Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thought I’d love this book, and it missed that particular mark just a hair but I did really enjoy it. The premise of a young man pursuing a career in science who ends up joining a body snatching scheme is delicious, to me. The descriptions were great and I loved the atmosphere; the characters, especially James and Nye, felt realized. I think there’s a handful of anachronisms, which are forgivable, and I thought the romance felt like it developed naturally. I will say that my attention started to wane at some point in the second half of the novel and I didn’t feel as engaged as I had at first. I think overall I just wanted something a little more, and while it’s definitely fun, I just don’t know if it lived up to the standards that I had based on the synopsis.

An atomospheric and fictional tale that delves into the orgins of modern medicine. Body snatching, organ harvesting, and hands-on anatomy lessons - what else could an aspiring physician wish for? And a little forbidden romance on the side? Yes, please!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having heard different podcasts and things about body snatchers and this was an interesting and entertaining account to teach more about this era!

Genre-blends are everywhere these days, but The Resurrectionist is so successful at combining historical fiction, romance, and mystery. The book almost feels like it shifts from genre-to-genre the further you get in, but it's done seamlessly, and suddenly you find yourself in a queer romance, and then suddenly the tension is ratcheted up. Despite the more gruesome (though fascinating) body snatcher/dissection content, this is a surprisingly charming read.

The Resurrectionist had all the ingredients for a five-star dark academia banger—gritty Edinburgh setting, forbidden science, queer tension, and that deliciously morbid body-snatching vibe—but something about the execution didn’t totally hook me. It’s got major atmosphere, and I wanted to be obsessed with it, but the pacing felt uneven and I struggled to connect with the characters beyond surface-level intrigue. It gave me The Alienist meets A Dowry of Blood energy, just not as emotionally gripping. If you’re into morally gray med students and a touch of gothic gore, it’s worth checking out, but for me it was more “glad I read it” than “can’t stop thinking about it.”

I loved this!!!
I was smiling pretty much the whole time I read this
I absolutely adored Aneurin and James’ relationship
Their banter was everything

I guess for me to really enjoy a romance I need queer body snatchers in 19th century Scotland with a side of serial killers

Marketing The Resurrectionist as a thriller or horror really does a disservice to the story. In actuality, it's historical fiction set in the dark of 19th-century Edinburgh and illuminated by a queer love story.

The storyline is very character-driven as James comes into his own and as his relationship with Aneurin develops.

Historical details and context concerning the time, place and grave robbing serve as the foundation for much of the story, which even includes an appearance by the infamous murders Burke and Hare.

It's truly lush, bloody and beautiful.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my review.

Wow what a wild ride! The characters were super deep, and the plot kept me hooked the whole time. I loved the gothic vibes and how it set the scene for the medical school and all the creepy stuff like autopsies and grave robbing. It really brought that time period to life.

A truly amazing historical fiction book that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and wondering how the mystery would be resolved. The characters had so much depth and there was so much character development, and the plot was so well written, while based around a true story, it was a unique take on that part of history. I loved the gothic descriptions and vibes that were described throughout the book, and it really set the scene and tone for the medical school, science, autopsies, and grave robbing, and set the stage for that time period so well.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing, A. Rae Dunlap, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

This novel is beautiful, haunting, gory—and gay as hell. I loved every second of it.

The story follows James, a medical student in 19th-century Scotland, determined to leave behind a life of privilege in pursuit of something meaningful. But when his family suffers a financial disaster, James suddenly finds himself in desperate need of a way to pay for tuition and boarding.

Enter Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon.

A self-proclaimed resurrectionist—or body snatcher—Nye and his crew dig up fresh corpses from graveyards to sell for medical study at a private university. At first, James is appalled by the practice. But soon, he becomes addicted to the thrill of the snatch—and to Nye himself.

This book is a love letter to science, a celebration of queer joy, and a treat for true crime fans with its nods to historical events. I wholeheartedly recommend it. But reader beware—this is not for the faint of heart. The dissection scenes don’t shy away from the grisly details, and you’ll get up close and personal with every bit of it.

I can see why this one was pointed towards readers of M. L. Rio… but I feel like that’s not quite, right is it?

I felt the similarities, I did, but I feel like where IWWV chose to not push the envelope for certain things… The Resurrectionist kind of threw those things to the wind and said ‘fuck it, we got bigger fish to fry.’ NOT A BAD THING BY ANY MEANS! Just.. I don’t know, to be honest…
For example (This is kind of spoilery so I’ll be vague): In IWWV, our boys didn’t get together. There was longing, yearning for one another. But in the end it was left to the reader to imagine them together. What their relationship would have been if they had crossed that barrier. In The Resurrectionist they crossed that barrier and you got to see into their life spent together.

You would think I would have preferred the happy ending with The Resurrectionist, right? But… I’m conflicted. It feels like I read this too late in my life. Like, had I read this in the same year as IWWV I would have SLURPED that shit up. I was longing for something to fix the hole IWWV had created and this would have patched me right on up for sure.

But now that I’ve had time to heal, grow… learn that the world can be harsh and you don’t always get what you want… This one fell a little flat. Had I gone into this NOT thinking of IWWV then maybe I wouldn’t feel that way.

Go into this with no comparisons. It was a great book standing on its own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars

It was really good! Personally? I just feel I needed a bit more of a struggle between the blooming relationship. That’s a personal opinion, but it’s my honest opinion.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing, the Author, and NetGalley for the Digital ARC. This book is ALREADY OUT!!! Go check it out for yourself and see what you think!

This book was an interesting read. Has some of the same elements as Anatomy: A Love Story. This dark academia genre is something I have recently begun to explore. If you like historical fiction and horror, then this is a great option for your next read. I will be scheduling this read for our October book club. I think it is a great start to the darker months.

While this book was good, the story line often felt as though it was moving too slowly. I found myself putting it down more often than I would like.

DNF at 52%…
I really wanted a YAgothic historical fiction but ended up reading a cute YA romance 😩

Prose was stunning but just not what I signed up for.

A well executed gothic historical fiction - the romance reads more as a subplot, and this is in no way a negative. As someone who grew up with a health dose of curiosity and a great deal of disturbance in regards to the various sordid histories of all things pertaining to the medical field, this book, while not a favorite, is an enjoyable read.

Interesting idea, decent story. I didn't feel like anything particularly stood out. Overall ok read.

This was a truly captivating and beautifully written historical mystery. It was morbid and interspersed with dark humor. The romantic subplot was very enjoyable, and the overall story was intriguing. I loved the setting along with the entertaining cast of characters.

This wasn't the first book I've read that brought up the infamous Hare and Burke, but this one did go into more detail. It really piqued my interest. I might end up going down that rabbit hole soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A recommended read! A combination of the gothic, history, dark academia and mystery with elements of queer fiction. This is a perfect read for fans of Robert Louis Stephenson’s ‘The Body Snatchers’ and novels including The Alienist and The Lieberman Papers where readers will enjoy this dark exploration of Victorian era medicine and queer fiction.

In The Resurrectionist, Dunlap has crafted a compelling gothic atmosphere that portrays the eerie 19th-century Edinburgh and the illegal practices of body-snatching. Dunlap provides thorough depictions of medical practices and the 19th century Edinburgh when scientific curiosity often clashed with the societal and religious norms of the time. It is pleasing to see character development from a naive aristocrat to a morally conflicted surgeon contrasted with secondary character Nye’s charm and recklessness adds depth to their relationship. The inclusion of a queer romance between the protagonists is wonderful to see and crafted with sensitivity.

The Resurrectionist explores the ethical dilemmas during a historical time of medical advancement and societal prejudice. These themes combine with personal transformations and queer elements of the novel. The inclusion of the infamous figures of Burke and Hare add menace and tension to the plot as the illegal cadaver market of 19th century Edinburgh escalates dangerously.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this sweet little macabre tale. I greatly enjoyed the use of more flowery, historical language because it made the novel feel more true to the time period. I also adored the characters and found the romance between Nye and James to be adorable! James was an excellent main character who I was cheering on the whole way. I really liked that the author explained in the author's notes which parts of the novel were based in history, and which were embellishments. It was interesting to see how much of the novel was based in history.

I found the ending to feel a bit rushed and not quite as satisfying as I would hope for. But the rest of the story made up for that for sure. :)

I had high hopes for this book, and while I did enjoy parts of it, I found it a bit of a struggle overall. The concept really grabbed my attention—exploring the intersection of queerness and body snatching felt unique and full of potential. I liked how the story touched on class and social dynamics without being heavy-handed. However, I would’ve liked to see a little more introspection or conversation around identity, as it sometimes felt like the story sidestepped deeper emotional moments.

The characters were almost there but didn’t fully click for me. They weren’t bland, but they leaned into familiar archetypes, and none really surprised me. James himself had some decent character growth, but the trajectory felt predictable.

What really made this book tough for me, though, was the writing and plotting. It’s not that they were *bad*, but they just didn’t work for me. The writing style felt overly eager, almost trying too hard to be clever. There were so many italicized phrases and elaborate turns of speech that it became distracting. I understand the choice, given the character’s background, but it felt excessive.

Another issue for me was the plot’s simplicity. It felt very YA—obstacles would pop up and get resolved almost immediately, with no lingering tension. Even a supposedly major plot point introduced late in the book was handled quickly and neatly. The book leaned more toward cozy than thrilling, with only brief flashes of real danger or intensity.

I think many readers might find this style to bring a lot to tbe story, so it really comes to what you look in a book with this premis, really. If the characters had been a little deeper and the plot more intricate, I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. As it stands, it didn’t fully deliver for me.