I would recommend this book to my teen patrons who like historical fiction. This book was like reading a BBC historical drama and I mean that as a compliment. It was difficult to put down. I became quickly invested in the characters and had to know what happened to them. When I read this book I expected a romance because of the title, but I would say there isn’t that much romance. This is more of a coming of age story and a good one.

While the setting and circumstances of this novel were unique, grotesque, and interesting, I was not impressed by either the characters or the plot of this story. In my opinion, the author had an original, gritty, and fascinating idea that fell apart during the execution. I just wasn’t invested in the characters, and found myself struggling to stay attached to what was taking place on the page. This book could have been really amazing, but it fell short, for me.

Every now and then I decide to take a chance on a YA read and Anatomy: A Love Story did not disappoint! How could I pass up mystery and romance in 1817 Scotland?

This book was so original and beautifully written. Hazel was wonderful. I loved her ambition to be a doctor and surgeon and how she viewed people. Social standing meant nothing to her. Through her studies in medicine, she grows more empathetic and determined to help people. Jack was lovable from the start. He immediately saw Hazel for her beautiful mind and I love that he encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Jack and Hazel’s love grew naturally and was believable. It came off very mature and not at all cheesy or unrealistic.

I loved the mystery surrounding people disappearing and the Roman plague. It added a darkness to the story that made it hard to put down. The mystery and romance was so well balanced and I enjoyed the hints along the way that made the reveal at the end so intriguing. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for something both mysterious and fanciful, dark but still fun. Schwartz’s writing is truly lyrical. The only question now is: Is this just the beginning of Hazel Sinnett?

When I first saw the title of this book I knew I had to read it no matter what! Im a female, a doctor, in a man's world....so the premise behind this book was truly intriguing! add in a love story, a strong female character and gross medical references - I was completely sold! Thorough enjoyed this book and loved that Reese picked it for her YA winter choice!

A lot of this book's problems could have been solved if it had been NA instead of YA - to have 16 year old Hazel practicing medicine was wild. Even as a 16 year old I would have found that unbelievable. And the characters seemed more mature than teens, too, and not in the way that 17 seems like adulthood when you're 13.

But a lot of this book's problems would have persisted all the same: it's not spectacularly written, with a lot of repetition and some language choices that made me question historical accuracy. Maybe its worst offense, though, is that it's woefully underplotted and then the entire book is jammed into the last 30%. There's really nothing that happens in the first 70% besides Hazel going to medical school (!!) and Jack being like "I will steal bodies for this pretty girl," and then all of the sudden there's a black market for organs? And then an IMMORTALITY SUBPLOT?

Honestly just kind of ridiculous overall.

I picked up this book because it gave me Frankenstein vibes, and while historical fiction is not my go-to genre, I’m a sucker for a female-led science-fiction novel, especially when it’s equal parts gruesome and lovely. And that’s what you’ll find in Anatomy: A Love Story. The title hides a double meaning, because while our intrepid heroine, Hazel, indeed does find love in the book, it’s truly her infatuation with the human body that takes center stage.

As far as characters go, Hazel is one of the best I’ve read in a while. She’s wildly intelligent and frustrated by the fact that she’ll never get to be a surgeon all because she was born a woman. Although we have many more opportunities than our 19th century counterparts, it’s a struggle that many of us can still relate to, and Hazel’s confidence in her own abilities is inspiring, to say the least.

With excellent pacing, good character moments, and just enough science and romance to please any fan of this genre, I’d be hard-pressed not to recommend this novel to those of you looking for something equal parts warm, spooky, and brave.

This book was fun. It gave me some Stalking Jack the Ripper and Frankenstein vibes. I thought it was a great start but did slow down just after halfway through and the ending became a bit predictable. The epilogue was also a little confusing and left things open ended. Overall it was a fun YA Historical Fiction and was what I needed in this moment.

This is billed as a YA Alternative History, but I think I’d call it YA Fantasy.

Set in 1817 Edinburgh, Hazel is an aristocratic young lady who is determined to be a surgeon. Jack is a poor, streetwise resurrection man just trying to survive and avoid arrest. After being turned away from classes at the Anatomist’s Society, Hazel studies on her own for the medical examination. Jack provides the cadavers for her studies. But strange (at times gruesome) things begin happening, including people disappearing and then reappearing not as “whole” as they once were, and all of this while a miraculous discovery is made by a renowned surgeon whose grandfather became a recluse obsessed with the occult and longevity. They must work together to uncover dark secrets and save lives.

I enjoyed the first half of this one more than the second. I absolutely loved the spunky, tenacious Hazel and her devotion to her craft. And her interactions with Jack were fun. But I felt as the story wore on it became more implausible (and yes, I KNOW it’s fantasy) and too “convenient”. And there were instances where I felt confused about aspects of the plot (including the ending).

Overall, I’d give this a thumbs-up just for Hazel alone.

My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #WednesdayBooks for providing me the free early arc of #AnatomyALoveStory for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Before I start this review, can we take a moment for this cover. Stunning.

Anatomy is a gothic story about a female surgeon, Hazel, in 1817 Edinburgh. Hazel finds herself "elbow deep" in her work, leaving no time to think about match-making or marriage. Enters Jack Currer, Hazel has got into her profession to help people; where Jack is stealing bodies to sell back to the medical schools as cadavers. Their paths should have never crossed, but when a sickness comes to town, the two unlikely pair must team up before things get worse.

This book is perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper. I feel Audrey Rose and Hazel would have been great friends. The only thing I would have change is I don't know if I would label this as a romance. I feel Hazel had too much love for her work, that everything else kind of fell into the background. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I actually applaud it. We see Hazel struggling in a "man's world", so I appreciate that Dana Schwartz didn't make Hazel an accessory in society, instead gave her a voice and a mind of her own. The end of this book takes a interesting turn, and I'm interested to pick my friend's brain on it after they finish. Overall I really enjoyed the story, and will definitely look more into this author's work.

I have high hopes this book will be a success. Being a part of Reese's YA book club will have a huge boost in popularity, but I think the big seller will be the unique cover art.

I’m not sure how but I completely misunderstood what this book was about when I requested it. I’m not much of a historical fiction reader. I tried giving it a little time but it wasn’t for me - but definitely a case of wrong reader. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading and listening copies.

I loved this book! The atmosphere is so spooky and unexpectedly gory and lovely. It does feel by-the-numbers YA, but not in a bad way? I didn't feel particularly shocked and surprised, and could see Schwartz checking off a list of YA book pieces as she went (main character with something to prove and unexpected dream, frowned upon by society, unexpected love interest, jilted by expected love interest, etc etc), but it was kind of comforting, even if predictable. Great to see Dana Schwartz as a novelist as well as comedian!

As a fan of the author's podcast, I was not disappointed with her debut novel. A romantic, gothic romance set in Regency Scotland. Gorgeously atmospheric with a great main character

I thought that this book was pretty interesting! I think if you liked Stalking Jack the Ripper by Keri Maniscalco you'll probably also enjoy this work. I'm unsure if this book was supposed to have some deeper meaning that I just didn't pick up on, but it did feel a bit...surface level? I'm unsure how to describe it: the book was pretty good and fast-paced but it lacked a certain depth and intensity. I also was unsure why the last fifth of the book needed to go the way that it did. It felt like a fanfiction of Stalking Jack the Ripper in the way that the last part unfolded. Which, I should say, isn't necessarily bad it just wasn't anything new or exciting because it was so similar. There was a bit of plot armor going on, that I think must have been holes that needed to be edited out, but I still thought that overall this story was pretty enjoyable! I saw that the author teased a bit of a sequel on Goodreads so I'll definitely be checking that out, too! If you like Stalking Jack the Ripper (YA), or The Death of Jane Lawrence (Adult) but with a little less graphic nature, you'll definitely like this!

3.5 stars rounded up.

ANATOMY: A LOVE STORY is a story about sexism and the story of one girl willing to do what it takes to achieve her dream of becoming a surgeon during the 1800s. Schwartz is obviously a fabulous storyteller who knows how to draw a reader in well. I loved the world-building in this story so much. The setting is absolutely perfect for the story, a mixture of old world gothic horror and regency romance. Edinburgh gave this book such a great gothic atmosphere that made this feel like a great mashup of everything I loved in STALKING JACK THE RIPPER and BRIDGERTON. I also really liked Hazel's storyline as she fights to become a surgeon and be taken seriously by a patriarchal regency society that has predetermined her fate and her worth as a woman, something all women in this era dealt with. There's a fabulously feminist streak in this book I couldn't get enough of. While I did like the dynamic with Hazel and Jack, I find it odd that this book was marketed as a romantic fantasy. The fantasy element feels non-existent for the vast majority of the novel, and it isn't the romance that is the central part of this book. These are not necessarily bad things, but it definitely challenged my expectations going into this one. This book is at times grotesque and eerie and I was here for that, but this book felt much more historical fiction-y in the vein of SJTR as opposed to a fantasy. I'd buy Science fiction too. But that's just me. I also felt like the pacing at first felt so slow, and the climax/ending was definitely rushed. And I'm not sure how I felt about that ending. But regardless of all of this, I enjoyed Anatomy for it's Frankenstein-esque feels and its resourceful heroine, and it was a decent read.

The setting is early 1800’s. Hazel is fascinated with science and specifically medical applications. She sneaks in to watch a medical lecture because women aren’t allowed to attend. Jack scrapes by with odd jobs, such as digging up recently buried bodies to sell for medical studies. Hazel and Jack meet when he helps her sneak into a medical presentation. Hazel later disguises herself as a young gentleman so she can attend classes to become a physician. She’s found out but the professor makes a deal with her and gives her some help to prepare for the physician’s exam. Her family is away so she can study as much as she wants. She also begins treating people that aren’t taken care of by the hospital. She ends up treating patients with Roman Fever; a plague that seems to be appearing again. Jack brings exhumed bodies to Hazel for studying and live patients for her to treat. Jack and Hazel become close, even though she’s been betrothed to a viscount’s son since she was a child. Jack and Hazel get involved in the horrible experimentation of an eccentric doctor and everything gets turned upside down for both of them. I love Jack and Hazel. They’re both strong and selfless and they have an adorable relationship. I would love a sequel to be written to continue the story but at this point, I can’t see any sign of that happening. A mix of mystery and historical fiction to be enjoyed, 5 stars!

For all this book has to recommend it -- a truly stunning cover; a fearless, unique, STEM-savvy female protagonist; the author's obvious commitment to historicity and research -- I found it nearly impossible to get through. I started reading ANATOMY: A LOVE STORY during the first week of January, and only now -- six weeks later -- did I finish it. I slogged through, hoping my commitment would pay off...

Reader, it did not. Here's why:

Protagonist Hazel Sinnett wants to be a doctor, which would be wonderful except the year is 1817, and the only thing minor-aristocracy Hazel is allowed to be is a wife and mother. Through a constellation of unlikely circumstances, she is left to her own devices at her estate outside Edinburgh, whereupon she schemes to pursue her goal, come what may. She meets Jack Currer, a resurrection man with the corpse connections Hazel needs to study anatomy the way the big boys do. Hazel strikes a bargain with famed anatomist Dr. Beecham, who assures her he'll break with socio-cultural and professional convention and allow her to work with him if she passes her physician's exam. She studies a lot. She practices on the poor. She whips up a treatment for Roman fever. The wheel of time turns inexorably forward, crushing your will to turn pages beneath its mighty heft.

For all ANATOMY's promise, the narrative is stymied by inconsistency. For example, Hazel possesses a stalwart medical mind, as well as the emotional intelligence to spot a burgeoning romance between two of her house staff. Yet she and Jack never have an honest conversation about making their relationship work long-term, and Hazel's insensitivity to Jack's emotional state ultimately leads to the book's painfully obvious climax. By Act III, the narrative is so mired in a plotless accumulation of words that Schwartz has to abandon science, logic, and reality to find her way through to the conclusion. Flying in the face of literally the entire plot, a man swoops in to save the day using methods that totally undermine Hazel's agency. It was... not great.

I so wanted to love this book. Ultimately, though, I found it nearly impossible to finish. Some higher instinct must have known an unsatisfactory conclusion awaited me, and tried to save me the trouble.

I liked this, but I'm also being generous with this rating. Overall, this was a twisty little gothic tale that, for the most part, kept my interest. Hazel was probably my favorite character throughout the story, and she was wonderfully similar to some of my favorite YA protagonists (very Jo March) in that she's headstrong and determined and goes against the norm of her nineteenth-century upbringing in an effort to break into the medical field.

I do feel like the pacing for this story felt a bit off, though, and a little chaotic? I guess? And I feel like there are still a few unfinished threads that I have questions about and I would have loved a bit more resolution or explanation for those things since I was told to care about them initially and now I'm just kind of here ... wondering what happened. I also wish Jack had a bit more of a personality because, while I liked him, and I loved his love for Hazel, I'm not entirely sure what she saw in him because he was kind of dull and 2-dimensional. Hazel was this bright, vibrant little hellraiser, and Jack was just ... there. I wanted more from that relationship, especially if we were supposed to love him more than Bernard. (Also, speaking of, how did Hazel get away with so much time away from Bernard? They're basically engaged and rarely speak to or see each other???? When she's alone in this big house???? Seems sus)

But all that aside, I loved the gothic and macabre vibe of this book (it gave me wonderful flashbacks to when I first met Audrey Rose in Stalking Jack the Ripper) and how diligent Hazel was in her studies and her determination to make it in the medical field. The multiple POVs (especially when they merged into one), the twists and turns of the plot, and the weird creepy setting all came together to provide a quick and enjoyable book, even with its flaws. While it's not my favorite read this year, none of the issues I had with this story prevented me from still having a good time.

Plus that epilogue (sigh).

If anything, this story has me excited to see what we get next from Dana Schwartz.


[I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review]

"While Davey tugged the rope, Munro, still in the grave, helped to guide the body out of the small hole in the coffin and back toward the surface world, a strange reverse birth for a body past death. Munro successfully removed the body’s shoes off as it left its coffin, but it was up to Davey to strip off the rest of its clothes and throw them back in the grave. Stealing a body was against the law, but if they actually took any property from the grave, that would make it a felony."
--------------------------------------
"It’s the lesson young girls everywhere were taught their entire lives—don’t be seduced by the men you meet, protect your virtue—until, of course, their entire lives depended on, seduction by the right man. It was an impossible situation, a trick of society as a whole: force women to live at the mercy of whichever man wants them but shame them for anything they might do to get a man to want them. Passivity was the ultimate virtue…Be patient, be silent, be beautiful and untouched as an orchid, and then and only then will your reward come: a bell jar to keep you safe."

Ok, so I screwed up. First off, I thought the pub date was 2/22/22 and scheduled my reading and review accordingly. Uh, sorry. Actual pub date was 1/18/22, so I am coming at this one a bit late. Second, I did not do a very thorough job of reading about the book when it was offered. I somehow managed to overlook the fact that it is a YA novel. I have nothing against YA novels. Some of my favorite books are YA novels, but I usually pass on YA books these days unless there is a compelling reason to take them on. Had I seen that it was a YA, I would probably have skipped this one. Finally, yet another failing on my part. I somehow managed to overlook the romance element in the promotional copy. Again, I have nothing against romance elements in books which are mostly of another sort. Quite enjoy them when they are well done. But did not have my expectations primed for the presence of quite as much as there is here, which is not to say that it is huge. It is not. So, multiple failings, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. The product of impatience. Won’t happen again. I know the drill, Three Hail Marys and a couple of Our Fathers. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest ands offered fair warning…on to the book itself.

Hazel Sinnett is seventeen. She has always lived in a castle an hour outside Edinburgh. It is 1817. She very much wants to study medicine, has read all the books in the family library on the subject, but lacks actual school-based tuition and hands-on experience. When the grandson of a famous doctor is in town to deliver a lecture, she finds a way to attend. Gender attitudes being what they were at the time, people of her sort were not welcome. Still, she finds a way, with some help, and when the doctor announces he will be offering an anatomy class she is desperate to attend.

Medicine is making some advances but the study of the human body requires actual human bodies, preferably lately late. Executions not providing sufficient resources to fill the need, a profession has arisen to satisfy that demand, resurrectionists, who, for a fee, relieve nearby graves of their residents, and deliver same to their clients with the utmost of discretion. Jack Currer, also seventeen, counts that among his several jobs. He happens to be hanging about near the Anatomists’ Society when Hazel is locked out. Meet Cute as Jack shows this clearly well-to-do young lady a secret way in. Think these two might just cross paths again? Of course, there are impediments.

Hazel is not in line to inherit anything, regardless of her parents’ wealth, bypassed in favor of the male heir. The female thing again. The usual way for a young lady from a god family to secure a future is to secure a husband of means. As it happens, she has a first cousin living not too far away, Bernard. They have known reach other forever, played together since early childhood, and it has been presumed that it was only a matter of time before Bernard would propose. He is not a bad sort, but rather dull and a bit too concerned with his appearance. Hazel recognizes that there are problems with her being allowed to make her own way in the world, so more or less anesthetizes herself to the likelihood that Bernard is her likeliest way out of a life of penury. God knows that is what her mother keeps telling her, and telling her, and telling her.

She manages to attend some of Doctor Beecham’s lectures, and is the star pupil, but the female thing again. Guys, catch up, C’Mon! Beecham at least recognizes her intelligence and they come to an agreement. If she can pass the medical exam at the end of the term, she will be able to get real medical training. Unfortunately, there’s that hands-on thing. Books alone will simply not do. But wait! It just so happens she has made the acquaintance of someone who might be able to help her out, and a beautiful friendship blossoms.

"I really thought I was going to go be a doctor,” Dana Schwartz says about her time as a pre-med student in college. “Then I had this panicked moment of realizing I was so fundamentally unhappy. My dream was always to be a writer, but I never thought I could make a living that way.” - from the Forbes interview"

But it is not all raw sexism and Hallmark moments. There are dark doings in Edinburgh. A plague has struck, a return of the so-called “Roman fever” which had killed over five thousand the last time it hit, two years before. It had even killed Hazel’s beloved brother, George. She had caught it as well, but managed to survive. Is it really Roman
Fever that is boosting the mortality rate? Jack is aware of far too many acquaintances vanishing, and there are strange doings in the local graveyards as a trio of heavies are haunting such areas, terrorizing the poor resurrection men. Then Hazel begins to see some very strange medical problems when she starts getting to study specimens obtained by Jack, and treating some locals. There is also something decidedly off about Doctor Beecham, who never seems to remove his dark gloves, and demonstrates a mind-numbing drug as a road to pain-free surgery. Then there is Doctor Straine, one eye, nasty skin and a worse attitude, a surgeon working with Doctor Beecham. Seems like a nogoodnik from the build-a-creep shop.

It was the gothic elements that had drawn me to the story. And they are indeed present. But Schwartz has had some fun with them. (For the following I used some of a list from Elif Notes.) Usually gothic novels feature a Desolate, haunted Setting, typically a very creepy castle or equivalent. Here, Hazel lives in a castle, which is a pretty benign home for her. Other sites must serve this purpose. Graveyards work, and certainly provide some chills, and any place where human bodies are being cut up, for purposes educational or malign, will also serve, so, check. Dark and Mysterious Atmosphere? You betcha, plenty of suspect characters and unexplained deaths and disappearances. Something supernatural? Well, I do not want to give anything away, so will say only that there is an element here that qualifies the story as fantasy. Emotional Extremes? Fuh shoo-uh. Although the emotional extremes are as much about Hazel’s lot in life as they are about the actual life-and-death shenanigans that are going on. Women as Victims - absolutely, but in the wider, sexism-conscious sense as well as in the way of a damsels being put upon by dastardly males. Curses and Portents - not so much, except what we all might wish upon some of the baddies. Visions and Nightmares - Hazel has some of the latter, but nothing mystical about them, just recollections of horrors she had seen in real life. Frightening Tone - most definitely. There is clearly something sinister going on in Edinburgh. Frightening Weather - not really. There is a fun early bit in which we are waiting for an incoming storm to deliver some life-generating lightning, but mostly, weather is not that big a deal here. Religious Concerns - social mores are more the thing in this one. Good versus Evil - there is some serious evil going on here. And Hazel is definitely a force for good. A Touch of Romance - yes. Well, more than a touch. Hey, Laddy, you’d better keep those hands to yersel ef ya wan ter keep ‘em on the ends uh yer arms.”

There is Romance and then there is Love. The title even highlights it, Anatomy: A Love Story. There is clearly some romance going on here. Hazel and Jack give off sparks which brings their obvious connection to life. But Hazel’s true love may be more the passion she has for learning, for science, for medicine, for anatomy, for surgery. If she were really faced with a choice between being a doctor or being with Jack, and the two were exclusive, are you confident what choice she would make? Is it possible to have your cake and dissect it too? Not so easy in 1817 Scotland.

The real horrors here are the treatment of women as a subordinate level of human and the joys of the class system in early 19th Century Scotland. Even coming from a family of means, Hazel is refused entry into a profession for which she has passion, and a clear capability, simply because of her gender. She must endure belittling by men, in power and not, who are her intellectual and moral inferiors, as she struggles to find a way forward. Contemplating her life options, Hazel sees her future as a life under a bell jar, whatever that may be referring to. The experience of being poor in the Georgian era is shown not only in the life of Jack, but in the ways the poor and working class are held in their place no less than if they were confined to a castle dungeon, and in the depraved indifference the wealthy show to the lives of those less fortunate than themselves.

"“The main mystery I wanted to pick at and unravel is who gets forgotten in society and for what purpose,” Schwartz says. “Obviously today, there is a huge wealth gap that continues to grow, but in the 1800s, the aristocracy made that wealth gap explicit. There was a social and cultural line, so I wanted to explore in a way that doesn’t necessarily label the characters as heroes or villains.” - from the San Diego Tribune interview"

There are some comedic elements, one of which focuses on a man-eater and is hilarious. There a lovely bit of a secondary romantic sub plot, and some fun references. Hazel is all excited to hear about a lecture/demonstration put on by someone named Galvini. This is a clear reference to the actual Luigi Galvani who was putting on shows in which dead things were animated with electricity from a battery. He provided some of the inspiration for a young writer of that era. The epigraph of the novel is a quote from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, whose creation has near universal familiarity. A mention of Mary Wollstonecraft, her mom, serves double duty as a reference to a leading light for women’s rights in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and as a reminder that the novel deals with matters of life and death, and maybe life again. Hazel’s younger brother is named Percy, which again reminds one of Mary Shelley. A recollection of Walter Scott reciting his Lady of the Lake epic at her Uncle and Aunt’s house is also reminiscent of the Wollstonecraft/Godwin household, in which Coleridge read his Rime of the Ancient Mariner. So, there are many Frankensteinian parts gathered together to help animate the story.

Some parts did not quite fit, however. It was sooo convenient that her father was away on a prolonged naval mission, and that Mum decides to head out of town for an extended period with her other, much more valuable, male child, Hazel’s younger brother. So, Risky Business time for the entire season at Hawthornden Castle. (Although maybe Summer at Bernie’s might be a bit closer, given the issues with dead people.) AND, really? none of the staff rats Hazel out to her mother, the one paying their salary, for running a clinic at the family residence? Maybe we should consider this part of the fantasy element. Re my intro, I was not much excited by the squishy romance bits, but I already told you about that. No biggie, ultimately. It is mostly adorable.

Dana Schwartz has written a strong, literary, YA novel that offers some chills, an historical look at a place and time, and a look at the challenges faced by the poor and by those of the female persuasion, when it was still the rule to treat women as servants, eye candy, or brood mares. It shows a powerful approach and makes me eager to see what she comes up with when she writes a full-on adult novel, but that may not be next up on her board.

"…right now, I have an idea for a sequel that I really want to tell and I think will be really fun. I thought this was going to be a one-off, but when I reached the ending, and I sat with that for a few months, I thought that there’s something else here.” - from the San Diego Tribune interview"

Review posted – February 11, 2022

Publication date – January 18, 2022

I received an ARE of Anatomy: A Love Story from Wednesday Books in return for a fair review and some help dealing with an uncomfortable neck growth. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.

For the full review with links et al, please check my site , Cootsreviews.co

If you know me, you know I love a good historical fiction and when you mix that with the YA genre, I'm 100% in. I grabbed this book for two primary reasons. First was the description but the second reason was the cover. I LOVE it.

Hazel is our main character and the thing she wants most is to become a surgeon. Unfortunately for her, as a Lady, that isn't something society is really willing to accept / allow. So when she comes up with a plan to sign up for classes / instruction as a man, she has the opportunity to do the thing she knows is the future for her. Unfortunately, she is found out but she makes a deal with one of the instructors. If she can pass the exam (without his classes), she will be allowed to enroll in University. It's a good thing she knows someone who can help her get bodies to study and dissect.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man and when he crossed paths with Hazel, little did he know things would quickly take a turn for him. As the city of Edinburgh deals with a plague, he and his fellow resurrection men are finding that their jobs have become more dangerous. Jack's friends are disappearing and when they do come back (not always) they are missing body parts. As he works closely with Hazel, they start to realize there is more happening here than they expected.

I loved the layers to this story. You have the class level issues (marriage, trying to survive, expectations of women, etc.) but you also have this other mystery of what is truly happening to these people disappearing off the street. I have to admit, that bit of the story was unexpected and it was a great twist to the story.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this story. There were a few things I wanted to know more about in the end like, how did Hazel's mother feel about everything...she was a major character in the beginning and drove a lot of the decisions Hazel made but then there was no closure. Too, her father is mentioned often but only as a catalyst to where Hazel is today, nothing noted around any of the choices she made. Jack!! I can't really say anything here but I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

If you're looking for a historical YA with a bit of a mystery and a gothic feel, definitely check this one out!

Beautifully written and engaging historical fiction with a daring female protagonist taking up the profession of medicine and surgery when it was socially unacceptable for women to do so. I loved the homage to Shelley's Frankenstein and the hints of supernatural threaded within a lovely Victorian mystery.

Recommended and purchased for school library.