A dark historical mystery that is perfect for fall reading!

Every era has a dark side and New York City in 1850 is no exception. People with abnormalities die all the time, but now people want to know more about these abnormalities, they want to dissect the people and see what made them occur. In fact, there are plenty of people to pay nicely for such a body. From aneurysms to blocked arteries to being born with multiple appendages, these are worth big money to explore and then display to the public. Cora Lee is the only female resurrectionist and she plays the game well. She stays one step ahead of those looking for bodies to purchase. After all, she has to. She was born with two hearts.

This was definitely a welcome change in my reading schedule. It was almost like a forced shift from light summer reading to a dark, fall read that keeps your mind spinning throughout the night. This book just had a little bit of everything: grave robbing, freak show abnormalities, expected murders, and a cat and mouse game. Kang always brings together a well told story that will keep the reader intrigued from beginning to end. This story flowed better than some of her past books and kept me pretty well hooked throughout, which was probably the subject and timeframe of the story. If you enjoy a little more on the darker side of a novel, give this one a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my first ever ARC.

<blockquote>Many things are possible. The human body's mysteries are finite but not yet solved</blockquote>

I always found 1800s an the first half of 1900s pretty interesting, because there is always something new to discover, something that was left out of history books. With this book in my hands I discovered some gross details about ressurectionists, or body snatchers. They were usually operating in small groups, digging out bodies of freshly buried people and selling them to medical schools for medical research or museums, all for a fair price. They also had a woman in the crew, and her role was to infiltrate the mourning family on funerals, during which they could confirm the exact burial site and make an assessment about potential risks.

Ressurectionism was Cora Lee's specialty. She was the ''weeping one'' on the funerals and the first to start digging under the night cover. But she was not doing this for the sake of money. This job was Cora's cover so she can sense the pulse of other body snatchers and the market requirements. Because her life depended on it. Because she was the girl with two hearts, the legend among resurrectionists.

I can hardly remember the last the a book left me with my feelings split. There are really so many things I liked in this book, but also a couple of things I didn't like.

The setting was really impressive. I haven't encountered New York in 1850's so many times. In The Impossible Girl you can almost feel the way life was flowing in the 19 century New York. Social picture and it's division, when it comes to question of female doctors, the manners, the life of the city. Everything was put masterfully.

Next to that we have a really mysterious environment, especially when the night falls and our body snatchers begin with their activities. And Cora Lee, who needs to be careful on every step she makes, because she can't never be sure enough someone hasn't connected her with the legend.

Also, medical precision. Lydia Kang is a physician herself, so it doesn't surprise me she did her research well when it comes to all the anomalies mentioned in the book, although I believe she did know a bunch of thing before.

The thing that bothered me the most is the romantic part. In my opinion, it watered down really interesting idea and the book that was promising to be a very good mystery. In those parts I could hardly recognize the main character, Cora. I know love can make people do some silly stuff, but this was beyond imaginable . Not only did it water the plot, it watered Cora. It's such a shame this romantic part took a large portion of the book, it really is. Don't get me wrong, although I'm not so much into romance novels, I like when romance entwines into something bigger. But romance in this book, to be honest, made some of the characters look like a silly teenagers in love.

I wouldn't like to end this review with negativism, so I must say, although some parts are slightly predictable, the final twist and the ending was really spectacular, the way a mystery should end.

Thank you Netgalley, Lydia Kang and Lake Union Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Born out of wedlock in 1850, Cora Lee can mingle with the rich socialites just as a well as she can sneak into the graveyards of the city. She’s the only female resurrectionist in New York and she’s made her money by finding bodies with strange conditions that anatomists will pay big money for. Cora’s specialty is not just for the money, but to keep up with what anatomists are looking for, because someday it might be her; the girl with two hearts. As murders begin to happen all around her to people with strange conditions, she begins to wonder if she’s next.

This book had me hooked right from the very first page with Cora’s mom giving birth to her! I loved the atmosphere of the 1850’s New York and I could just picture a lot of the locations from the description in the novel. I loved Cora’s character and how she had to grow up acting like a boy for the first bit of her life to be able to live safely. Jacob and Cora were seamless in their act and I enjoyed how each character had their own set of personality and their own strengths and weaknesses. I really enjoyed reading this novel from Cora’s point of view and how she viewed her life thus far.

I was shocked by some of the twists in this novel and how different the medical field was in the 1850’s and what was allowed. This book really showed how under appreciated women were in this time, but I loved how the author gave us a female doctor anyway! I just really enjoyed this novel, even though I don’t usually read any historical! I learned a lot from this novel and I never realized that certain grave robbers were doing it mostly for good, to help those training in the medical field learn from experience. I really do recommend this novel and I can’t wait to read more from Lydia Kang.

Core Lee is a medical anomaly. And in a world on the cusp of modern medicine, medical anomalies are big business. When news of the birth of a girl with two hearts spreads, Cora's guardians try to keep her safe from body snatchers and dissectionists by hiding her in the slums of New York City and raising her as a boy, and thus her alter-ego, Jacob, comes into being. But Cora is destined for greater opportunities, and so, when she turns fourteen, her guardians move her back into the fringes of high society as a young woman. But now not only are doctors clamoring for intriguing bodies to study, museums and showmen are engaged in a competition of one-upmanship to draw thrill-seeking crowds into their establishments. And the rumored girl with two hearts is still their holy grail. So Cora stays a step ahead of them by becoming one of them, moving among society as a young woman of means by day, keeping tabs on who is sick, and leading a gang of men at night as Jacob to retrieve the recently deceased and deliver them to universities and museums.

But when people Cora has been keeping tabs on start turning up dead, and not from natural causes, and an unscrupulous museum owner takes a particular interest in her services, Cora begins to question the morality of her business. Rival "resurrectionist" gangs start beating her to the bodies, and a handsome young medical student bribes his way onto her team with promises of more profits. Could he be her ticket out of the business, or does he have ulterior motives? Soon there's a hefty reward for whoever can find the girl with two hearts, and New York's underworld comes out in droves to find her. As they come perilously close, Cora will have to figure out who she can trust before it's too late.

There is much to love in this story. Cora is a compelling character, smart, tough, slightly dangerous, and I found her symbiotic relationship to her alter-ego, Jacob, intriguing. The historical ambiance is excellent, as is the dark air of mystery and danger that pervades the story and causes Cora, and the reader, to question the motivations of everyone Cora comes into contact with. However, as much as I loved some aspects of this story, there were others that didn't work as well for me. I felt like the story was too long and suffered from slow pacing in some parts. While some revelations were predictable, the reveal of the villain was a surprise to me, but I found the motivations and actions to be really over-the-top. I prefer my villains to be a bit more realistic. I also had a couple of unanswered questions.

But despite those quibbles, I really enjoyed the story and marveled at the unique content and the creativity and complexity of the plot. Featuring a smart and capable heroine, a touch of romance, and cameos from some leading medical minds of the times, The Impossible Girl is a thoroughly original historical mystery that vividly brings to life the world of medical study and grave-robbing in a society obsessed with the macabre and grotesque.

Cora Lee is a woman with two hearts. Literally, two hearts. New York City, in the mid 1800's, was a city on the verge. Buildings are popping up over night, society was full of wealthy families and the poorest of the poor. Cora Lee lives below 14th Street and works as the only female resurrectionist. She has created a niche for herself, procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Schools and anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens—dissecting and displaying them for the eager public.

Suddenly, Cora's marks are dying strangely. Additionally a new museum of oddities has opened, with an owner who wants the strangest of the strange. A fish-girl, giant men, tiny women....and most of all, he wants the Girl with the Two Hearts.

The Impossible Girl is a thriller wrapped into historical fiction. There's romance, there's murder, there's mystery and betrayal. Lydia Kang has written a story full of adventure and gives a heart to one of the darker parts of medicine's origins.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this book!

It's been awhile since I've come across a book that really grabs me, but this was one of those "stay up til 3am to finish it" kind of books.

Set in New York at the turn of the century, Cora is born with a medical anomaly that could leave her open to her body being used for examination if she fell into the wrong hands. To get around this, her family raise her as a boy, Jacob.

As an adult, Cora appears as either Cora or Jacob as need dictates and to everyone around her, the two are twin siblings rather than the same person. Working as a ressurectionist (read: grave robber), Cora makes a living selling cadavers to universities and anatomy museums.

This book was unique, and quirky and something quite special. I loved the little glimpses into the medical world of the early 20th century, including appearances from real life characters. The author is a doctor by profession, and her knowledge and expertise comes across in the pages.

This is a smart book, and a fun read. I look forward to reading more from Lydia Kang!

Cora Lee is a female resurrectionist (grave robber) in 1850's New York City. Cora was raised by her aunt and their maid as a boy until she is a teen to squash rumors about a girl who was born with two hearts. Cora takes up her profession to keep and eye on those who may be searching for her for her special anatomy. When people with extraordinary physical anomalies start dying prematurely, Cora becomes the next target.

This novel has a bit of everything: morbidity, murder, mystery, romance, and twists. Cora is an intriguing heroine, made more interesting by her double life as her twin brother, Jacob, as she navigates through society as a woman of some social standing and a ruffian who mixes with lower society.

I greatly enjoyed this novel, but there were two things that did not go over well with me. First, each time someone dies, there is a short chapter from the deceased point of view. It was weird and did not assist in the plot. The other was how SLOW the middle went. I had to push through from 40% to 60% and then the story picked up again.

Even with the the slow bits and the off-plot point of views, I would recommend this read. Thanks, Netgalley, for the chance to read this book.

In the end, Cora Lee isn’t quite impossible – merely highly improbable. But those improbabilities lead her to a fascinating and dangerous life on the margins of mid-19th century New York City in a way that makes for marvelous fiction – especially because it’s the most improbable aspects of her life that are based in fact.

There really were resurrectionists, not merely in New York City, but certainly in other places where the supply of corpses for anatomical study was insufficient to the needs of doctors, surgeons and their trainees to learn as much as possible about the ins and outs (so to speak) of the human anatomy before going into practice on living bodies.

While the practice of haunting graveyards and digging up recent corpses seems unsavory at best and disgusting at worst, it was necessary – if a bit ghoulish. As distasteful as the concept of digging up bodies for medical study may seem, the idea that all those would-be doctors and surgeons learn anatomy from dead bodies before they start cutting up live ones seems prudent, at least in retrospect.

And for anyone who thinks the practice of opening up the gallery to the general public seems prurient at best and obscene at worst, we still have plenty of examples of more sanitary versions of the same practice, such as the Bodies exhibition currently touring the world. (it’s here in Atlanta at the moment and no, we have not attended and have no interest in doing so.)

Making arrangements for the bodies to become corpses in an untimely fashion, however, is still murder. And that’s where this story gets its mystery from. Resurrectionist Cora Lee just keeps a watch on people who will make interesting (and lucrative) corpses. Someday they will naturally come into her hands, so to speak. Well, at least they’ll die of natural causes. The process by which Cora obtains their fresh corpse is fairly unnatural, not to mention downright criminal.

But someone is anticipating nature and killing the people on Cora’s list. And she fears she’s next.

Cora’s body should prove just as unusual a specimen as any of the recent victims, because Cora has two hearts. Doctors have been interested in “ottomizing” her since the day of her birth. That someone might want to hasten her death in order to open her chest is a fear that she and her family have lived with since the day she was born.

It’s ironic that her business as a resurrectionist gives her a finger on the pulse (so to speak) of any trade in unusual specimens in New York City. It should give her some warning if someone starts looking for her.

But she never expects that her greatest danger lies so close to home – or that her biggest rival may be the instrument of her deliverance.

Escape Rating B+: The story of The Impossible Girl is fascinating and creepy in equal measure. The tone at times feels almost like one of the “penny dreadfuls” so popular at the time, or like that of one of the Gothic mysteries that became so popular.

The character of Cora is one of duality, and not merely as a result of her two hearts. Cora also lives two lives, by day the consummate “lady”, and by night the hard-bitten resurrectionist. In order to maintain that separate between her daily life and her business life she also has two faces. By day she is Cora, and by night she is Cora’s twin brother Jacob. While Cora is a lady, Jacob is no gentleman, being rough, a bit brutish, and ruling their gang with an iron fist while Cora holds the velvet glove.

Jacob is both Cora’s disguise and her protection – as well as her instrument of freedom. As a man, Jacob has the ability to go wherever he wants, do whatever he wants, see whatever he needs to see and punch out whoever needs to be punched.

Even without the need to conceal her anatomical aberrance, Cora, as a female in mid-19th century New York City, is never, ever free. She is constantly hedged around by the restrictions placed on women in her society, restrictions that Jacob allows her to escape whenever she needs to or she must.

While the central mystery of this story is creepy and chilling, it was unfortunately a little too easy for this reader to figure out. I’ll admit that I guessed what was going on, and who was perpetrating it, just a bit too early to give The Impossible Girl an A grade.

But the story is imminently readable. Cora’s character, intelligence and rather unique solution to her own multiple dilemmas is absolutely absorbing. And the portrait of mid-19th century New York City on the margins draws the reader into the center of its mass of contradictions from the very first page.

Cora Lee was is born with two hearts, in a time when seemingly impossible aberrations such as this lure spectators into New York's museums filled with curiosities. To keep her second pulse a secret from graverobbers hunting for the lucrative maiden rumoured to hold two hearts in her chest, she spends her childhood disguised as a boy. Now past puberty and trying to make a living, Cora employs that persona by posing as her own rugged twin brother Jacob, who digs up freshly buried corpses by night and sells them off to medical institutes - after scouting for interesting cases and attending funerals as her female self during daylight. When the patients on her observation list die under mysterious circumstances one right after the other, she knows it's only a matter of time until someone comes after her.

My poor attempt at a summary makes it sound far too complicated... If you've watched The Alienist though (I sadly haven't read the novels yet), you can get a picture of that late 19th century American crime atmosphere also emanating from The Impossible Girl! It's a fast-paced, dark, and engaging one-shot. The resurrectionist business is a topic that I had never seen tackled in (young adult) literature before, and just when I thought every theme has already been done to death, there comes Lydia Kang with this exciting new historical thriller. And let me get this out of my system: Thank god this author is an actual doctor and knows what she's writing about! And somehow manages to work as a physician while simultaneously writing medically correct murder mysteries and being a mother of three, a feat I have utmost respect for.

I will say that it's not a perfect novel; it almost followed the pattern of a Cold Case episode, where every acting character is suspected to be the culprit at least once. The mystery itself wasn't flabbergasting either and I often found myself not very convinced of the characters' actions. But The Impossible Girl is sure to win its audience over with a protagonist that is diverse in more than just one way. The leitmotif of "two hearts" is reflected also in Cora's search for her racial identity, as she is half Chinese, as well as the conflict caused by her double capacity as both twin brother and sister. I found it interesting how Jacob seems to be more than merely an alter ego for Cora, and how each of her "personalities" is confronted with different societal restrictions - or not.

Above all I found joy in the period details, especially the talk of anatomical Venuses, a favourite subject of mine! If you liked the Diviners series and want to pass the time waiting for the next installment, I believe The Impossible Girl could be right after your fancy.

First, this book cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! That is what immediately drew me to this book.

Second, the blurb. It seemed to be different and I was so here for that!

But then I began the book. I had so many high hopes, but in the end, it came across as a slightly more adult version of Stalking Jack the Ripper, except I didn’t love the characters as much (or in some cases at all).

It was a book that seemed super long, and in the end the payoff wasn’t quite there for me.

This was a book that I was excited about when I got the pitch and then I kind of forgot about it until closer to the review date. I wasn’t entirely excited to read it when the time came to start it, but that slight was rectified almost immediately when I started this one.

This book had a little bit of everything, romance, mystery, fantasy, and history. I loved this one almost from the first word! It made an excellent early fall/Halloween read.

Manhattan, 1850. Born out of wedlock to a wealthy socialite and a nameless immigrant, Cora Lee can mingle with the rich just as easily as she can slip unnoticed into the slums and graveyards of the city. As the only female resurrectionist in New York, she’s carved out a niche procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens—dissecting and displaying them for the eager public.

Cora’s specialty is not only profitable, it’s a means to keep a finger on the pulse of those searching for her. She’s the girl born with two hearts—a legend among grave robbers and anatomists—sought after as an endangered prize.

Now, as a series of murders unfolds closer and closer to Cora, she can no longer trust those she holds dear, including the young medical student she’s fallen for. Because someone has no intention of waiting for Cora to die a natural death (summary from Goodreads).

This book touched on some of the most interesting aspects of Victorian society. While this book is set in Manhattan, the English influence can still be seen in this book. The controversial busy and selling of dead bodies to science and medical students as well as grave robbing is predominantly featured in this book and I absolutely loved it! So I have a macabre curiosity? Yes, absolutely. But as a social historian I also love how resourceful people and students were. The whole body snatching industry was quite the operation and took quite a bit of ingenuity if you ask me. Not to mention this book explores quite a bit about the medical profession during that time and I absolutely loved that….beyond words!

While I found many of the medical anomalies captivating as well as some of the moral ambiguity discussions, I was quickly diverted by all the interesting characters. I loved that there were feminist characters like Dr Blackwell, though I would have liked to have seen a little more of her. I easily loved Cora, as the protagonist she was perfect and interesting. As a resurrectionist, that should make her stand out, but for me it was her ethnicity that stood out. To me being a resurrectionist was just part of her job rather than who she was. I loved that she was a minority in a time when minorities weren’t widely trusted or accepted and that she wanted to be a doctor. She was memorable and I loved her.

There are some paranormal elements to the story, but to me it wasn’t the focus. At the heart of this book, it’s a mystery. The mystery outshines the paranormal. It also features a good deal of forensics and I found that it captured my imagination and intrigue.

This book took me by surprise and I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved it and read it in one weekend. I would highly recommend this book, especially in time for Halloween! And can I just say how in love with the cover I am? If that doesn’t say Victorian then I don’t know what does. That cover is perfect for this book and made me want to read it not to mention buy a hard copy for my bookshelf to display!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang

Kindle Edition, 364 pages
Expected publication: September 18th 2018 by Lake Union Publishing
ASIN B07BDHGKJX
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Recommendation: 5 out of 5
Genre: paranormal, Victorian lit, mystery
Memorable lines/quotes:

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. The setting was something I had never read about before in a fiction book. Being a resurrectionist and a woman makes Cora one of my favorite characters this year. She is strong, able, and independent during a time when it was hard for women to be on their own. 

I also enjoyed the look into what medicine was like in 1850. This is when grave robbers supplied the cadavers for medical schools and exhibits. I think this book being set in New York City helps make it more believable. The entire book was extremely realistic - I never doubted Cora and her story. Her two hearts also added some suspense to the story. I had to keep reading because I was invested in Cora's story and really wanted her to survive as the hunt for the girl with two hearts was started. 

This book is out now. I recommend it to anyone who wants to read about a time in history that isn't as well known. There's a little for most people in this book and would say read it because it has such a strong female protagonist.

1800s. An extraordinary baby is born in Manhattan; she has two hearts, and no one expects her to survive for too long. But Cora Lee defies all odds, surviving and becoming a master at hiding from all those who would want her dead for her extraordinary anatomy. As a resurrectionist, Cora's job is to find dead bodies of people with similar afflictions to hers and sell them to the highest bidder. But when this kind of people start vanishing, it's Cora's turn to start wondering if her life is also in grave danger.

The Impossible girl was a pleasant read with a very unique concept. Well written, it was a quick read that combines mystery with fantasy very well. I would have liked a little more depth in the character building, and some more twists and turns along the way, which I believe would have kicked the plot up a notch. This is a very good read for fans of fiction with hints of fantasy.

Cora is an amazingly smart woman. She not only is shrewd but also tough as nails. She even dresses as her “twin brother” to make life easier for her. She is a resurrectionist. What is that? She is someone who procures freshly dead bodies out of the cemeteries for dissection for medical schools and cabinets of curiosities. Cora also has an anomaly. She has two hearts. This puts a price on her head. $500 for the girl with two hearts!

Cora is a complex character. She dresses as a man and maneuvers around the underworld. She can definitely hold her own in a fight! I admire this about her…but I also admire her intelligence and wit. These “smarts” keep her alive.

There is so much I want to say about this book. I am still thinking about it. You talk about action packed! This story is so creative and unique. It is fast paced and full of science and medicine. That is right up my alley. Add the historical aspect and you have a fantastic read. Superbly done! Grab this one today!

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Manhattan, 1850. Born out of wedlock to a wealthy socialite and a nameless immigrant, Cora Lee is born with two hearts. Now, her life is in danger and she must find the person who is killing people with strange anomalies and selling their bodies for a profit.

Great gothic story. The writing flowed nicely and the story was interesting to read. Great imagery of 1800's medical practices and the murky city streets of New York.

4☆

4.5

“Anatomy is the equalizer, isn’t it? Shows we’re all just clay and water, in the end, no matter if you’re highborn or not.”

New York. About 1850. A peculiar girl. A peculiar work. A peculiar world.

“As the darkness descended, Broadway became a bright, jeweled marvel, form the colored lanterns hanging on the edge of the carries, to the gaslights flickering to life.”

Let's start with the setting.
I've never read a book set in New York in the 1800s. It was a breath of fresh air. No more Victorian England, but America and the city of New York in particular. Women with long dresses full of veils and fabrics, men in tailcoats and tall hat, ragged boys who work for little money. On one hand the high society that meets in the gardens and walks, without having to work hard. On the other, a submerged world of poor people who have to live the fight against hunger every day. On one side theater full of perfumes and flowers, on the other brothels and tavern fights.

In this society women of good family do not work, they are watched badly even if they want to teach. For a middle-class girl like Cora it is hard to find a way of sustenance, because she has been turned away from her family of origin because of her origins.

The nineteenth century world is full of contrasts. Cora herself lives at the limit of the two systems. Not being able to work as a woman, he disguises herself as a man to keep bringing money home. With the name of Cora it is usually associated that of Jacob. Jacob and Cora. Jacob. Cora. The same person. This method of survival allows her to carry on a very extravagant and macabre profession. The two "siblings" exhume the bodies of those who, in life, had a particular malformation or an anatomical rarity, like a tail or a great malformation on the face. Cora has entered this world knowing that, with a rare body, it is possible to make a lot of money. Another reason why she chose this work is her second heart. Exactly. Cora has two hearts, and to hide from those who seek her as a natural strangeness, she infiltrates this world, so that she always knows what happens.
Another peculiarity of Cora is that she is half Chinese. It would not be a problem in today's society, but in the nineteenth century people look bad at children with different ethnic parents. Even the particular beauty of Cora can not do anything against people's prejudices.

Cora is interested in the world of Medicine and anatomy. Not only because she must be careful, but also because her buyers are doctors or directors of museums of natural curiosities.

During one of the many funeral Cora attends to find a corpse to sell, she meets a man, Theodore Flint, who decides to enter the business of corpses because he is a doctor and because he is interested in human anatomy. During the same night Cora / Jacob finds the cadaver of a man, but the man has a green tongue.

After a few days, Cora discovers that the people she knew, who had physical particularities, are disappearing in strange situations. They should be healthy, but they die. Cora understands that there is something underneath. If she does not find out what's happening, she could soon become a victim.

“Curiosity is not a moral failing.”

The character of Cora is particular, not for her physical qualities, but for her strong soul above all. Cora is a girl fascinated by chemistry and biology, with an uncle working wax for the museum of anatomical oddities. The girl, although she does a rewarding job, can not leave it, because her livelihoods depend on it.
The more the story goes on, the more the girl realizes that her work is not positive. She thought of helping people to discover the human body, but maybe it's only about having the doctors entertained. The girl grows during the novel, she creates a better conscience.

“Your parentage has nothing to do with the fact that you are a superior creature to me in every way, Cora Lee.”

“It’s a shame your anatomic skills aren’t helping the living. “

Full of references to facts and historical informations, this book is a real dive into the American nineteenth century. It talks about morality, the condition of women, the work of doctors, anatomical discoveries and race problems. The author has done a great job in making atmospheres and situations. She certainly did a great job of historical research.

The story has taken me from the beginning. The protagonist is my favorite character figure, with a hidden side that nobody should know, with her brain in continuous work. A girl to cheer for.

The historical period fascinates me too much. I have never read about nineteenth-century America, with its museums of natural attractions and circuses, its gardens and its theaters, where you can breathe a different air from the European one.

Surely I'll read more from the author, because she did a magnificent job. This book kept me attached to the pages, reading it did not weigh at all, I loved everything I read. A bit mystery, a bit scientific, an excellent historical fiction. Highly recommended.

Full disclosure: I had no idea until I read the Author's Note that Lydia Kang is a physician! As a physician myself, I kept thinking, "dang, this author really did her research". The medicine in this story was great! I loved the historical setting; it boggles the mind to think about what medicine use to be prior to our current technology. It makes me curious what people will think of our current practices 50 years from now!

This book is historical fiction, romance, mystery and medicine all wrapped into one great read! The plot continued to have unexpected twists. There were a couple of parts in the story that could have been expanded on a little more (Leah?!?). However, I thoroughly enjoyed Cora/Jacob's growth and discovery of new moral.s.

This is a recommended read for anyone! However, if you're into medicine it's a must!

The story of a girl with a secret that she must guard closely, or else. There is something different about Cora. Something you can't quite put a finger on, something she will go to great lengths to protect and keep close to her heart,quite literally.

Cora Lee lives a life filled with secrets that no one can know. To hide her most dangerous secret, she lives her life as two people. Cora is content living with her secrets and working as a resurrectionist until a list of oddities a museum wants to see starts circling. The list that contains her most dangerous secret; she is the girl with two hearts.

Cora was an interesting character among a cast of intriguing people. Set in Manhattan in 1850, Lydia Kang colorfully describes the atmosphere, bringing the setting to life. I found the entire book fascinating.

Wow! Finally, an original idea for a story that is executed perfectly. Lydia Kang is a helluva writer! Her prose is beautiful but it also flows well from page-to-page, making it an absolute pleasure to read. I would describe this as an historical medical mystery in terms of genre, it sort of defies categorisation, mainly because it is such a unique book. I thought the medical elements of the plot were authentic, detailed and realistic, and after discovering Kang is actually a doctor, I realised she has used her deep knowledge of the sciences to create an accurate and intriguing narrative.

There was plenty of action thoughout, and the twists in the tale were not predictable, even for a seasoned crime reader like myself. As soon as I opened the book to start reading I was completely riveted and found it impossible to put down. It didn't take long for me to be totally invested in the story and I was appreciating every single word. I read quite a lot from the historical fiction genre and strongly felt like this was a believable and realistic portrayal of what went on in the mid nineteenth century. It felt very much as though this was written by a nerd for other nerds to enjoy - this pleases me a lot being the geek that I am! Ultimately, the story is based around a secret underground society who dig up bodies but also actively search for people with deformities in order to either study them or put them on display to the public.

In relation to the characters, each was likeable, affable and completely believable. Cora is a strong female lead who was born with two hearts. This leaves her susceptible to the aforementioned society. Each character was developed well and I found myself feeling like i'd lost a friend when I reached the end of the novel - definitely a sign of a great story! I also appreciated that the characters were diverse with Cora being half-Chinese and there was a fabulous African-American character. This is a fascinating, impactful and thrilling read that is unmissable to those who love historical fiction and a wholly original premise.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.