog. Fetal Position is her third book.

When she’s not writing, Carolyn daydreams about having iced coffee on a rooftop in Ho Chi Minh City.

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