Anatomy

Anatomy: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology #1)

Dana Schwartz

YA/Fantasy

Pub: January 18, 2022

338 Pages

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hazel Sinnett is a lady of society.  Being a surgeon in not in the cards for her, no matter how much she wishes to have such a profession, in Edinburgh 1817.  Jack Currer is a resurrection man who is just trying to make enough money to survive.  Being poor is dangerous and often leads to an early death.  Their paths cross unexpectedly.

After Hazel is discovered as a girl in a class for surgeons and is promptly removed, Hazel convinces Dr. Beecham, a world renowned surgeon, to let her continue with lectures as long as she is able to pass the medical examination without any outside help.  This would be impossible without having a body study, but Hazel knows just the guy to help her.

After digging up multiple bodies and finding mysterious activities at the grave site, Hazel and Jack are determined to find the truth about what is going on.  Jack's friends are mysteriously disappearing and medicine is not was it seems. 

What I Enjoyed

This gothic novel is full of mystery that will keep you engaged until the very end.  The plot is very forward moving and the twists will have you on the edge of your seat.  Jack's charm and sincerity combined with Hazel's wit and determination with have you rooting for them the entire story.  

I also loved that the romance was not the main driving force for Hazel, in fact it was a very small part of her overall story. The surgery element of this novel was done very well.  The challenges that Hazel faces as a woman in STEM can still resonate today.  As someone who also works in surgery as a living, I was fascinated by the stigma around surgeons in the 1800s.  They are not respected as medical doctors and certainly not a profession for a young lady of Hazel Sinnett's position. 

What Could Have Been Better
The love story seemed to happen overnight.  While I agree with the pairing of Jack and Hazel, I thought it needed to be fleshed out a little better.  The mystery and back story of the novel were done so well and so easily digestible, that this element seemed very rushed.  This is one of the few novels that I would not have minded an extra 100-150 pages.

Final Recommendation
This Young Adult Novel is perfect for just about anyone.  It's gothic mystery setting is the backdrop for a young woman trying to find her own path in the world.  I recommend reading this book around Halloween right when the weather starts to become crisp.  You won't want to wait, as the sequel will be coming out at the end of this month!