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maggies's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
A great 100th book of the year! Hazel and Jack were adorable, clever, and ahead of their time. The plot is well-paced, with plenty of ups and downs for both Hazel and Jack, and the final conflict was perfectly tense. I really enjoyed the audiobook narration as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, and Child death
aklovekorn's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Medical trauma
lizgriffinwords's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars rounded up. While there were some elements I enjoyed and there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with this book (except the head-hopping and the ending out of left field), I was left feeling dissatisfied. My favorite aspect of the book was how tangible and sensory the setting of Edinburgh felt.
The pacing was a bit off, not picking up in what felt like the main plot until 45% of the way in. I could have done without Jack’s POV altogether — his chapters were sparse and short, felt like a late-in-the-process insert. Hazel had a good balance of realistic nativity and feminist ambition, but altogether… a book that didn’t live up to its amazing cover.
CW: Medical horror (including eye horror), gore/blood, disease, parental abandonment, grief, pregnancy/childbirth
The pacing was a bit off, not picking up in what felt like the main plot until 45% of the way in. I could have done without Jack’s POV altogether — his chapters were sparse and short, felt like a late-in-the-process insert. Hazel had a good balance of realistic nativity and feminist ambition, but altogether… a book that didn’t live up to its amazing cover.
CW: Medical horror (including eye horror), gore/blood, disease, parental abandonment, grief, pregnancy/childbirth
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Gore, Blood, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Abandonment, Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy and Child abuse
aromarrie's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
a personal opinion of mine would’ve been that this book could’ve been better if the author explored hazel & jack’s relationship to be more a friendship or even brother/sister relationship than anything else, because the romance? i felt nothing for. i see the vision for their dynamic with hazel wanting to become a physician while jack sells the bodies of those who are long dead; both have a connection to death and there’s even an interesting conversation they have that surrounds that theme but ultimately, i didn’t see much depth in their relationship to make sense of jack eventually calling her “my love” and the two just generally becoming so attached to each other in later parts of the book; it all just felt very shallow, personally.
the reason why i mention all this is just because it’ll forever aggravate me how underdeveloped their romance was when the rest of the book was very well-done.
the writing itself was absolutely solid, all the medical content (which gets pretty graphic, mind you) and learning a lot about how physicians worked in the 19th century with the knowledge that they had at the time was surprisingly interesting (and had way more depth). seeing all that knowledge be applied to hazel, who was a prospective physician and applied herself readily to her studies, made me love her perspective very much, because it felt very inspiring to know how determined she was to reach her goal, as impossible as the other male characters in this book deem it out to be. seeing how she came to learn the hands-on part of being a physician was what made this book stand out to me because it felt so unconventional and yet in this time period, it couldn’t have been any more common than it was for people like jack who existed and dug up dead bodies to sell for money.
jack himself, i feel like there could’ve been so much more explored regarding his career as a “resurrection man” as the little we did learn, there was a compelling aspect to it and yet for it to feel buried underneath hazel’s own pov, it left this imbalance in perspectives in a dual pov novel. learning about the many people who cross this line between living & dead in order for them themselves to survive, including jack, was a really grave topic to explore but also thrilling, because it required a lot of skill and even suspense for those who sneak into the graveyards at night, having silently observed the mourned during the day to see who’s the best candidate to sell off.
as i mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of medical content in this book, and with that, there was a lot more to learn about the Roman fever, an illness which in this book, plagued the city of Edinburgh in 1815 as it killed thousands, both poor and noble alike. the great level of description that this author took to explore the severity of this illness at this date and time + the people who suffer from it but are also learning, it added a tension to this story that among everything else, made my reading experience a little more invigorating.
again, i could’ve done without the romance, but i really enjoyed the writing and the setting of this story as a whole, and the direction that this author went towards the end was certainly memorable as i was able to predict some of it, but then ultimately felt stunned at the leftover majority that i couldn’t have seen coming. this cover is absolutely beautiful, and if there’s ever a greater love story, it is not between hazel & jack, but rather between the notion of life & death, the people who meet their end & those who take advantage of it. that is all.
the reason why i mention all this is just because it’ll forever aggravate me how underdeveloped their romance was when the rest of the book was very well-done.
the writing itself was absolutely solid, all the medical content (which gets pretty graphic, mind you) and learning a lot about how physicians worked in the 19th century with the knowledge that they had at the time was surprisingly interesting (and had way more depth). seeing all that knowledge be applied to hazel, who was a prospective physician and applied herself readily to her studies, made me love her perspective very much, because it felt very inspiring to know how determined she was to reach her goal, as impossible as the other male characters in this book deem it out to be. seeing how she came to learn the hands-on part of being a physician was what made this book stand out to me because it felt so unconventional and yet in this time period, it couldn’t have been any more common than it was for people like jack who existed and dug up dead bodies to sell for money.
jack himself, i feel like there could’ve been so much more explored regarding his career as a “resurrection man” as the little we did learn, there was a compelling aspect to it and yet for it to feel buried underneath hazel’s own pov, it left this imbalance in perspectives in a dual pov novel. learning about the many people who cross this line between living & dead in order for them themselves to survive, including jack, was a really grave topic to explore but also thrilling, because it required a lot of skill and even suspense for those who sneak into the graveyards at night, having silently observed the mourned during the day to see who’s the best candidate to sell off.
as i mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of medical content in this book, and with that, there was a lot more to learn about the Roman fever, an illness which in this book, plagued the city of Edinburgh in 1815 as it killed thousands, both poor and noble alike. the great level of description that this author took to explore the severity of this illness at this date and time + the people who suffer from it but are also learning, it added a tension to this story that among everything else, made my reading experience a little more invigorating.
again, i could’ve done without the romance, but i really enjoyed the writing and the setting of this story as a whole, and the direction that this author went towards the end was certainly memorable as i was able to predict some of it, but then ultimately felt stunned at the leftover majority that i couldn’t have seen coming. this cover is absolutely beautiful, and if there’s ever a greater love story, it is not between hazel & jack, but rather between the notion of life & death, the people who meet their end & those who take advantage of it. that is all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Grief and Animal death
sundayray's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Pregnancy
unreadbass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is now at the top of my list. I read this for a book club, and I honestly wasn’t expecting that much. but wow, was i wrong. I loved this book so much. To be honest, I guessed some of the plot twists, but there’s was one that i did not see coming. Usually when i’m reading at night and i finish a book, i start another one to get into it. but i couldn’t do it. i had to lay in my bed for a good 30 minutes to absorb what happened. highly recommend 5/5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Gore, Classism, and Death
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Rating: 3/5 stars
Hazel Sinnett is a teenage noblewoman living in Regency-era Scotland—she also longs to become a surgeon, despite the limitations placed on her by the time in which she lives. When renowned Dr. Beecham agrees to make Hazel his apprentice if she can pass the Royal Physician’s Examination, Hazel enlists the help of “resurrection man” Jack Currer to procure corpses for her studies. But the poor are going missing all over Edinburgh, and things may not be exactly what they seem…
Honestly, this one let me down a bit. The synopsis sounds amazing, but ultimately the book itself felt a bit rushed and I never connected to it the way I hoped. The characters were interesting but not fully fleshed out, and some of the plot points seemed either unrealistic or unnecessary. I won’t spell out some of my biggest issues because of spoilers, but ultimately I was also pretty unhappy with how the story resolved.
All that said, there are definite highlights here—the book is a fast read with a lot of action and some cute romance scenes, the physical copy of the book is absolutely STUNNING, and the concept/setting is a great one. I also think I’d probably have loved this book when I was a bit younger and reading a lot more YA. All in all, I won’t be shouting about this one from the rooftops, but still recommend giving it a try if the synopsis sounds good to you!
Recommended if you like: YA historical fiction; strong women characters; a hint of fantasy.
CW: Blood/gore/death; body horror/medical content; pregnancy/childbirth; unwanted romantic advances/kissing.
Hazel Sinnett is a teenage noblewoman living in Regency-era Scotland—she also longs to become a surgeon, despite the limitations placed on her by the time in which she lives. When renowned Dr. Beecham agrees to make Hazel his apprentice if she can pass the Royal Physician’s Examination, Hazel enlists the help of “resurrection man” Jack Currer to procure corpses for her studies. But the poor are going missing all over Edinburgh, and things may not be exactly what they seem…
Honestly, this one let me down a bit. The synopsis sounds amazing, but ultimately the book itself felt a bit rushed and I never connected to it the way I hoped. The characters were interesting but not fully fleshed out, and some of the plot points seemed either unrealistic or unnecessary. I won’t spell out some of my biggest issues because of spoilers, but ultimately I was also pretty unhappy with how the story resolved.
All that said, there are definite highlights here—the book is a fast read with a lot of action and some cute romance scenes, the physical copy of the book is absolutely STUNNING, and the concept/setting is a great one. I also think I’d probably have loved this book when I was a bit younger and reading a lot more YA. All in all, I won’t be shouting about this one from the rooftops, but still recommend giving it a try if the synopsis sounds good to you!
Recommended if you like: YA historical fiction; strong women characters; a hint of fantasy.
CW: Blood/gore/death; body horror/medical content; pregnancy/childbirth; unwanted romantic advances/kissing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Gore, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault
marareading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
A gothic, mystery and love story. This has a slower plot, and a wonderful main character. Set in the early 1800's, Hazel wants to be a surgeon. As a woman she isn't allowed to learn or dream of becoming part of this man's profession. She finds her way in, but she has to aquire her own eay to study. Enter Jack, a resurrectionist. He sells bodies to surgeons and doctors for a living and meets Hazel.
On top of this plot which is well worth my interest, there is a mystery happening. The city has strange goings on. Something is off and people are dissappearing.
I loved this. I wish the scenery was more elaborate. However, the characters are great, and I lived the story. The last 1/3 was *chef's kiss*
On top of this plot which is well worth my interest, there is a mystery happening. The city has strange goings on. Something is off and people are dissappearing.
I loved this. I wish the scenery was more elaborate. However, the characters are great, and I lived the story. The last 1/3 was *chef's kiss*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Terminal illness, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Sexism
binreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
I picked this book up because I saw Neil Caiman’s lil review on it. And I was not disappointed.
I wish I could give it a 5 but the beginning was a bit slow. Then the ending was rushed and I felt deserved more time to hash things out. I would LOOOVE a sequel!!!
This was very different. I had no clue when I started reading it took place in the 1800’s which totally made sense for the subject matter.
With all the medical talk, it makes me wanna look up how surgery really began…I wouldn’t be surprised if in real life there was some type of “resurrection men”.
One issue I had is that, it’s called Anatomy: A Love Story but to be honest, there wasn’t enough romance for me!!! Just when I thought we’d get to see more of Jack and Hazel together, it’d go back into Hazel’s work. Which the medical stuff was just the right about if gore by the way. My imagination was running wild with this one. Very descriptive and easy to build the world in your head. I would definitely read again tbh.
I wish I could give it a 5 but the beginning was a bit slow. Then the ending was rushed and I felt deserved more time to hash things out. I would LOOOVE a sequel!!!
This was very different. I had no clue when I started reading it took place in the 1800’s which totally made sense for the subject matter.
With all the medical talk, it makes me wanna look up how surgery really began…I wouldn’t be surprised if in real life there was some type of “resurrection men”.
One issue I had is that, it’s called Anatomy: A Love Story but to be honest, there wasn’t enough romance for me!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Gore, Medical content, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Classism, Murder, Grief, and Incest
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
infjill's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Kidnapping
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