AUDIO BOOK REVIEW: Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Publication Date: January 18, 2022 Format: Audio Genre:  Historical Fiction, YA  Narrators: Mhairi Morrison, Tim Campbell

Publisher: MacMillan Audio Length: 9 hours 35 min Buy: Kindle | Audio

Synopsis

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books—she’ll need corpses to study.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares—until Hazel.

Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

Review: 

This book cover is everything - I kept seeing it not even knowing what the book was about and knew I had to read it.  I think the title is apt, but is it a love story about two people, a love story of science and anatomy or maybe both? There is so much to this story, class differences, the role of women in society, the expectations of women and so much more.  Its also a bit of a history lesson on doctors and surgeons.  Since in order to study anatomy most people had to rely on stolen corpses. There is definitely a bit of fantasy thrown in there but it was a very well written historical fiction that doesn't pull you too far into the fantasy realm. 

I loved the characters. Hazel is young, opinionated and privileged thinking that just because she wills something it should happen, Jack is a bit older, more world wise as a body thief, with no family doing odd jobs to keep a roof over his head and food in his stomach. He is enamored with Hazel and her exuberance, her skill and her fearlessness. Hazel's mother may be an overlooked character but she is a woman grieving and trying to protect her youngest son and also warn Hazel about the realities of being a woman and trying to direct her down a path of ease. 

The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger so I'm happy a 2nd installment already has a publishing date with another magnificent cover. 

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