In the novel an unnamed woman about to give birth to a second child recounts events and fears that occurred during her first pregnancy. She also remembers how the death of her mother affected her some years earlier and the relationship that she had with her grandmother. Interwoven with these memories are accounts of significant events in medical history - Willhelm Rontgen's discovery of the X-ray, Sigmund Freud's development of psychoanalysis and John Hunter's work with his brother William and the artist Jan van Rymsdk in investigating the anatomy of pregnancy.
The different themes of the book are skilfully interwoven and portrayed in three main sections resulting in conveying the protagonist's fears of impending parenthood and her ability to cope as a mother. It is a moving account of the experiences of many approaching motherhood.
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