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A review by savvyrosereads
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
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