Reviews tagging 'Death'

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

179 reviews

malbright's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

This was my first ever YA novel and I was pleasantly surprised at how vivid the imagery and context was in her writing despite being catered to a younger audience. This was an overall good book! The character and plot development had some major gaps in it. But once I learned this author is a TV writer it all made sense! There were distractions placed throughout the plot —much like TV shows— that diverts the readers away from these gaps. You completely forget that some of the threads were incomplete. But then, in hindsight as I am processing the book I’m left being like “wait… what?” “What about x and x?”. The ending, while very good and satisfying, was indeed a cliffhanger and felt just like TV. Intended to string you into the next novel or “episode” in the series. Which is I suppose the point? It was an interesting viewpoint into the history of medicine and alchemy, plagues, sexism, classism, and ultimately a cautionary tale that things are never quite what they seem. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Classism, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Sexism

gretabookish's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Classism, and Gore

doodeedoda's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual assault, Ableism, and Bullying

izzyttt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death

Minor: Murder and Kidnapping

wytherwytch's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Just brilliant. Dark. Gothic. Romantic. Can't wait for part 2! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Murder, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Grief, Death, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Torture

alychee's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Trafficking

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Sexual harassment

lisacanteven's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is not as beautiful as its cover. It is gritty and grotesque in the best possible ways. It is so atmospheric that I felt like I was walking the dark streets of Edinburgh with Hazel. I could almost feel the grime. The story is slow to start, but the descriptions of the setting really steal the show in the first half. The second half of the book definitely pick up. I couldn't put the book down at that point. The story becomes twisted and surprising. It does take a little bit of suspended disbelief, but the plot is satisfying. The ending is another thing, but there is a second book. I had to pick up the sequel immediately. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Medical content

Moderate: Incest

blakeandbooks's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Pregnancy, Body horror, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Medical trauma

ernis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The premise of the novel was intriguing. I had no idea it would be gory though. Personally I didn't care for the ending...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Death

Moderate: Murder

kitty_reads_'s review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

Still debating if this is a 4 or a 3.75… either way I really enjoy this book! Schwartz writing beautifully captured the macabre vibes of Edinburgh in the 1800s. 

I really enjoyed Hazel as a main character. The book is titled “A love Story,” and while I really enjoyed the romance, it focuses on Hazels love for Anatomy (which the author said is the point). In a society where women are confined to running the house, Hazel has a modern drive to become a surgeon. Hazel being upperclass has the sense she can do anything. However, though shes ambitious, Hazel begins to understand how society limits her.. which felt realistic. Ultimately her position still grants her opportunities she otherwise would not have had. 

Beyond the themes of feminism, this book touches on class issues when it comes to lifestyle, choices, and medicine (both receiving medical help & studying medicine.) Now I always love a good jab at the rich so I particularly liked this discussion! I do think it was handled quite well with Jacks character serving as a lower class perspective. However, there is no discussion about race. 

As mentioned the romance is subtle but I didn’t mind that. The romance we did get felt well timed and gave me a few flutters! 

The ending felt a bit rushed and I wasn’t in love with it. But I am interested in reading the next book! 

Be aware that while this is YA and it’s not too graphic, it still contains descriptions of surgeries, corpses, and general body gore. 

All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who likes their historical fiction set in the 1800s with creepy  cemeteries! A good read for the fall, particularly November. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Death