This book - a queer, anatomy-heavy romance about body snatchers in the time of Burke and Hare - was essentially created just for me. I LOVED the protagonists' earnest enthusiasm for science and its gruesome beauty, and their relationship was so fantastically written that I was literally kicking my feet and twirling my hair at parts.

I really hoped to love this book, and while I was able to enjoy it, it was a bit of a struggle. There are certainly things I enjoyed, so let’s focus on those, first. The whole concept is one I really appreciate; it is a fun piece of history to play with. By superimposing these two outsider identities, queerness and being a body snatcher, never mind the contrasts between the class and social status of the various characters, there is a great opportunity for commentary about how society works and what is expected of different individuals. I don’t think those opportunities are exploited as much as they could be, but the ideas are definitely floated about. Additionally, while there is a part of me that is frustrated by the nonchalance of the queer awakening in this story, I also appreciate it for that, as well. There is no self-torture or denial, there is never anything other than this feels right and so I am going to follow that instinct, and I appreciate that. I would have liked a little internal conversation, some sort of reckoning or acknowledgment, especially given how dangerous it was to be queer at that time, which is brought up later in the story, and that never really happens, which was disappointing. I don’t need hysterics and self-damnation, but it felt like we got little internal shift or recognition of something quite monumental. Still, I found myself appreciating how little drama this occupied in our character’s mind.

The characters were on the right path to me, but didn’t quite get there. They weren’t bland, but they did feel like they slipped into easy archetypes or expectations. Nothing they did really surprised me, I should say. I think if we had spent more time with his other friends, who we only get bits of here and there, we could have seen more sides of the characters and let them feel more lived-in and robust. Still, they didn’t bore me, and I think we did see a decent amount of character growth in James, even if the trajectory was expected.

I think what really made the book hard for me, though, was the writing and plotting. Now, the writing and plotting weren’t bad, but they just didn’t work for me. Firstly, I really didn’t like that the narrator broke the fourth wall to address the reader, and more than once. This immediately created a sense of artifice that I think harmed my investment, because it didn’t add anything or change the stakes in any useful way. But in addition to that narrative framing, the writing felt too eager for me, maybe a little twee, and because of that slightly tortured. For instance, there were words italicized in what felt like every paragraph, and I am sure it wasn’t that many, but it certainly felt that way. Both dialogue and narration, there were just italics running around all over the place and it made everything feel a little forced. Additionally, there were some language choices and turns of phrase that felt belabored. A few of that, sprinkled throughout, adds style and tone and I really appreciate it. Here it was just too much, too often. I do get the point, the whole story is from the point of view of a character who has a very specific upbringing and history and education, and he thinks in these kinds of florid, too-smart-for-his-own-good kind of turns of phrase. I like it when the writing style does some of the character-building work, but they were overly frequent enough to distract me.

I think part of my issue, to be fair, is that this story is far more YA than I had anticipated. The plot is very simple, and each obstacle comes up and then is mostly solved right away before moving on, with only minimal lingering effects. Even the deadly obstacle alluded to in the description is barely an important plot point, it is introduced very late in the story and solved readily. So, the plotting feels very much like it sets something up and then knocks it down, I didn’t feel anything lingering in any meaningful way throughout the whole book. Everything was tidy and convenient, which made it less interesting to me. The book actually borders on cozy, with very brief on-page violence near the end but otherwise nothing happens on the page in any titillating or violent ways, which just made everything feel really safe. For a story about a queer man—at a time when being queer could get you handed—who steals bodies from graves. I never really felt any danger in the story. The florid writing and sequential/episodic plotting combine with this to just feel far less complicated and messy and deeply intriguing than the premise and characters held the promise of being. Which, I think, is fine. Like I said, it feels like a YA, almost cozy exploration of a macabre topic. While the writing and plotting didn’t work for me, there was a clear style that might be exactly what others are looking for in this book. While I think everything could have been turned up a little—from character depth to more intricate plotting to introducing actual feelings of dread or danger, physical or emotional, that lasted more than a page before being resolved—and that would have made the book more appealing to me, there is a definite competency in the authorial voice and decisions.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae DunlapHistorical fiction | LGBTQIAP+ | Mystery/Thriller
5 STARS

While real-life serial killers Burke & Hare terrorize the streets of Edinburgh in the 19th century, a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching. 

You guys KNOW I love a medical drama, medical historical fiction, medical thriller, so I requested the advanced readers’ copy of this one SOFAST, and it did NOT disappoint!! The blurb is too perfect to not use here: “Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining.” Also just love the cheeky banter books from this time period often have!
This book teaches us about true crime case of serial killers (Burke & Hare) in 19th century Scotland while we follow James, a medical student to Edinburgh for medical school. However, because James wishes to study on a human cadaver, he needs to enroll in a private surgical school as well.
While studying at Malstrom’s surgical school, he becomes involved with a group of body snatchers that call themselves The Resurrectionists. There are digs at night under the cover of darkness, tavern discussions over a pint about the time’s scientific progress, specifically medical, in the age of the New Enlightenment, and a sprinkle of romance (not smutty). 
TL; DR: Body snatchers have to lay low while a rival surgical school’s namesake tries to monopolize the local body-snatching industry. Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, indeed! 
HIGHLY recommend.

This is a historical fiction debut novel by A. Rae Dunlap. If you enjoy twisty gothic tales set in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1828, then this may be the book for you. It pulls from true crime of the period with some real people, including criminals, being featured in this fictional story of a dark period in Scottish history.

James Willoughby, as the third son of a landed gentry family, is too physically inept to join the military and abandons his studies at Oxford to pursue a dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. The city’s university offers everything he desires except the change to work on a human cadaver. To do this, he must join a private school in Surgeon’s Square. Without the necessary funds, he strikes a deal with Aneurin (Nye) MacKinnon for half tuition in return for helping him without realizing that Nye is a body-snatcher. With rival gangs and unsavory characters mixing with pioneering medical procedures and the pursuit of science plus a forbidden love for the time-period, there’s a combination of fact and fiction.

James tends to have physical ineptitude, wants a sense of belonging, yearns for a purpose, and is a loyal friend. He’s also a driven student, somewhat innocent, and an advocate for justice. The other characters are well-defined.

Besides great characterization, the world-building was fantastic. From James’s room at the inn to the surgery center to scenes of gore and violence, it was easy to visualize. The blend of true crime and historical fiction had me researching this time-period to find out more about the true crime aspect of this story and the body-snatching business of the time. My biggest quibbles with the book were that I felt the writing style was somewhat formal and sometimes this resulted in more telling than showing. While many have classified this as a historical mystery, I didn’t get the feel that there was much of a mystery. It was more of a straight historical fiction novel to me. Other threads woven through the story include friendship, academic exploits, power, concepts of morality, class divisions, and treatment of women.

Overall, this was an entertaining story that had great characterization and was very atmospheric. The author’s note and the discussion questions are worth reading and thinking about them.

Kensington Publishing and A. Rae Dunlap provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for December 24, 2024.

This book was really fun and quite hilarious, which I wasn't expecting considering the contents of the novel. I do want to protect James like a baby brother and be best friends with Nye!

The whole book was fascinating tale of what body snatchers did along with the why and how. Before such things as body donations became common, there were such strict restrictions on whose bodies could be used for medical schools: prisoners, suicides, orphans, and foundlings. But the way body snatchers came about was that demand far outweighed supply.

Would I say the real-life serial killers did something good by opening politicians eyes to the idea that bodies were needed to advance science? Maybe. Obviously, murder is wrong and not supported on this book blog. However, the fact that Burke and Hare did help change laws was a good thing.

The hilarious parts was how blasé Nye was about the whole situation (including using James's trunk, affectionately nicknamed "The Beast," to transport a body), and how super naïve James was. At times, I was really just shaking my head and saying "oh honey" towards how naïve James was acting.

I do have to admit that it took a minute to get into the book. Since it was all James's first person point-of-view, there was large stretches and chunks of text that James described what was going on. Obviously, the beginning does point out that James is writing this account after everything happens, but it's still written as if it's in present tense. I was getting a bit too bogged down with how whiny and annoying James could be.

It definitely picks up once James figures out what's really going on with Nye's crew. Plus the romance between James and Nye is adorable and lovely and everything!

Who knew a book about body snatching could be so wholesome?

For once, we are burying everyone EXCEPT our gays.

"You came to Edinburgh because you were looking for the face of God and couldn't find it in your Bible. Don't cast blame on me if His true appearance is not the one of beatific serenity you'd been deceived into believing. This is the face of Progress, James. Don't you dare look away."

We follow "Posh-Boy" James Willoughby as he leaves a cushy life at Oxford for the medical schools in Edinburgh, longing to become a surgeon and get as far away from his family as possible. When his financial position threatens his academic pursuits, he seeks out employment from the city's gruesome underbelly via dissectionist Aneurin "Nye" MacKinnon. Nye's ways intoxicate, challenge, and resurrect our dear James in areas he never could've expected.

James (read: Watson) provides an endearing perspective into the macabre world of New Enlightenment medicine. His passions for scientific advancement and moral defensibility work in tandem to redefine what it means to lead a life he can be proud of. Our dream boy that danced on the edge of manic pixie, Nye, is darkly entertaining and yet represents so much of the sweet vulnerability that bled into this story.

My main issue is that it needed another round of edits. The writing alternated from contrived wordiness reeking of thesaurus overuse to mind-numbing repetition. I cannot tell you how many times these characters "grin", and the excessive italics have already been called out in other reviews. These stylistic choices kept a good read from being a great one - but a good one all the same. As a true crime enthusiast, health care scholar, and 19th-century romance devotee, this was a delight.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the e-ARC.

I really struggled with this book, and only kept reading it till the end because of the queer theme. In the beginning, I found a strange disconnect between James's uncomplicated acceptance of his sexuality given the time the story is based in. But I changed my mind about this after reading the author's note at the end—queer people have always existed and not all their stories are about sexuality! So both the 2 stars are for this.

However, I did not enjoy that laboured writing. For instance, when every other sentence sounds like this:

<blockquote>The unexpected slide of frigid toes against my bare calf elicited an undignified squawk from me, and I thrashed about clumsily beneath the blankets, struggling to roll back over and confront their source.</blockquote>

it really mars the pacing. Not only that, the story was really, really slow, and the main action takes place in the last third or so. Even Hare and Burke, real historical characters, were introduced far too late in the story, given what a big role they had.

I wish I could have enjoyed this as much as other people have. What I did enjoy was the amount of research that must have gone into it. I will look out for the author's future books. Many thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Set in 19th century Edinburgh, The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is beautifully irreverent., gothic coming-of -age story. The story follows a young medical student as he falls head first into a dark and seedy underworld at the heart of the medical community, but comes to find it may not be so dark and seedy after all. Be prepared to be shocked and awed alongside our main man, readers are in for a wild ride.

The Resurrectionists is a coming of age, historical fiction about a man going to medical school in Edinburgh after college at Oxford. It reminded me of my bright eyed days as a young medical student in the cadaver lab. Every bit of that process helped solidify my understanding of anatomy and I found it completely fascinating. There is a similar fascination with the human body in this book. Although some parts were more believable than others, this is a damn good book! It gave me Frankenstein vibes with the crazy dissections and experiments. The writing feels like classic literature. As the story of James unfolds, he finds he is able to do more unethical things to secure his education in his calling of medicine. A lovely love story blooms in the midst of death and crime. This is based on a true story and I found it captivating! Do not read if you are squeamish about blood and guts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review

Historical fiction at its debut finest! James, a posh former Oxford boy who arrives in Scotland eager to become a man of science. Edinburg has become the hotspot for scientific enlightenment and he is excited to learn the skills of a physician. Unfortunately, his new life and education are threatened when his family’s financial struggles are revealed. Desperate to earn some coin to continue paying his board and tuition, he stumbles upon the underground world of body snatching. Brought into a crew by a handsome dissection expert named Nye, he begins to learn the process of procuring cadavers for the various schools around town. But when new competition comes to town, all of their jobs— and possibly lives— are in danger.

*special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for this e-arc.*

“I would recognize his face always, in any manifestation, in this life or any other. Always.”

Give me a historical book set in Scotland, and I’ll read it no questions asked.

What I liked:

The plot moved along quite quickly. It was an easy read that made me want to keep turning the pages.

The setting. I love me a book set in Scotland - especially a darker, dreary, historical fiction.

What didn’t work for me:

I wanted more character development. I didn’t get invested in any of these characters, and I feel like I would’ve if we had more development.

I loved everything about this!! I’ll admit that by the time I started reading, I had forgotten entirely what the synopsis said, so I was pleasantly surprised by everything.

The historical time period feels perfect in tone, dialogue, setting, etc. while also not feeling bogged down or forced in the slightest. It really is apparent that the author knows her stuff (to me, a person who is not especially knowledgeable about the ins and outs at least).

James is a delight and his naïveté and jocular manner at the start endeared me to him right away. The side characters are equally as lovable. The profession in which James finds himself forced into was fun to read about. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like this and was very happy with how much I enjoyed it.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I don't think I've ever read a book like this. it truly kept me on the edge of my seat, and i couldn't stop reading. the story is so unique and so interesting. the characters are on the one hand relatable, and on the other hand so different. they are really well thought out, and i love that there is not a clear good guy, everyone is morally grey in this. I also enjoy the time this was set in, and while i say that, i do realize that the story also feels timeless at the same time. really good, i enjoyed it.

thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rae Dunlap’s The Resurrectionist is an exquisite dive into 19th-century Edinburgh, weaving a seamless blend of historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia. The depth of detail is nothing short of miraculous, bringing the grimy streets, shadowy alleys, and macabre underworld of body-snatching vividly to life. This book stands out as one of the most original stories I’ve read in a long time, a refreshing and haunting tale that lingers long after the final page.

The book’s exploration of the grisly origins of modern medicine is both unsettling and thought-provoking. It raises poignant questions about the cost of progress and the lengths to which individuals will go in pursuit of knowledge. Dunlap doesn’t shy away from the moral complexities of her subject matter, crafting a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally gripping.

The Resurrectionist is not just a story of body snatching and murder; it’s a haunting meditation on ambition, desire, and the shadows we cast in our pursuit of greatness. This book is a must-read for lovers of dark academia and historical fiction, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I really liked this book. The cover is stunning and the plot very interesting. Sometimes a bit creepy but the vibes from Scotland at that time period is enough to make we scream yeah! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

James arrives in Edinburge to study medicine. Its the late 1820s and he is ready to start a new life away from his family. Excited to start school, his new friends inform him that the best way to learn about medicine is through hands on learning with real cadavers at one of the private schools.
After going to see a surgery lecture at Malstroms medical school, James new friends enroll. Wanting to get the best medical education, James tries to join too. Despite not having the money to pay for this higher education, Masltroms assistant, Nye, lets him in at a lower fee. That is, so long as James helps Nye take “body snatch” by taking bodies from a graveyard to supply to cadavers for the medical school. Hence how James becomes “a resurrectionist.”
A. Rae Dunlap explores the genre of historical fiction beautifully. Because we view it throught James perespecitve, it stays very true to the historcal setting. Later in the book, we are introcudced to the Burke and Hare, two real life killers who were active in Edingburough during the 1820s. The book seamlessly combindes the historical events with the fictional characters, humanzing an event that seems so distant.
The growing relationship between Nye and James is powerful and beautiful. The dynamics between James and everyone in his life feel developed and natural. James himself feels like a relatable character who make the stakes feel to real.

Thanks to the folks at Kensington Publishing for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
***
3.5 stars
Low-key spoilers
The Resurrectionist, was entertaining, it was a wild ride. I must confess I was expecting a bit more but the ending came to a pleasing conclusion (and the relief of a nice ending after picking up hints that it would not be so). I liked the setting and the characters and the romance. Thanks again!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In The Resurrectionist, we follow James Willoughby as he chooses to abandon his privileged life as part of the English upper class to pursue his dream of studying medicine in Edinburgh. In an effort to gain admission to one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, he finds himself in need of money to keep his dream alive, which inadvertently leads him to become an accomplice in the act of snatching bodies from graveyards.

Let me start by saying that the premise of this book is right up my alley, so I’m not the least bit surprised that it hit the spot for me. The atmosphere of this book completely blew me away—I was fully immersed in the world after only a few chapters. The prose was deliciously beautiful, making it incredibly difficult to put the book down.

I found the characters genuine and likable, even if James was a bit of a loser—but that aligns perfectly with his posh upbringing. I absolutely adored Nye; his charm elevated every scene, and the chemistry between the characters was just delightful. All the relationships developed naturally and felt entirely authentic.

The Resurrectionist is an incredibly impressive debut that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more works from this author.

This one was absolutely fascinating, although extremely gory in parts, so anyone squeamish (like me!) should read with caution!

Set in the 1800’s in Edinburgh, the story follows trainee surgeon James Willoughby. Struggling to pay his tuition after his father’s death bankrupts the family, James is offered a novel way of making money… join Nye McKinnon’s crew of body snatchers, robbing graves to sell corpses to the medical schools for study.

At first horrified by the idea, James quickly realises that the scientific advancement that the corpses will help bring is enough to overcome his aversion to digging graves. Plus, he soon comes to realise that he will do anything for charming and charismatic Nye. But both men’s lives are plunged into chaos when they uncover a scandal… rival body snatchers Burke and Hare are procuring bodies at a terrifying rate, and it’s starting to look like some of their corpses were never even underground to start with…

This book is historical fiction with a side-plot of queer romance; the world of Edinburgh’s medical schools is fascinating and the lives of body snatchers that supplied the schools is both morbid and incredibly interesting! Burke and Hare were real people, and although the book is fiction, teams of people procuring bodies for medical study was very much a thing!

I loved James and Nye; James is a morally flexible member of the upper classes who wants nothing more than to escape his title of gentleman in favour of being a surgeon. Nye is a mercurial sweetheart; an expert storyteller and charmer, him and James are in perfect contrast to each other!

Read The Ressurectionist for:
✨ Historical Fiction; 1800s Edinburgh
✨ Loosely based on true events
✨ Queer romance sub-plot
✨ Digging up corpses for science
✨ Medical study (in some detail, beware!)
✨ Threat of murder
✨ They’re morally grey nerds in love

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book. It’s available on 24th December 2024 💕

The writing was incredibly immersive and so beautiful that I was immediately drawn in. The book is full of real life people/characters and you can tell the author took a lot of time to do thorough research prior to writing the book. I really really enjoyed it