Anatomy: A Love Story is a story carved straight out of the darkest corners of 1800s Scotland. If you enjoyed The Corpse Queen by Heather Herrman, then believe me when I say you’ll love this one. We follow mostly the perspective of Hazel, a girl who wishes to be a surgeon in a world where the wishes of women are often denied. We also get to see a little bit from Jack’s perspective, who’s a resurrection man and also works in a theater.

Let’s begin this chaotic review at the end, shall we? It always irks me in these sorts of novels when the ending is unrealistic. Why should there be a subtle Chosen One trope where all historical accuracies bow at the feet of our Quirky Main Character! I mean, I feel like if the author spends hours and hours and has 120 tabs open for researching and portraying history accurately, the fates of the characters should make sense, no? Luckily, Anatomy didn’t fall into this trap. The entirety of the book is spent discussing the pressures and limitations women faced in 1800s Scotland. Hazel and Jack have a complex relationship and have complex character arcs. And that’s honestly what I loved most about this story: the ending fell perfectly within the boundaries it had already established. Sure, there’s a slight dash of fantastical happenings which weren’t present in most of the book. But the last few pages were so beautifully written, I truly believe that there is not an ending out there more perfect than what Anatomy already has.

I’m a little befuddled as to why Anatomy is pitched as a love story. It’s in the description and the sub-heading. But the romance isn’t a big focus in this story. In fact, it’s not even until the end that we as readers truly feel the weight of what Jack and Hazel feel for each other. Up until this point, it’s more a story of surgeon dreams and stolen kisses. I’ve read thriller books where romance is more prevalent. Although, that’s more a knock to said thrillers than this book because Anatomy has the perfect balance of romance and plot. It’s a shame the expectations are pitched differently though.

All of this being said, the atmosphere of 1800s Scotland was wonderful! I fell into this book every time I opened up my Kindle since it’s so easy to be immersed. The author did a great job at portraying this time period and showing every gilded, high-society edge, while never shying away from the darker parts of the world where Hazel and Jack live in. The friendships in this book are also so well-written and wholesome.

Now unfortunately, I do have a few issues. For example, Hazel and Jack never felt like real people to me. It wasn’t just that Hazel had more pagetime than Jack, it was that I could barely tell if we were even in Jack’s perspective half the time. I feel like each character had a couple of main goals, and every thought they had tied to said goals. Therefore, I never felt like the characters themselves really came alive off of the page.

I’m going to be honest here: it was hard reading this so soon after The Corpse Queen, mostly because they share so many elements and it definitely altered my expectations. Anatomy is a little less gothic than I would have hoped. The mystery is barely a mystery, it’s more or less a conversation about some strange happenings every couple of chapters. That doesn’t make Anatomy a bad book exactly. It just makes it a book that I wish I had different expectations going into.

Sometimes, I’d see sparks of writing genius. That ending that I can’t seem to shut up about? An absolutely brilliant piece of writing. Other times, this book felt so incredibly juvenile. We’d gloss over important details because apparently everything fell right into place for Hazel but then some random thing would come up that we’d spend more time on. I think this story was unsure if it wanted to be a romance, a mystery, a gothic historical novel, or a coming-of-age narrative. The romance was paced perfectly, but there wasn’t enough of it to be considered underneath the category of “love story”. I have no idea what I would even categorize this one as because the only genre it ever fully leans into is historical.

So that’s it! There were some highs and some lows to this book for sure but I think overall it’s a solid 3 stars for me. It’ll definitely appeal to so many people but I think my expectations were just too wrong for this one.

This is my first novel of Dana's but I am familiar with her online presence. The outstanding cover had caught my eye but I didn't request the title until after I had read another gothic romance and decided I needed more stolen glances over surgeries. The romance isn't nearly as large a presence as I was expecting but I did enjoy the story, and I loved how gross it got. I will definitely be recommending this to customers. As a YA book, it will stand out next to its peers in content as well as visuals.

This didn't hold my attention as much as I had hoped / thought it would. I was slightly intrigued by the story and I definitely like books with a lead who doesn't follow the standards of the times and this had that, but it was very slow-paced and I just wasn't connecting with it as much as I had hoped.

I love this cover, it's perfect for the story and that's what initially attracted me to it!

Thank you for the early copy.

It’s 1817 and Hazel Sinnet dreams of becoming a surgeon. She’s determined to prove her worth by passing the medical examination, but will never be able without specimens to study. Enter Jack Currer, a resurrection man- someone who digs up cadavers for use by local anatomists and doctors- who meets Hazel in a chance encounter and strikes a deal to help her achieve her goals.

Between Hazel’s brain, Jack’s heart, and the sparks flying between them, it seems things just might turn out. But something sinister lurks on the streets of Edinburgh- a deadly plague is returning and the city’s most vulnerable are disappearing. Hazel believes firmly in science, but when man pushes science to its limit, the results can be pure horror.

This book sounded like it was made for me. As a lover of historical fiction and atmospheric horror currently working on an academic project surrounding a surgeon contemporary to the story, what else could I ask for?

For the most part, this story delivered. Hazel and Jack are both likeable and Hazel especially walks a difficult line. It’s easy to write a driven, intelligent heroine like her in a way that feels cliche or judgmental, and Hazel steers clear of both traps. Her friendship with Iona especially gives her humanity and subverts the trope of a girl who’s ‘not like other girls’ putting down her peers.

Her family dynamic is also well realized and the side characters are interesting and well used. The plot is engaging and twisty, though I could have done without the epilogue and with a slightly more satisfying wrap up of one of the main storylines (no spoilers here). On the whole, a romantic, spooky historical story that crosses genre in an engaging and fun way. Highly recommended!

My only big complaint is nit picky and has to do with my background in costuming. A lot of the historical details are done so well, so the mishandling of Hazel’s clothes is baffling. I actually thought the story took place much later for a while because the author kept mentioning layers of crinolines, conical skirts, and corsets nipping in waists. The 1810s-20s are such a cool time for fashion and the classical inspiration behind the era’s silhouettes would actually tie nicely to Hazel’s personality. It would be so easy to convey Hazel’s discomfort with formal dress with the correct references and I only comment because I really liked this book and I wish I hadn’t gotten so confused about the era based on such easily corrected details.

Thanks for NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Dana Schwartz, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Anatomy: A Love Story. This book releases on January 18th!

I have been a huge fan of Dana Schwartz’s podcast Noble Blood for a while now. So I jumped at the chance to scoop this title up the minute I saw it on NetGalley.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Our protagonist is Hazel Sinnett is excentric, resourceful and independent. She rejects most aspects of the rich high society she is growing up in. Much to the chagrin of her mother, her emotionally distant mother. That compliments Hazel’s physically distant father. Hazel wants to be a surgeon and I loved the drive she had towards making her dream a reality. There are two men in Hazel’s life, Bernard and Jack. Bernard is a childhood friend, who she has been set up to marry basically since birth. Hazel herself describes him as “nice enough.” Jack is a lot more of an exciting character, he is a resurrection man, exhuming the bodies of criminals and selling them to medical students for money. I liked him but I didn’t love him. It felt unrealistic who quickly he would flip flop on who he had romantic feelings towards. I also feel like we did not know him as well as we knew Hazel.
Setting: The story’s setting is nineteenth-century Scotland, Edinburgh specifically. The setting is very Bridgerton-esque. Staples of the time are in play such as going down to London for the season. With this setting it brings the limited amount of medical knowledge we did know. Much as I expected Dana Schwartz’s work is well researched. There are passages on the medicine of the time and they are really interesting. The medicinal and setting elements were the strongest aspect of this book.
Pacing: This YA novel is alright when it comes to pacing. The short and quippy chapters are helpful. The vocabulary and writing are sharp. The language is vivid. The issue with the pacing for me was that it took me a long time to get into the story. Once I was in, I had to put a bit of effort in to keep reading the story. Some things in the book felt rushed while other things dragged.
Romance: I did not buy into the romance in this story. Hazel and Jack had a very insta-love style to their relationship. Jack loved one girl one day and was head over heels with Hazel the next. Hazel kept stringing her betrothed Bernard along. I get why she did, but I was not much of a fan of it. A love story is in the title, so I just wished the romance elements of this book were stronger. I did like their first kiss a lot, I will not spoil it for you but it was a unique setting that made for a unique scene.

I’m not normally a big fan of YA, or romance for that matter, but man did I love Anatomy: A Love Story. Set in the very early 1800s in Scotland, Hazel has her heart set on becoming a doctor. The problem is that she’s female. Hazel uses her recently deceased brother’s clothing to disguise herself as a male and enroll in school to become a physician. When she is discovered and removed from the program, she takes matters into her own hands practicing on dead bodies with help from a resurrectionist named Jack.

Despite being engaged to her cousin (ew, I know) Hazel and Jack fall in love. Grave robbers and the poor alike are going missing and found dead or near-death, missing limbs, organs and extremities. When Hazel’s corpse studies are cut short she opens up a hospital for the poor. She discovers the truth, but it seems it’s too late.

I loved this story. Slightly gothic and more historical fiction, this definitely gave me Frankenstein vibes. It was beautifully written and I’m hoping there’s a sequel! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy. Anatomy: A Love Story is expected to release in January of 2022.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Anatomy: A Love Story is one of those books that was very easy to devour. There was just something about this mysterious gothic book that kept the pages flying. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Hazel was a wonderful character throughout the book. She has dreams of becoming a surgeon one day and honestly - I was here for it all.

The reason why is because in this time, women don't really have dreams. Or maybe they just can't afford to dream. They are mostly supposed to be an object to be put on a shelf by their darling husband. A baby making machine as well. Which is something that Hazel has zero desire to do at the moment. Well, it is on the backburner for now.

Now her cousin was a little turd-ball and I didn't like him one bit. I hated how Hazel has to repeat herself over and over again too. Then there's Jack, who I absolutely adored. He was in a shitty situation but together they were amazing. The chemistry and tension between them were addicting. Or maybe I'm just being a tad bias.

In the end, I'm not exactly sure of what to think of that ending. It was definitely bittersweet but I'm also just kind of sitting here thinking about all the what ifs. Definitely happy that I got the chance to jump into this beautiful book and I can't wait for the next book by Dana.

I love Dana Schwartz! Choose Your Own Disaster is one of my favorite memoirs, and I love to read anything she writes online or elsewhere. I didn't think this would be my style (as this genre is not my favorite), but luckily her brilliance shone through despite that!

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to really get in to the story, but once I did it was very unique. I also loved that there was a twist at the end that I was not expecting!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books.

This book is so wonderfully atmospheric and creepy! My kind of romance! I loved Hazel and Jack so much!

Hazels struggles to become a surgeon felt so real to me even in 2021.

Well who doesn't love historical fiction meets young adult. Especially when its setting is early 1800's Edinburgh. Hazel and Jack meet under the strangest circumstances and yet find a common goal between the two of them that will help them both survive in a world where society doesn't want them to.
Dana Schwartz tells such an interesting story and brings to life characters that you can't help but fall in love with. I couldn't put this book down and I can't recommend it enough.

I'm discovering that I really like stories about grave robbers in the 1800s. It's an odd niche, but I find it exciting and creepy. It's also something that sort of still happens today, though it's more sophisticated than getting bodies out of cemeteries. The fact that these stories are fiction but have a real history makes them interesting and gives the story a fun vibe.

Hazel is a girl ahead of her time. She longs to be a surgeon, but women aren't even allowed to take medical classes. I admired how much she fought to learn and pushed back against the patriarchy. Hazel doesn't care how others perceive her and helps so many people even if it's against the law. Jack is a resurrection man, selling bodies to get by. He's a good guy trapped in a bad situation and I was happy when he met Hazel. They had a sweet romance and seeing Jack happy at last made me a bit teary.

This is well paced and I was able to read it in a day. I liked the romance between Hazel and Jack and also that it didn't consume the story. I was hoping that the characters would investigate the strange deaths sooner and there wasn't very much action until the end. I wasn't really surprised by the reveal but it was interesting and I would have liked to explore it a bit more. The ending is also pretty open which isn't my favorite, but it's hopeful and that's all I really need.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Big fan of Dana Schwartz and her podcasts, so I was thrilled to get to read this one early. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the early copy for review.

First of all, HUGE props to the cover design team/artist. This is one of the coolest covers I've seen in a while and was definitely something that made me request the book in the first place.

I went into this book pretty blind, but the gothic setting/themes jumped out right away. It's such a unique concept that worked really well in the darker, historical timeline. From the title, I did expect there to be more of a romance. Although there's a romantic plotline, it doesn't really start until 50% of the way through the book, but as it was, I felt like the romance took a backset to some of the other plot threads. There were quite a few things to keep track of - the romantic arc, the feminist undertones, the mystery element and more than once I found myself wanting either more story, so I could sit back and enjoy what I was reading, or less plot.

I loved Hazel's character however - she was smart and passionate and willing to break rules to get what she wanted. She comes from a wealthy family, and dreams of being a surgeon - something she's actually quiet good at. I love when characters let their knowledge shine and Hazel (and Schwartz) clearly know a lot about anatomy and surgery. This coupled with her weird morbidity made her a refreshing and fascinating character.

The ending was fairly standard except for a few revelations that felt like they came out of nowhere. If there is a sequel, I think that Schwartz has lots of material to work.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with the characters of the novel. I really wanted to like it, because the premise sounded so interesting. It reminded me a little of Stalking Jack the Ripper. It just didn’t fulfill me as a reader, not keep me interested.

“Resurrection men were supposed to disappear in the sunlight, the vampires who fed the medical students of the city.”

Oh my goodness this book was so good! To be honest…the cover is what caught my attention and after reading the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. I am so glad I did! I loved it! The setting was perfect and definitely gave the book a bit of a spooky feel. The story is interesting and keep you invested and I honestly did not see the book ending the way it did! I loved the main characters, Hazel and Jack. Hazel is independent and doesn’t give up on her dreams and I love that about her. Her friendship with Jack starts out as more of a convince but turns into something more. I liked how the romance wasn’t rushed and it was so not insta-love…which tends to happen a lot in YA books. So it was very nice to read a book that had a love story that wasn’t so focused on how much the main characters love each other.
My only complaint is that there were times that the story felt a little disjointed. Not enough to take away from enjoying and loving the book. Other than that I so enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

*I received a advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

is there anything dana schwartz can’t do??? from her podcasts noble blood and haileywood (and her guest appearances on you’re wrong about), her delightful twitter presence (she’s behind the accounts @carriebroshaw, @dystopianYA and @GuyInYourMFA), and her other writing (a former entertainment weekly correspondent and a staff writer on the upcoming mcu disney+ show she-hulk), schwartz has lowkey permeated my media diet for years. and now she has a delightful genre meld on her hands with anatomy: a love story. it’s a banger! and i honestly don’t expect anything less from her.

I'm a big fan of Dana Schwartz's writing, especially her podcast, so it's no surprise I enjoyed this book. The only quibble I have with the book is -- not surprisingly -- the love story. I know it's a staple of the genre, but it felt kind of shoehorned in.

The ending, however. Ooof.

Absolutely delightful! I loved Anatomy: A Love Story. This story has it all- characters you'll root for, a love story, mystery, and a bit of supernatural thrown in. I loved the historical setting and found it difficult to put this book down.

I wanted to love Anatomy so much but unfortunately it fell flat for me. The writing was great but i don't think i was in the proper head space for the book

Anatomy: A Love Story is a gothic, historical romance with a Frankenstein-esque twist. Hazel wants nothing more than to become a surgeon, but in 19th century Scotland, that wasn’t really an easy option for a women. So she makes a deal with the surgical instructor at the university, if she can pass the exam and get her surgical license, he will open up the course to women and allow her to follow her dreams. Hazel is more than capable of learning the basics in her anatomy books, but to pass the test she’ll need practical experience as well- they type of experience that she can only get through dissection. So Hazel is force to hire Jack, a resurrection man, in order to get corpses to examine.

I really enjoyed this gothic YA romance. It was interesting, paced well, and just creepy enough. Also, can we talk about how gorgeous the cover is?!?!? I’m obsessed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review!