An unusual plot, a terrific character in Cora, and excellent writing makes this historical mystery a must read for fans of the genre. Cora is a woman with two hearts, a medical anomaly that also makes her the target of a murderer- and a potential subject of her own grave digging. Whew! There was a major league fascination with those who had physical differences in 1850 (and isn't there still today?). That Cora takes advantage of the bodies of those who like her are unique is not incongruent. I found her work as a resurrectionist fascinating as well. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a very good read.

"Two hearts. Twice as vulnerable.


Manhattan, 1850. Born out of wedlock to a wealthy socialite and a nameless immigrant, Cora Lee can mingle with the rich just as easily as she can slip unnoticed into the slums and graveyards of the city. As the only female resurrectionist in New York, she’s carved out a niche procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens - dissecting and displaying them for the eager public.

Cora’s specialty is not only profitable, it’s a means to keep a finger on the pulse of those searching for her. She’s the girl born with two hearts—a legend among grave robbers and anatomists - sought after as an endangered prize.

Now, as a series of murders unfolds closer and closer to Cora, she can no longer trust those she holds dear, including the young medical student she’s fallen for. Because someone has no intention of waiting for Cora to die a natural death."

This book had me sold at resurrectionist add in the Whovian vibe of two hearts, and it's a must read.

A fascinating piece of historical fiction with its roots in fact, this is the story of the Impossible Girl, Cora Lee. Born out of wedlock to the daughter of a wealthy New York family, fathered by a nameless Chinese sailor, and with two hearts beating in her chest, she disguises herself as her "brother" Jacob, to carry out the dangerous work of a resurrectionist, stealing corpses from cemeteries throughout the city for sale to anatomists, medical schools and even showmen seeking curiosities for display. Fully aware that her own anatomy makes her a prime candidate for such a fate she has spent her entire life concealing it, but despite her best efforts rumors of the girl with two hearts persist and there is soon a bounty on her head. When a series of murders seems to suggest that curiosities are being killed to order, Cora Lee must figure out who is behind it before they find her, and the list of people she can trust with her secret seems to be getting smaller every day.
It is clear that a lot of research went into this book , on both the historical and medical fronts, and this is reflected in the richness of the details within the book, easily one of my favourite things about it. The incorporation of real life historical figures is very well handled, and while the detail is fascinating it never overwhelms the story telling or slows the pace of this dramatic historical thriller. Cora Lee herself is a wonderful character, well developed and brought to life on the page , as a reader it is easy to empathise with her. The book moves along at a good pace, with enough twists and turns to hold the reader's attention to the end , and a satisfying conclusion that fits the story.
I was originally drawn to the book by its gorgeous cover, and then sold by the description, and I can say I was not disappointed, it was a gripping and entertaining book from start to finish.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I liked this book just as much. She has a unique clean writing style that draws you in and just won't let you put the book down. I read this one in 5 hours. Highly recommend.

'So, thirteen-year old Cora had shivered and cried, wondering if her numbed left arm and leg would work again, or her garbled speech would right itself. And they did- only a few hours later. It never happened again, but the incident reminded Cora that her body held dark sway over her existence.'

Cora, birthed three weeks too early in shame to Elizabeth, an unmarried socialite is born with an anomaly, two hearts. When her mother dies giving birth to her, a doctor discovers her extra heartbeat, assured having a chinese father follows all the other pecularities brought to the docks by those ‘foreigners’. Being of mixed blood certainly causes these oddities! Immediately the doctor is hungry to have her for dissection, when she dies of course, because he has no doubt her death will come soon. With the baby, this anatomic jewel, she would be a great gift to medicine, something to dissect and study! He will pay them, it’s obvious they live in poverty and sorely need the funds.

Charlotte herself knows all too well what life is like as a family outcast, cut out of the family for her own ‘sins’. With her cousin Elizabeth passing and the threat of the doctor looming over their heads, she devises a plan to hide the child. One baby girl takes on two lives, as Jacob and Cora Lee, twins. So begins the adventures of Cora, Queen of Resurrectionists, employed by anatomists! Instead of gowns and all that glitters she chases down the dead from funerals to cemeteries to make a pretty penny. Even the poor that often “died in such dreadfully ordinary ways” can line her pockets, but competition can be fierce! It’s the unique bodies with oddities that are in high demand, people like Cora herself. She watches her marks, waiting until death takes them, keeping always to propriety as a lady should, even when dealing with the stink of death.

Before long, such people are dying unnatural causes, disappearing! Cora knows someone is hunting them and the killer may well be on her heels. Worse, she has met a mysterious medical student, Theodore Flint, poaching her business who knows all too well about Cora Lee’s fierce reputation. Disguised as Jacob, Cora and Flint come to an arrangement and everything gets muddled as her feelings for him become more than just business. Running from passion and love is nothing compared to the killer coming to collect a most sought after oddity for his collection, Cora herself.

Containing two hearts makes it that much more fitting that Cora has led a life as two people in order to survive but Flint could unravel the only protection she has, if he discovers her brother doesn’t even exist. The timeline beginning in 1850 with Cora’s birth, was ripe with body snatching for medical studies you can research this and find out the shocking reality. Too, this is a feminist story in the split necessary for Cora to take on the role of Jacob to navigate the rougher side of life. Cora is fiercely intelligent, full of medical knowledge and yet Jacob is the one the invite to the Grand Anatomical Museum is extended to by Theo Flint. In a world where women were less, Cora has risen to legendary status. Her own aunt and mother’s removal from the well to do family because of their pregnancies out-of-wedlock was the norm of such times and yet we see amazing strength and courage in Charlotte taking on the care of her niece. These were mean times if you didn’t have money, which is why as vile as body snatching is, it’s a sink or swim existance and people did what they needed to in order to survive! Bigotry against mixed- blood children, xenophobia, the poor versus the rich, sexism, it’s all here and it’s quite an adventure.

I was engaged to the very end and genuinely feel Cora makes for a fascinating young woman! This is one to add to your TBR pile, I was still guessing how it would all come together and the ending is just right.

Publication Date: September 18, 2018

Lake Union Publishing

I did not want this to be over.
At the same time, I needed it to be over because it was almost 1:30 am and I knew there was no way I was going to sleep without knowing how Cora Lee's story ended.

Cora Lee is born in the time of PT Barnum, when any abnormality from gout, to a tail can land you on display in one of New York's medical theaters.
The doctor who examined Cora on the day of her birth detected two heart beats and started telling stories around the town of the impossible girl born with two hearts. Afraid for her safety her aunt decided to raise Cora as a boy, Jacob.

Cora/Jacob are now successful resurrectionists (Grave robbers), tracking and stealing the bodies of those who have died with an abnormality a buyer would be interested in, all the while keeping an ear to the ground for any rumblings of the girl with two hearts.

I loved these characters, as well as the story line and Lydia Kang's writing style.
From the first page to the last I loved this book.
Originally it was the cover that drew me to this book, the description sounded interesting enough, but the beautiful cover made me want to love this book.

I can not wait for this book to hit the shelves, because I will definitely be picking up a copy.

The wealthy Cutter family of Manhattan will not stand for the shame and embarrassment of heirs born out of wedlock.  
When Elizabeth Cutter finds herself unmarried and pregnant, she's sent away to live with her cousin Charlotte who had also found herself in the same predicament but lost her baby during childbirth.

Elizabeth dies in childbirth but her daughter survives.  When a doctor arrives, he is astonished to find two heartbeats and tells Charlotte and her maid Leah that the girl will not live.

The baby girl named Cora not only survives but thrives under the care of Charlotte, her former partner Alexander, and Leah and becomes the only female resurrectionist in New York.  She scouts fresh burials by day as a lady and then returns at night disguised as a man named Jacob with a small crew of 3-4 men to dig up the body and deliver them to anatomists for payment.  
Cora's specialty is anomalies like vestigal tails or tumors that grow hair/teeth.  She keeps an eye out for patients with obscure or peculiar conditions because these will garner her the highest price if she can deliver them to the medical college for study.

Her job not only pays the bills but also allows her to listen for rumors about the girl born with two hearts that has become legendary in her profession.
When several people with physical anomalies die in a short time span, Cora suspects they're being murdered for profit.  The legend of the girl with two hearts has raised the stakes and now she cannot trust anyone, including her family (those who raised her and those who covered up her existence) or the man she's fallen in love with.

Cora must risk her own life to discover who is behind the murders and prevent them from finding out she is the ultimate prize, the girl with two hearts.

This was an exciting historical fiction novel centered around the true story of grave robbery as a profession.  Medical colleges did indeed secretly pay for bodies so that they could learn more about human anatomy/disease and help future patients.
Cora's story was fast paced and entertaining as everyone became potential suspects with a motive to want her dead.  There was scandal, mystery, suspense, and even a romance (which thankfully didn't overtake the story!)

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

The Impossible Girl caught my eye because the description sounded so unique. I had been scrolling through Netgalley for quite a while, and everything looked so generic. Just as I was about to give up, I stumbled across The Impossible Girl, and it was definitely a lucky find!

The story is set in 1850 in New York City. Twenty-year-old Cora Lee has never had an easy life. Her mother was a wealthy socialite who was disowned from her family for getting pregnant out of wedlock then died giving birth to Cora. Cora is then raised by her aunt who was also abandoned by the family for refusing to conform to their expectations. Orphaned, illegitimate, and biracial, Cora’s life was never destined to be comfortable. But there is another darker secret that hangs over Cora: she was born with two hearts. It was a time when anyone with birth anomalies was outcast or worse – hunted both by medical enthusiasts who wanted to study them and by the gawking public who paid to see any “freaks” both dead and alive. When the doctor who delivered Cora begins telling tales about the girl with two hearts, her aunt does everything she can to protect her. They move away and turn Cora into Jacob, raising her as a boy until puberty in an attempt to throw off the people searching for her.

Twenty years later, Cora is still caught in-between two lives. By day she is Cora and moves on the fringes of genteel society. By night she is Jacob and works as a resurrectionist (someone who steals bodies since back then it was illegal to use corpses for any medical studies, so they had to be procured through grave robbing). Jacob specializes in unusual bodies – anyone with a physical anomaly. This is precarious given her own highly sought-after anomaly, but it allows her to keep track of who might be after her as well as earning a living. But the stakes get even higher when someone starts murdering people with physical anomalies and a bounty is put out for the legendary girl with two hearts. Cora is left fighting for her life and unsure of whom to trust.

The story is fast-paced. I couldn’t put it down and easy read it in a day. I loved the detailed historical setting which was well-researched without being too dry or bogging down the story. Women’s repression is a major theme in the book. There is even a cameo of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first women in America to earn a medical degree. It was also interesting that Cora struggled with her gender identity. After experiencing the freedom and respect offered to her when she is disguised as Jacob, it becomes more and more difficult to behave as Cora. As a woman she has few rights, many restrictions from society, and no way to earn a living. On top of that, she has stigma for being biracial and illegitimate. The Impossible Girl is a story with many layers that I found very engaging although it borders on far-fetched at times.

As a side note: there may be some confusion about what genre to classify this book as. Very minor Spoiler: There are some interludes between the chapters that are told from the perspective of the murder victims. These sections provide background information and slowly hint at who the killer is. They may technically be told from the perspective of “ghosts,” but they don’t have any direct bearing on the rest of the story. They provide information for the reader. I might possibly call this magical realism but that’s stretching things a bit. This is absolutely NOT a fantasy story though! I think people could be misled by the description and go into this with very different expectations. I’d hate for someone to dismiss this book just because of differing expectations. But to reiterate, this is not a fantasy story. There is no magic. The “resurrectionists” really were just grave robbers, not necromancers or anything like that. It’s not like any of the characters see the “ghosts” or are affected by them in any way. It’s Historical Fiction all the way.

The plot hinges on not knowing who to trust which requires that the other characters’ motivations are kept secret from the reader. While that was fine on a plot level, it also meant that I never got to know the other characters very well. Character development was sacrificed in order to maintain the plot twists. This is my only real critique about the story. While the story was certainly engaging and kept me guessing, I also got a bit fatigued with the “who can I trust” betrayals. You can only play that card so many times before it gets repetitive. I wanted to get to know some of the other characters better but wasn’t able to because being in the dark about their motivations was vital to the plot.

Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed The Impossible Girl. It probably won’t make my top five for 2018, but it is safe to say that it will stand out as one of the most original books I’ve read this year. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who likes Historical Mysteries/Thrillers and/or stories with strong female leads. I look forward to reading more by Lydia Kang.

Five fantastic stars. This was amazing. I loved the atmosphere!! Gave me such Edgar Allen Poe vibes. I loved Cora and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Lived up to the beautiful cover.

Cast of Characters

I found Cora an interesting voice from the start - despite the gruesomeness of her chosen vocation she pushes forward the idea of women having a career in a profession that may have been, until then, mostly male, and resisting to just get married and have children as is the norm. The resurrectionists I have always found a fascinating topic, as with the earlier days of medicine, so am always excited to read about it. She seems to have fallen into it because of her aunt, though if she knew she was going to take over the business it might have been easier to just be Jacob all the time! She is intelligent and determined, though sometimes can be a bit arrogant, and dismissive of others, especially Leah, her maid.

As the story wore on there were some instances where the characterization seemed to slip a bit, with Cora making odd decisions or some trains of thought that seemed improbable based on what she’d stated or implied earlier in the story (for instance - quite determinedly not wanting to get married/children, then all of a sudden worried about the unborn child – I get that your sentiment would change, but it seemed to change in the span of a few hours after finding out she was pregnant). This started to irritate me a bit, when some of her decisions and thoughts just felt off, and made me lose my attention slightly near the end.

World Building and Writing Style

There was a lovely and atmospheric setting, described enough to be able to picture it if you’re unfamiliar with the era but not too much of an information dump. You can tell that the author has put a lot of time and effort in researching and bringing the world to life, as well as having a background in medicine herself. The writing style is very easy, I blew through it without too much effort which allows you to be immersed in the story. I always find this more tricky when both setting and style are old fashioned!

Pacing and Plot

The story has very regular pacing, though at some moments I was a bit confused as to how much time actually was passing as some of the moments were minutely drawn out, and then suddenly days or weeks would go by in a paragraph. The plot was engaging and – given historical context – realistic. I didn’t see the reveal coming, I thought the danger was in a different corner. The only turn that felt a bit off was Leah’s plot, as she suddenly seemed a very good actress despite Cora mentioning that she was an uneasy liar! Also there seemed to be some slight convenience near the end in the plot with lo and behold, all the murder weapons right there in the room to find, without much effort!

Evaluation and Enjoyment

This book was an easy and enjoyable read. It was only in the last ¼ of the story that my interest slipped based on the - what felt to me - uncharacteristic behaviour as mentioned earlier, and some convenience of the plot near the end. All in all I think I most enjoyed the setting and atmosphere, which really evoked the feeling of 19th century New York, with the plot holding it all together, and the characters as a bonus. Would recommend if you want to slip back to a time where your body wasn't all that guaranteed to rest in peace!

Despite the fact that this is a slow moving read, my heart was racing (is that a pun)? for every close encounter Cora had— this didn’t need action packed scene to excite me. I loved Cora as our main character. Becoming her fictional twin brother, Jacob, to do the dirty work was really interesting as she comments on the pros and cons of being a man and woman in this 1800’s society. There was some immigration commentary with many nods on how Cora is biracial. She’s half Chinese/half white I believe? And it’s noted often how people see her as exotic and rare; she utilizes it for her work. However, her work was a bit muddled for me, yet as the book went along, something just clicked and the story flowed better. I was genuinely pleased when the revelations were popping up left and right. I guessed… one? Plot twist? But that was it. I didn’t guess anything after that, there was so many threads, some seen, some unseen and my mind was blown. However, the ending did start getting muddled, things were happening left and right and I was starting to get lost. However, this story kept me on my toes.

***Spoilers alert!***

Mid-1800s New York - Oddities - Female resurrectionist.

If these pique your interest, then The Impossible Girl is a must read. It will not disappoint!

Cora Lee, the illegitimate child of a wealthy socialite, is born with two hearts and this makes her a fascinating study subject for both scientists and doctors. Hence, her aunt Charlotte raises her as a boy with the name Jacob. Twenty years later, Cora now works as a female resurrectionist, procuring bodies with peculiar anomalies for museums and medical schools. However, when rumour of the girl born with two hearts resurfaces and her potential "clients" begin to die before their time, Cora suspects someone is burking and has offered a lucrative reward for finding her. Her life is imminent danger and she must find the killer or she may ends up as another specimen behind the glass display.

First of all, look at that beautiful cover! Purple is my favourite colour and so naturally this book caught my attention. Yes, I judge a book by its cover. The illustration is pretty and eye-catching! Kudos to the book cover designer!

The premise of the story is oh so distinctive! The subject of resurrectionists in 1800s is interesting and how much more when it's about a female resurrectionist? Since the setting of the story is around mid-1800s, which was around the time of PT Barnum where oddities were both a fascination and abomination to the society, there were brief mentions of Barnum, Afong Moy, & Jenny Lind, and also Dr. Mutter. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell not only made an appearance in this story, but she was one of the characters in this book. I really loved how Kang blend historical characters with her fictional characters in this story which was cleverly done.

Unique murder mystery with consistent and focused plot. I don't see any plot holes in this story and this made me one happy reader! It was a page-turner right from the beginning. Suspenseful with good story build-up. Kang is a medical doctor herself and she puts that knowledge into her writing which was evidenced in the details of dissection, anatomy, and so forth. Be prepared to read some gory, gross and unappetizing details. It is certainly a well-written book.

Cora is a character that captures my heart. She is strong, sassy, smart but deep down, she is just an ordinary girl who is trying hard to stay alive and not ended up as a specimen. Flint as her love interest in the story is endearing too. Yes, there is a little romance in this story but just enough to give more depth and personalities to the characters. Other supporting characters, especially Dr. Blackwell is likeable. I think the characters in this story are well-developed. They are delineated slowly and indirectly throughout the book which helps readers to connect with the characters in a deeper sense. Victims were given voices too. There were very short chapters (sort of like ephemera) about the victims, expressing their thoughts, feelings and emotions in their dying moments. I find this intriguing!

This is certainly a well-researched book - from the medical details to historical aspects. I learnt a new word - burking! It was coined from the Burke and Hare murders .

I enjoyed this historical fiction immensely! The blend of fact and fiction were both educational and entertaining. A book that motivates me to research more and do some further reading is definitely a keeper. Distinctive and intriguing plot with the perfect balance of plot and characters made The Impossible Girl an impossible book to put down.

***I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

I was intrigued by this title as soon as I saw that cover and read the blurb. I have a weak spot for historical fiction, and the promise of a 1850 setting combined with something a whole lot more sinister (grave robbing) and something fascinating (medical anomalies) sounded too good to be true. But this is exactly what The Impossible Girl delivers, and in a very solid way as well. Between the writing and descriptions it feels as if you were back in 1850 New York along with the main characters, and that is always a great sign of a well developed historical setting. But it is not the setting alone that catches the eye. The main spotlight is for the main character Cora, who is absolutely fascinating. Not only was she born with two hearts, she is also a female resurrectionist in an environment and time not kind to women. Both romance and the mystery of the suspicious deaths are well woven into a plot that will manage to keep your attention. There are also a few twists that will most likely manage to surprise you! It shows that Lydia Kang has medical knowledge, and it was interesting to learn a little more about the different medical anomalies. I also appreciated that while the romance was there, it wasn't the main focus of the story and therefore didn't disturb the balance of a very interesting plot. All in all a highly entertaining and slightly disturbing read... Perfect for fans of historical mystery reads with a hint of paranormal! Cora is a character you won't forget soon.

If you are looking for something different to read, don't mind disturbing the dead and enjoy a well developed historical setting and a strong main character, The Impossible Girl is just the book for you. The perfect balance of a strong historical setting, a dose of creepy, a mystery, some violence and romance makes this story work like a charm. It was interesting to see the story and the characters evolve and I had a great time reading this one.

I really enjoyed A Beautiful Poison and couldn't wait to start The Impossible Girl. Kang is wonderful at drawing out a good mystery and her bits of medical knowledge always add an element of interest. The setting and timeline of this story was great - I never knew about the resurectionists of this time period. I'd heard of the drama around Barnum's museum but wasn't aware there were more like it in the same city at the same time. I liked all of the characters in the book as well. I only wish more were fleshed out. There were a couple of big moments in the book, between characters, that seemed glossed over. It took me out of the story more than once. Even though this wasn't my favorite, I will still look forward to Kang's books. I'm still a fan.

At first I thought this book might be some sort of fan fiction - Impossible Girl and a person with two hearts, as a Doctor Who fan would think - as I’ve never read anything by Lydia Kang. All that has changed now, though. The Impossible Girl is a story about a medical improbability. Cora/Jacob is a girl who supposedly has two hearts. A medical anomaly that must be hidden at all cost to save Cora’s life.

Set in the 1800s when grave robbing was a real and lucrative profession, Cora has been raised knowing there would be a price on her head if anyone knew the truth about her. The novel begins at Cora’s birth and let’s us on that Cora will be raised as Jacob for as long as possible. We pick up later in the story when Cora and Jacob are now “siblings” in Manhattan.

I was mesmerized by this book. Lydia Kang has a real gift for scooping up your attention and holding it captive. Being a practicing doctor, there is an element of realism to all the gory and gooey details of grave robbing and 19th century medicine. You can definitely tell that she’s done her homework. While a bit crazy to think that Cora can get away with pretending to be a man of slight stature, I never had a doubt that Jacob was able to pull it off.

There were twists that were unexpected as well. A little bit of romance and a lot of terror for Cora. Good people going bad and bad people who were still unsavory but not villains. The details of the gritty, grimy world versus the upper echelon of Manhattan at this time were vivid. A patois known as “flash” is used quite liberally in the book, with translations. This apparently was the language of the criminals back in the day. It’s much easier to believe that Jacob is one of the crowd because of his ability to speak this dialect of the corrupt.

The Impossible Girl is a fun and fascinating read that I would strongly recommend. Having enjoyed this book so much, I intend to add all Kang’s books (including the YA novels) to my “want to read” list.

I was surprised by this book. I tend to stay away from historical fiction as it's not my cup of tea, but this book has a premise that after reading the synopsis I couldn't resist.
It's very easy to read and it offers a captivating story. I enjoyed how well the characters were written, and I especially enjoyed the story. The book gave me the impression that it was well-researched and planned to the smallest of details, as everything was coming together plot-wise. I do have a bit of an issue with the writing: the pacing made a huge turn mid book, and I feel like there were some paragraphs that weren't crucial to the story, and they took away from my overall impression of it. But I do believe that fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book.

I’m a huge fan of historical mysteries, especially one’s involving the early days of anatomy and the grave robbing that accompanied it, so it’s no surprise I enjoyed this one. While I thought Cora was smart and feisty and I really enjoyed seeing her show up the boys some of her choices and decisions didn’t quite fit with the how I thought Kang had set up her personality and seemed out of character or excessively aggressive for that time period. Flint was an interesting addition to the cast of characters but I never really felt like I understood him. I’m still a little confused about some of his plot in the story. I have mixed feelings about the rest of the characters, some I loved and wanted more of and some I was glad to see go! No one really seemed to be who they first appeared to be and I enjoyed those twists through out the book, I love it when characters surprise me.

I really enjoyed the details from the anatomists and Cora about the cases she brought in but I really wanted more of the medical side of the story than I ended up getting. The cases and decedents all sounded so interesting. I had hoped the story would follow them past the grave but it didn’t really. I did enjoy the small chapters from the decedent’s point of view, it helped break up the story and allowed me to connect more with those characters, it also added a slightly spooky aspect to the story which I thought helped the plot.

The ending packed a lot into a short period of time and while I thought Cora’s solution was incredibly creepy I feel like ending was a whirlwind that left me saying “what just happened”.

Fantastic read. Very cool Victorian storyline about a girl moonlighting as a body snatcher for cash under the guise of being her "brother" while things begin to get serious when those who desire unique bodies start believing a double hearted girl lives. There's so much more to this book, but you really need to read it yourself and find out the hard way like I did! Utterly loved this book.

"A heart doesn't have to stop beating to be dead." (Unknown)

Lydia Kang invites us into a small, ramshackled house on Long Island. It's January of 1830 and the frigid winter winds almost forecast the future existence of the tiny child born this day. Her mother is of the high societal name of Cutter.........cast out by her own family in shame. Her father is unknown. But rumors avail themselves to perhaps an Asian man working on the docks. The time period's ill-fated child will present herself with dual cultures and something that will transcend all cultures.........born with dual hearts.

September of 1850 finds this strange child grown into a young woman living in New York City. The unsuspecting brownstone in which she resides provides a refuge for Cora and her maid, Leah, who keeps a watchful eye on her. 1850 is a time of a wide-spreading cholera epidemic in the city in which anatomy professors and anatomical museums will pay a mighty price for specimens. Prevention of these diseases is at the core of dead body procurement. However, what brings in a higher bounty are those bodies that bear anatomical abnormalities. Those bodies usually are earmarked for the Grand Anatomical Museum and are in high demand.

Time, place, and circumstance present themselves ideally for a new line of work for Cora as a resurrectionist. Since it is highly unusual for a woman to be successful in that most dastardly of professions, Cora dresses in the costume of a male at night ........her "twin brother" now known as Jacob. Once again, duality is front row and center in this novel. But Cora becomes suspicious when these newly procured bodies seem to have been victims of murder instead. Will the highly guarded secret of her unusual internal organs place her in dire straights as well?

Lydia Kang is known for her creative and high interest storylines. I would suggest that you check out Beauitful Poison by this author as well. Her Author's Notes at the end of the novel are filled with tidbits of actual historical situations dealing with resurrectionists of the time period. As always, Kang has done her homework and it's apparent in the presentation of The Impossible Girl. She even includes Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman physician, in a particularly interesting thread. The Impossible Girl may just open the door on a future story involving the most unusual Cora Cutter. Hope you're hearing that loud and clear, Lydia Kang.

I received a copy of The Impossible Girl through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishers and to the talented Lydia Kang for the opportunity.

I am very happy I was able to read this book. At first, it was a little tricky for me to get into, but it quickly picks up and is a feisty, dark adventure that places you in the period and challenges the roles women played during that era. It is intriguing for those interested in the macabre, and want to see a strong, intelligent female character defy the odds and run her (morbid) business on her own terms, all while carefully guarding the secret of her unique anatomy that if let out, could place her on the dangerous receiving end of a hunt.