Amazing story, read while traveling from Bath UK to edinburgh so perfect timing! Great mix of fact and horror. The romance isn't a forefront which I love for this storyline.

A tale of breaking free of expectations to find purpose and love set amongst a macabre backdrop of murder, body snatching, and a quest for knowledge.

The Resurrectionist is a haunting, thought-provoking read that seamlessly blends history, suspense, and romance, leaving me eager for more.

In this chilling gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland, it’s a grim world where the infamous duo Burke and Hare reign terror over Edinburgh's streets. Young medical student, James, becomes ensnared in the clandestine world of body snatching in attempts to live an independent life outside London society. Follow James, his university friends, and his body snatching team in this harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the unsettling evolution of modern medicine.

It transported me to a dark and intricate world. The narrative delves unflinchingly into the gory and gruesome details of Victorian medical practices, painting a vivid picture of the era's fascination with scientific advancement amidst moral ambiguity. The portrayal of societal classes, legal complexities, and the allure of enlightenment provides a compelling backdrop, making the necessity of body snatching tragically understandable.

The skillful use of diction and accents effortlessly brings each character to life, vividly portraying their era and social standing. James undergoes a beautiful coming-of-age journey as he navigates his dreams, financial constraints, familial duties, and a forbidden romance. The LGBTQ+ companionship for the era is handled as sensitively as the relationship needed to be. And the severe punishment for being caught is thoroughly discussed which left me wishing for a better time so their love could bloom.

As a bonus, the inclusion of medical and body snatching puns added a delightful layer of wit and humor to the narrative, enriching the storytelling experience. Overall, I enjoyed this book, its immersive experience, and its embodiment of various genres!

The resurrectionist is a story about a man who finds himself caught up in an underground, highly illegal feud in the name of science, while balancing his moral code and his love and determination of furthering his education.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me a copy of what happens to be my favourite read of the year, The Resurrectionist, in exchange of an honest review.

(this is gonna be a long one, so i’ll quickly note here that if you like dark academia, banter and beautifully detailed writing, this is the book for you.)

03/07/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Wow. Wow wow wow.

There are so many layers to this book, so many things that I could praise highly and rant about for paragraphs upon paragraphs.

I have to start with the beauty of the writing. The entire book felt like reading poetry, with the perfect balance of showing and telling, of simple and abstract diction. It was never too much, while still being enough that the words on the page painted an intricate picture. The descriptions of Edinburg during the day and night had a stark contrast, and I could picture both the horrors of the night and the unique beauty of the day that was displayed.

Alongside the general describing, the actual story was beautiful. This book is historical fiction, a coming of age and a love story all in one, and amazingly the ideas fit together like a puzzle (reference to the book, iykyk…) and it somehow is not overwhelming.

James and Nye are both so charming, detailed and wonderful characters. I found myself rooting for them from the beginning. Their dialogue had me grinning down at my book, and their relationship was nuanced and romantic and all in all lovely.

James’s struggle with his morals versus what he wants most in life was a large part of the story, and dictated many of his choices. He wasn’t written to be a boring, perfect protagonist, but rather a protagonist with many flaws, but many many strengths as well.

Nye has the potential to become a new favourite morally grey book boyfriend. He is not a saint, but as James mentions in the book, he isn’t without his moral code. He is charming, manipulative, smart but also fiercely loyal. He was my favourite part of this story, and I loved him from his first appearance on the page. James’s relationship with Nye was an integral part of the story, but by no means the centre of it. It had been weaves into James’s arc as a result of the situation, and didn’t feel forced at all. I adored their banter, and their genuine conversation as well, as the two men got to know each other’s true selves truly and deeply.

By the end of the book, James had found himself again after years of despair, got himself a man he loves, and had discovered how deep his passion for science went.

Run, don’t walk, to get your hands on this book when it releases. It truly deserves to be read.

Historical Fiction isn’t typically my go-to but when I saw this cover I knew I had to see what lay in the pages behind it!

I went into this blind not reading the synopsis or anything and keeping an open mind. I was very pleased that this was in the world of true crime AND it featured a love story. James and Nye, two very likable characters, had me cheering for their story right away!

So much of the prose in this book is exquisite. It really will transport you back in time! And I loved learning about the history of Burke and Hare - infamous body snatchers. I’ve always fancied the macabre and this scratched that spot so wonderfully!

Fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper, with a bit more historical reference, will definitely love this!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the digital ARC!

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this book. This is a great historical fiction, taking place in the late 1820's. The way she wrote about the medical university's of the time period and connecting in the Burke and Hare serial killers of that time was great. You can tell she put in the time to research the history needed to make this book.
The fictional characters she created fit in perfectly with this story.
James is a young man that has decided to pursue science against the wishes of his wealthy family. He has his struggles, that come along with being on your own with very little and finds ways to stay at the university with some help from his new friends. The love story between James and Nye is a nice extra that adds more to the characters and makes you what to see what will come next for them. I do hope there will be another story about Nye and James.

What a delightful read!
Historical fiction is not something I usually enjoy, I must admit.
This book however is such an excellent read that it swept me along like no other in this genre has managed so far!

The writing is easy to get into, yet not too simple. It is consistently fitting to the time period, which, in my experience, is often not the case.

The main characters are wonderfully multifaceted, and while I feared the author might fall into the trap of writing James as either too snobby or too perfect, there was a good, realistic balance maintained. James himself is an intriguing main character, caught between two worlds, not fitting properly into either, trying to navigate his way towards his own making. On one side, he is immensely intelligent in all the areas he is interested in; on the other hand, he is clumsy and naive when it comes to practically anything else. He is trying to figure out the morals of his known ethics vs. this new world he finds himself in now. A dilemma quickly arises that is still as modern as it was centuries and decades ago: how far should we go for scientific progress?

As fleshed out as the main characters are, I sadly must also mention that every other character is rather one-dimensional.

I had to laugh out loud more than once; however, the scenes where the characters were mostly amused felt very forced to me and had an odd kind of humor, not just because of its darkness.

The plot and story are thrilling and make it hard to put down. I found myself wishing for the next book, eager to see how the two will wreak further chaos and fulfill their ...

All in all, an immensely enjoyable and enlightening read.

Thanks for NetGalley and A Rae Dunlap for providing this read for reviewing.
#TheResurrectionist #NetGalley

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210365385-the-resurrectionist" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Resurrectionist" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1711421228l/210365385._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210365385-the-resurrectionist">The Resurrectionist</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49115764.A_Rae_Dunlap">A Rae Dunlap</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6634930072">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
What a delightful read! <br />Historical fiction is not something I usually enjoy, I must admit.<br />This book however is such an excellent read that it swept me along like no other in this genre has managed so far!<br /><br />The writing is easy to get into, yet not too simple. It is consistently fitting to the time period, which, in my experience, is often not the case.<br /><br />The main characters are wonderfully multifaceted, and while I feared the author might fall into the trap of writing James as either too snobby or too perfect, there was a good, realistic balance maintained. James himself is an intriguing main character, caught between two worlds, not fitting properly into either, trying to navigate his way towards his own making. On one side, he is immensely intelligent in all the areas he is interested in; on the other hand, he is clumsy and naive when it comes to practically anything else. He is trying to figure out the morals of his known ethics vs. this new world he finds himself in now. A dilemma quickly arises that is still as modern as it was centuries and decades ago: how far should we go for scientific progress?<br /><br />As fleshed out as the main characters are, I sadly must also mention that every other character is rather one-dimensional.<br /><br />I had to laugh out loud more than once; however, the scenes where the characters were mostly amused felt very forced to me and had an odd kind of humor, not just because of its darkness.<br /><br />The plot and story are thrilling and make it hard to put down. I found myself wishing for the next book, eager to see how the two will wreak further chaos and fulfill their ...<br /><br />All in all, an immensely enjoyable and enlightening read.<br /><br />Thanks for NetGalley and A Rae Dunlap for providing this read for reviewing.<br />#TheResurrectionist #NetGalley
<br/><br/>

I also love the information at the end that its based on true cases, very fascinating realization of such a gruesome tale.

Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing for the early copy of this book!

I cannot put into words how much I loved reading this novel! The main characters were compelling! The plot full of real events, people, and places woven into the story itself. This was a true joy to read and I will sorely miss James and Nye and their adventures as resurrectionists and scientists!

Well this was certainly an interesting read. I requested this book on the science and history. In that aspect, the book knocked it out of the park. Reading about how robbing graves was done and how they were used in the medical field was fun. Reading the afterward and finding out some of the secondary characters were actual people actually elevated the book for me. The one main issue I had was that the romance seemed kind of unnecessary. Although it didn't feel forced, it felt like it didn't add much to the story. It would have played out the same if they were friends. I am excited that the ending gave an opening for a possible sequel which I would be very interested in.

Immersive, creepy and passionate!

The Resurrectionist transports us to Victorian Edinburgh, where the roots of modern surgery can be traced, via the unsettling practice of dissection. Understanding of human anatomy was a core element of modern medicine, but there was one practical issue for the doctors and the students: not enough available bodies.

James, who cast his upper class life aside to pursue his ambition of a medicine degree, is dragged into the black market of body-snatching. Igniting sparks of romance with this particular activity isn't the most common occurrence, but Dunlap makes it work, dancing between the revulsion of dissection and study of removed human organs and limbs and the passion James and Nye have for science...and for each other.

The atmosphere and the vocabulary are immersive, you feel 19th century Edinburgh around you. The blend of real historical figures and fictional ones is smooth, and James' thoughts shed a lot of light in the cultural background.

A splendid debut!

Thank you NetGalley and for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC

The Resurrectionist has one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen, which definitely influenced my decision to read it. Set in 1800s Edinburgh, this novel delves into the dark and gothic world of medical schools, body snatchers, and real-life serial killers Burke and Hare. It also features a poignant queer love story. If any of these elements intrigue you, you might love this book as much as I did!

Typically, I'm not a fan of body horror, and there was plenty of it here. I was grateful to have seen the recent film with Emma Stone, Poor Things, which made it easier to visualise the medical school classrooms, auditoriums, procedures, and the innovations they tried to implement.

Regarding body snatchers, I had very little knowledge beyond a few true crime stories and watching Good Omens Season 2 😂 The moral and ethical dilemmas presented through the main character's perspective were thought-provoking—it felt almost justified, all in the name of advancing science!

I was also surprised to learn that Burke and Hare were real figures. Their heinous acts in early 1800s Edinburgh were shocking, as I don't recall hearing about them before.

This is A. Rae Dunlap's debut novel, yet her writing style is so polished and fluid that it feels like the work of a seasoned author. The story's tension builds masterfully towards the climax, keeping me thoroughly engaged.

Although I didn't necessarily love the ending, I still found this book to be marvelous—and very unusual for me. Despite the gore, I had a lot of fun reading it.
4.5/5 ⭐

Set in 19th-century Edinburgh, “The Resurrectionist” is a dark, gothic debut that masterfully intertwines historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia. The story follows James Willoughby, a young medical student who abandons his privileged life at Oxford to pursue surgery in Edinburgh, only to be lured into the illicit world of body snatching. James, desperate to gain surgical experience, strikes a deal with Nye MacKinnon, a charming and reckless dissectionist. Unbeknownst to James, Nye is a body snatcher, and soon James finds himself entangled in the underground world of Resurrectionists, competing with notorious figures like Burke and Hare.

Nye, with his artist’s eye for anatomy and dark charm, captivates both James and the reader. The romance subplot adds an extra layer to the story without overshadowing the main plot, maintaining a fine balance that enhances the overall narrative. The book’s meticulous research is evident in its rich historical details and accurate portrayal of 19th-century medical practices. The grim yet fascinating world of body snatching is vividly depicted, drawing readers into a macabre yet mesmerizing tale.

“The Resurrectionist” is not only a thrilling read for fans of dark academia and historical fiction but also an insightful look into the early days of modern medicine. Cross’s ability to blend fact and fiction creates an engrossing story that keeps readers hooked until the very end. If you enjoy tales of murder, greed, and the dark underpinnings of scientific pursuit, this book is a must-read.

Thank you for sending this book! I love this book! It has become one of my favourites (alongside EOTV and EOTD)! The fact that’s this is a debut novel is still crazy to me. It has such a fun concept that you don’t read about in other books. The writing reminded me a lot of Jay Kristoff’s writing, and the themes had a little bit of Frankenstein mixed in. It was gothic, it was queer, it was macabre, and it worked so well together. The chapters were long, but fit the story so well that it would’ve been weird to have short chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington publishing group to letting me read this ARC! This is not your average love story and takes us on a journey through the late 1800s and into the developing medical world and the anatomy schools. I gave this book 3 ⭐️, I loved the story/plot line but as someone that works in the medical field I wish there had been more included on their anatomy classes and the graveyard parts. Still a great read and I would read more by this author and also if there was a continuation!

I loved this book!!
The setting is wonderful and the writing!! Omg!! It was so captivating and I really felt as if I was part of the story while reading. The characters are amazing and it was so nice to see James evolve from the timid “posh boy” we met at the beginning to a man who isn’t afraid of his life choices and who’s defending them with everything he’s got.

“I crave no absolution but yours”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????? The love story was EVERYTHING!!!! Nye and James were so cute! They had so much chemistry it made me insane, but as much as I adore them I felt as if their story was a bit rushed. Other than that the only other problem I had with this book was that the first chapters were a bit slow and made it hard for me to get into the book. Otherwise this book is amazing, I mean, be gay do crime am I right?

I absolutely LOVED this book. I expected to like this book upon reading the synopsis, but I never could have imagined how badly I fell in love with this book.

I have so many thoughts, so I am going to go piece by piece. (I will be refraining from spoilers)

Setting
I, myself, am Scottish, which was another thing that initially drew me to this book. However, I’ll be honest and say that so many times I’ve found myself disappointed when reading books set in Scotland, because I feel like the characters are all a stereotype; none of it feels how Scotland and Scottish people really are. However, this book truly felt authentic to Edinburgh and Scotland. Especially the mention of the grey skies, rain, heather, it all painted that picture of Scotland in my head. I miss Scotland very dearly (as I am not living there at the moment) and was so happy to feel like I was back.

Characters
I loved James and Aneurin. I loved seeing the development of James. At the beginning he was so shy and timid, and seemed to really question his life choices and if he’d done the right thing by going to university, unsure if he was cut out for it. It’s a huge difference from who he becomes by the end of the book. I also loved Aneurin as his character was so complex and I loved learning about him little by little.

Writing
The writing in this book was soooo good. Like art actually. It was so descriptive, making the whole book immersive; it truly played like a movie in my head. It also made the book extremely hard to put down. I can’t even emphasize it enough how immersive it all was. It was amazing and soo addictive.

Overall, this book was so amazing. I really can’t stress that enough. It’s my new favorite book, and I actually feel like I’m going crazy because I need a hard copy to highlight and annotate, but I won’t be able to get one for months. I highly recommend this book especially if you’re into gothic literature or true crime. Also if you’re a wolfstar shipper (trust me)

True crime, a love story, AND historical fiction all in one? SIGN ME UP! I was so stoked to have been accepted for an ARC of this book. I was into this story pretty much immediately, James and Nye are both so likeable, I found myself wondering their next moves when I wasn’t reading. When I started this book, I was unfamiliar with the real-life crimes this book references, but learning about them at the end was so fascinating. The Resurrectionist is going to be an absolute hit, I had a hard time putting it down, it was so intelligently written that I feel like I even learned things while reading. Highly recommend!

Side note, I read it during Pride Month not even knowing it was going to have a queer aspect, very serendipitous!

A delightful, LGBTQ historical fiction centred around the resurrectionists of the 18th-19th century. I’d forgotten about Burke and Hare; the infamous body snatchers that never got their hands dirty, at least not in the literal sense. And loved seeing them written in here so well.

This was brilliantly written and very well researched, a really authentic feel for the era with characters that feel real. Has a timeless, classic feel to it. Genuinely feels more like you’re reading a book written a hundred years ago, very polished and with language and style that suit the period.

I absolutely loved Nye, and really enjoyed reading their story. This is set in Edinburgh, and as someone that loves anatomy and the history of anatomists and body snatching, I absolutely loved it.

Really lovely and endearing prose, at the beginning it was a little difficult to get into,
unclear what it’s about, who the narrator is or what’s happening— I had to refer to blurb.
It was complicated but once I got into it was so interesting and macabre.

The first couple of chapters are a bit slow, and it's definitely got some holes (pun intended) where I thought, "Well, she could have gone into more detail about how we got here," or "I'm not sure that's how that would work," but all in all, it was a really exciting read with lots of excellent characters, and I'm sure the final product will be much more polished than the ARC I read. I would absolutely without a doubt recommend this book! I'm so glad I read it, and I've already pre-0rdered the book on Amazon.

The Resurrectionist is a debut gothic novel set in 19th century Scotland.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. James Willoughby has abandoned his posh life at Oxford to pursue his dream of studying surgery. He goes to join a school but can’t afford it on his own, causing him to strike a deal with Anuerin “Nye” MacKinnon who is a young dissectionist. Nye agrees to help James learn anatomy…but it isn’t long until James learns that Nye is a bodysnatcher. And now, James is his accomplice.

This book was sadly not on my radar until I requested it from NetGalley. BUT OH MY GOD! I am in love. I love the characters. I love Nye and James and I love this world. This is an amazing Gothic tale that is short and compelling. This was very immersive and atmospheric.

I would say if you like the more classic Gothics like Frankenstein and Dracula and Mary Shelley, you should read this. It also gave me Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes. This is a debut to keep your eyes on and I am pre-ordering the book now!