I loooooved this book! The historical easter eggs throughout, the budding romance and gentle love between James and Nye, and the macabre humor sprinkled throughout.... just everything about this was so great. It was darkly entertaining, wicked smart, and the romance aspect was so sweet. I loved that James' coming-of-age was focused mostly on his studies and his newfound occupation as a resurrectionist, with little angst spent on his sexuality. It was a breath of fresh air to not have so much angst devoted to such things. I loved every second of this book, seriously. Go read it.

What a book! There was so much research put into it. The writing was beautiful and had me engaged. This was deep, gritty, and a great debut novel .

what a wonderful debut! first and foremost, I just immediately loved the way this book was written -- the language has a rhythm and richness that makes it feel like a classic novel, while still being fresh and sharp. it made me want to read out loud! then there's the subject matter. so, I've been morbidly fascinated by Edinburgh's macabre history of grave-robbing ever since I heard of it (if you read and liked Dana Schwartz's novel Anatomy: A Love Story, I think you'll enjoy this too!) and the author did not shy away from the dark and gory aspects of that history! but I wasn't aware of the real Burke and Hare -- spooky! I also liked how James' gay identity was a part of him but it wasn't a main source of conflict (with some around him, yes, but not within HIMSELF). James and Nye were so sweet together! I would definitely read a sequel -- James and Nye take on London! James being all cute and awkward trying to stave off ladies of society while still being a gentleman... Nye using science to basically invent CSI... maybe they uncover a new mystery in the big city? I hope this is the author's plan because I want more!

4 star reading for me. Such a good book. Loved this story so much! A. Rae Dunlap is such an amazing author.

Hudspeth

"The Resurrectionist" is a captivating blend of historical fiction, horror, and artistry that delves into the macabre world of Dr. Spencer Black, a fictional 19th-century surgeon obsessed with the idea of merging human and animal anatomy. The book is presented as a combination of a biography of Dr. Black and a collection of his illustrations, which showcase his bizarre experiments and creations. Hudspeth's writing is both evocative and chilling, drawing readers into Dr. Black's twisted mind and the moral dilemmas he faces in his pursuit of scientific advancement. The illustrations are both beautiful and unsettling, adding an extra layer of depth to the narrative. "The Resurrectionist" is a thought-provoking and atmospheric read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and horror alike.

Wow. I was practically glued to this book.

The Resurectionist is a wonderfully written book from the perspective of the young James who travels from London to Edinburgh to get a chance to study medicine in a way that is more hands-on, rather than all theory how he learned it in London.
Through rather misfortunate circumstances he gets involved with Aneurin, who works for a known physician and professor in Edinburgh and who opens James' eyes to a side of medicine that he never considered - body snatching.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this books,getting sucked into a historical Scotland, experiencing the thrill of hiding your unfavoured way of optaining bodies from the police and the sweet lovestory Dunlap sprinkled throughout her first novel.

You certainly feel that the author knows exactly how to get her readers hooked and that, I presume from her having studied film, she knew how to give her novel an absolutely satisfying ending, while still leaving the door open just a crack for a maybe possible sequel.

Whether we will get more books by the author, be it in the Resurrectionist universe or others, is yet to be decided but I will keep eyes and ears open!

This was utterly phenomenal, and I am shocked this is the author's debut novel.

The Resurrectionist is a delightfully macabre mix of historical fiction, dark academia and true crime, set in 19th century Edinburgh.

The prose in this book was fantastic. Dunlap's writing is lyrical and emotive and I was deeply invested in the characters.

I was pleasantly surprised (and ecstatic) at the romance! It was written in a way at first that James was ignorant to his own feelings, and this felt believable. But, oh, the pining was sublime. A favourite quote to back this up: "Every moment with him felt like a dream decided, a riddle unraveled in a foreign tongue." Further, it touched on queerness in the 19th century very well, as this quote poignantly put it: "But for men who sinned as we sinned, the noose was often the verdict - a violent end to violent delights."

Despite the gruesome backdrop, this was a wonderful coming-of-age and self-acceptance story, and the juxtaposition of James' upper class upbringing being thrown into the dark underbelly of body-snatching in the pursuit of scientific knowledge and advancement was cleverly done.

This was funny, deep, and gritty, and an all-round excellent debut novel.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A posh-boy and a Scotsman with a Welsh name walk into a kirkyard...

I walked into this ARC with no expectations (it was my first time, after all!) but was delightfully surprised at the adventure that awaited me. 19th century Edinburgh? Yum. Historical fiction? YES PLEASE! What I didn't expect was an exquisite coming of age & self-acceptance story intertwined with some true crime and a hefty HEFTY sprinkle of romance.

I devoured this book tooth and nail- read it from start to finish in ~24 hours. The setting itself is intoxicating- from the scholarly banter between university students to Edinburgh's seedy underbelly, the crisp and descriptive writing really drew me in immediately. I think that James is a great character to experience this world through; the dichotomy of his upbringing and the underworld he finds himself in is well executed and believable from a modern perspective, while still facilitating the character's own personal growth throughout.

The romance, from my perspective, while not forced did feel a tad rushed - almost as if many of the vignettes that would bring a more holistic look to the beginning of Nye & James's relationship were not included. Don't let that discourage you- I think that says more about ME wanting MORE than the arc of the romance itself.

This book was deeply addictive and satisfying to consume. I find myself already itching for a re-read!!