I really struggled with this book, and only kept reading it till the end because of the queer theme. In the beginning, I found a strange disconnect between James's uncomplicated acceptance of his sexuality given the time the story is based in. But I changed my mind about this after reading the author's note at the end—queer people have always existed and not all their stories are about sexuality! So both the 2 stars are for this.

However, I did not enjoy that laboured writing. For instance, when every other sentence sounds like this:

<blockquote>The unexpected slide of frigid toes against my bare calf elicited an undignified squawk from me, and I thrashed about clumsily beneath the blankets, struggling to roll back over and confront their source.</blockquote>

it really mars the pacing. Not only that, the story was really, really slow, and the main action takes place in the last third or so. Even Hare and Burke, real historical characters, were introduced far too late in the story, given what a big role they had.

I wish I could have enjoyed this as much as other people have. What I did enjoy was the amount of research that must have gone into it. I will look out for the author's future books. Many thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Set in 19th century Edinburgh, The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is beautifully irreverent., gothic coming-of -age story. The story follows a young medical student as he falls head first into a dark and seedy underworld at the heart of the medical community, but comes to find it may not be so dark and seedy after all. Be prepared to be shocked and awed alongside our main man, readers are in for a wild ride.

The Resurrectionists is a coming of age, historical fiction about a man going to medical school in Edinburgh after college at Oxford. It reminded me of my bright eyed days as a young medical student in the cadaver lab. Every bit of that process helped solidify my understanding of anatomy and I found it completely fascinating. There is a similar fascination with the human body in this book. Although some parts were more believable than others, this is a damn good book! It gave me Frankenstein vibes with the crazy dissections and experiments. The writing feels like classic literature. As the story of James unfolds, he finds he is able to do more unethical things to secure his education in his calling of medicine. A lovely love story blooms in the midst of death and crime. This is based on a true story and I found it captivating! Do not read if you are squeamish about blood and guts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review

Historical fiction at its debut finest! James, a posh former Oxford boy who arrives in Scotland eager to become a man of science. Edinburg has become the hotspot for scientific enlightenment and he is excited to learn the skills of a physician. Unfortunately, his new life and education are threatened when his family’s financial struggles are revealed. Desperate to earn some coin to continue paying his board and tuition, he stumbles upon the underground world of body snatching. Brought into a crew by a handsome dissection expert named Nye, he begins to learn the process of procuring cadavers for the various schools around town. But when new competition comes to town, all of their jobs— and possibly lives— are in danger.

*special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for this e-arc.*

“I would recognize his face always, in any manifestation, in this life or any other. Always.”

Give me a historical book set in Scotland, and I’ll read it no questions asked.

What I liked:

The plot moved along quite quickly. It was an easy read that made me want to keep turning the pages.

The setting. I love me a book set in Scotland - especially a darker, dreary, historical fiction.

What didn’t work for me:

I wanted more character development. I didn’t get invested in any of these characters, and I feel like I would’ve if we had more development.

I loved everything about this!! I’ll admit that by the time I started reading, I had forgotten entirely what the synopsis said, so I was pleasantly surprised by everything.

The historical time period feels perfect in tone, dialogue, setting, etc. while also not feeling bogged down or forced in the slightest. It really is apparent that the author knows her stuff (to me, a person who is not especially knowledgeable about the ins and outs at least).

James is a delight and his naïveté and jocular manner at the start endeared me to him right away. The side characters are equally as lovable. The profession in which James finds himself forced into was fun to read about. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like this and was very happy with how much I enjoyed it.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I don't think I've ever read a book like this. it truly kept me on the edge of my seat, and i couldn't stop reading. the story is so unique and so interesting. the characters are on the one hand relatable, and on the other hand so different. they are really well thought out, and i love that there is not a clear good guy, everyone is morally grey in this. I also enjoy the time this was set in, and while i say that, i do realize that the story also feels timeless at the same time. really good, i enjoyed it.

thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rae Dunlap’s The Resurrectionist is an exquisite dive into 19th-century Edinburgh, weaving a seamless blend of historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia. The depth of detail is nothing short of miraculous, bringing the grimy streets, shadowy alleys, and macabre underworld of body-snatching vividly to life. This book stands out as one of the most original stories I’ve read in a long time, a refreshing and haunting tale that lingers long after the final page.

The book’s exploration of the grisly origins of modern medicine is both unsettling and thought-provoking. It raises poignant questions about the cost of progress and the lengths to which individuals will go in pursuit of knowledge. Dunlap doesn’t shy away from the moral complexities of her subject matter, crafting a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally gripping.

The Resurrectionist is not just a story of body snatching and murder; it’s a haunting meditation on ambition, desire, and the shadows we cast in our pursuit of greatness. This book is a must-read for lovers of dark academia and historical fiction, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I really liked this book. The cover is stunning and the plot very interesting. Sometimes a bit creepy but the vibes from Scotland at that time period is enough to make we scream yeah! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

James arrives in Edinburge to study medicine. Its the late 1820s and he is ready to start a new life away from his family. Excited to start school, his new friends inform him that the best way to learn about medicine is through hands on learning with real cadavers at one of the private schools.
After going to see a surgery lecture at Malstroms medical school, James new friends enroll. Wanting to get the best medical education, James tries to join too. Despite not having the money to pay for this higher education, Masltroms assistant, Nye, lets him in at a lower fee. That is, so long as James helps Nye take “body snatch” by taking bodies from a graveyard to supply to cadavers for the medical school. Hence how James becomes “a resurrectionist.”
A. Rae Dunlap explores the genre of historical fiction beautifully. Because we view it throught James perespecitve, it stays very true to the historcal setting. Later in the book, we are introcudced to the Burke and Hare, two real life killers who were active in Edingburough during the 1820s. The book seamlessly combindes the historical events with the fictional characters, humanzing an event that seems so distant.
The growing relationship between Nye and James is powerful and beautiful. The dynamics between James and everyone in his life feel developed and natural. James himself feels like a relatable character who make the stakes feel to real.

Thanks to the folks at Kensington Publishing for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
***
3.5 stars
Low-key spoilers
The Resurrectionist, was entertaining, it was a wild ride. I must confess I was expecting a bit more but the ending came to a pleasing conclusion (and the relief of a nice ending after picking up hints that it would not be so). I liked the setting and the characters and the romance. Thanks again!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In The Resurrectionist, we follow James Willoughby as he chooses to abandon his privileged life as part of the English upper class to pursue his dream of studying medicine in Edinburgh. In an effort to gain admission to one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, he finds himself in need of money to keep his dream alive, which inadvertently leads him to become an accomplice in the act of snatching bodies from graveyards.

Let me start by saying that the premise of this book is right up my alley, so I’m not the least bit surprised that it hit the spot for me. The atmosphere of this book completely blew me away—I was fully immersed in the world after only a few chapters. The prose was deliciously beautiful, making it incredibly difficult to put the book down.

I found the characters genuine and likable, even if James was a bit of a loser—but that aligns perfectly with his posh upbringing. I absolutely adored Nye; his charm elevated every scene, and the chemistry between the characters was just delightful. All the relationships developed naturally and felt entirely authentic.

The Resurrectionist is an incredibly impressive debut that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more works from this author.

This one was absolutely fascinating, although extremely gory in parts, so anyone squeamish (like me!) should read with caution!

Set in the 1800’s in Edinburgh, the story follows trainee surgeon James Willoughby. Struggling to pay his tuition after his father’s death bankrupts the family, James is offered a novel way of making money… join Nye McKinnon’s crew of body snatchers, robbing graves to sell corpses to the medical schools for study.

At first horrified by the idea, James quickly realises that the scientific advancement that the corpses will help bring is enough to overcome his aversion to digging graves. Plus, he soon comes to realise that he will do anything for charming and charismatic Nye. But both men’s lives are plunged into chaos when they uncover a scandal… rival body snatchers Burke and Hare are procuring bodies at a terrifying rate, and it’s starting to look like some of their corpses were never even underground to start with…

This book is historical fiction with a side-plot of queer romance; the world of Edinburgh’s medical schools is fascinating and the lives of body snatchers that supplied the schools is both morbid and incredibly interesting! Burke and Hare were real people, and although the book is fiction, teams of people procuring bodies for medical study was very much a thing!

I loved James and Nye; James is a morally flexible member of the upper classes who wants nothing more than to escape his title of gentleman in favour of being a surgeon. Nye is a mercurial sweetheart; an expert storyteller and charmer, him and James are in perfect contrast to each other!

Read The Ressurectionist for:
✨ Historical Fiction; 1800s Edinburgh
✨ Loosely based on true events
✨ Queer romance sub-plot
✨ Digging up corpses for science
✨ Medical study (in some detail, beware!)
✨ Threat of murder
✨ They’re morally grey nerds in love

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book. It’s available on 24th December 2024 💕

The writing was incredibly immersive and so beautiful that I was immediately drawn in. The book is full of real life people/characters and you can tell the author took a lot of time to do thorough research prior to writing the book. I really really enjoyed it

I'm going to be completely honest, I requested this book on a whim because I had just talked to a customer about Burke and Hare and when I saw them mentioned in the synopsis I was like "oh, it's fate". When I was actually approved for it a few days later though I kind of regretted it, because it seemed rather impulsive and I wasn't entirely sure if this book was worth my time. Holy crap am I glad I both requested this and then actually decided to give it a chance, because it really surprised me. This book is a few different things, it's a historical fiction with elements of true crime, it's a mystery/thriller, and a love story, and honestly I'm not sure it should really work, but it does. I loved following our main character around, even when he was just doing mundane things like going to class. The love story was also just great. It feels real, but there's also that element of danger, because this is a historical novel, and thus affection between two men was considered a very serious crime. I think that the weakest part of this book was probably the mystery element, which I will admit felt a little rushed. It really only appeared in the last quarter or so of the book. If you go into this book looking for a full-blown mystery novel I do think you will be disappointed, because while there are mystery elements that's not what it's about. It's about a young man coming of age and learning to live on his own and figure out what and who he is. Part of how he does this is by becoming a resurrectionist, and that leads him into a mystery element, but I would argue that at it's core that's not really the point of the book. Either way, for what it was and how I went into it (with basically no expectations at all) I was so pleasantly surprised. I think the only issue I could really find is that there was only one female character, and the role she played was only serving to move the story forward. Seeing as she was an actual historical figure though, and the setting the book takes place in (at that point in time women were not known to be overly involved in body snatching or medical schools) it wasn't overly unbelievable. In the end this book really ended up standing out to me, and I really hope it finds its audience. I certainly will be recommending it to as many people as I can, and I'll be working on a shelf-talker to be put up when it arrives. I'll be eagerly awaiting Dunlap's next novel, and will have my fingers crossed these two main characters might even get to come back in a sequel, because while things are wrapped up well enough for the story to be a stand-alone, I do believe there are enough threads left open for another story to be told later down the line.

A stunning and impressive debut, in the same lane as Daniel Kraus's <i> Rotters </i>, Donna Tart's <i> Secret History </i>, and Andrew Joseph White's <I> The Spirit Bares its Teeth <i>.

I was hooked on <I>The Resurrectonist</i> from the first page. The writing style is reminiscent of gothic classics, which adds to the immersive experience of the novel itself. The traditional writing doesn't deter from the modern touch, however. In fact, Dunlap uses plenty of modern tropes in a classical way that make the story and the romance that much more interesting.

Truly an addictive, high-stakes book with a charming romance. An instant-buy for me and my library. A. Rae Dunlap is a promising author and I look forward to reading more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Resurrectionist is a stunning debut novel, set in 19th century Edinburgh. James is setting out on a path to become a surgeon, but is led off the 'straight and narrow' University path when he meets Aneurin (Nye) who takes him under his wing and into the seedy underworld of body snatching. James becomes ensconced with the so-called "Resurrectionists" and gets caught-up in their life-or-death schemes as rival gangs move in and fight for power and prestige. Everything comes to a head when James and Nye find themselves working with Burke and Hare (yes, the infamous Burke and Hare) and inadvertently put targets on their backs and must escape with their lives.

The story and characters are beautifully written, managing to mix science, body-snatching, and murder with a story of love, courage and personal resilience. The narrative definitely does not shy away from the visceral realities of the era, describing blood-soaked scenes of dissection and corpses with detail. These elements make the story feel authentic. A great combination of fact and fiction and excellent character development.

This book was exquisitely macabre and very entertaining to read. You can't help but love James and Nye and their trials and tribulations. I will definitely be recommending this book to my dark academia and horror/thriller friends, and as the January book for my book club!

Aaarghhh this book is everything!! A gay graverobbing story set in a gloomy private surgical school of Victorian Edinburgh?!! YES YES YES 🖤

The (in)famous duo Burke and Hare play a big role within this work, and I have never read anything that combines all the elements i LOVE so much in one book. Could. Not. Get. Enough!!

What i loved the most tho, apart from the atmosphere, gruseome scenes and twisted sense of humor of the characters, was the relationship between James and Aneurin. Nye was a complex kid well developed, and i absolutely loved whatever came out of his wicked mouth.

Also, the writing was really refreshing. @araewrites used rather old words and expressions, making it seem like the main character James wrote it himself. It was him telling his story, and the choice of using such antique language was fitting and added a whole other dimension of succes.

There is one lil twist that made me want to throw my phone against the wall, and thats because these characters found a way in my heart and THAT WAS SO FREAKING UNFAIR!!!!

Will definitely buy a copy of this once it comes out. Adored it. Thanks a million to the author, publisher and Netgally for allowing me to read! 🖤

It was a solid book, I liked it but it has some flaws in the writing style. Still it was enjoyable, I liked the characters although the main character at times was kind of insufferable with all his naivety. With the writing my major complain is that there is an abuse in the using of adverbs, with such frecuency of them that it took me out of the reading mood several times.

The pacing at frist is pretty slow, but then when the main characters start to know each other gives the story a sense of progress, and it was fun to see their dynamic. I also liked the romance between them.

Despite its flaws, the book was entertaining even though I felt that there was much more that could be done with a story of this kind.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance copy of this novel that looks at the lengths many young students used to have to go through to advance their medical knowledge, lengths including midnight shovel parties, dealing with unsavory people and even a little bit of murder.

For some reason, an unconscious reason I do swear, much of my recent readings have been quaint and curious books of medical history. I am not sure why, I have no real history in medicine, nor have any one I care about been ill or made infirm by disease, but medical history seems to be my reading du jour. And my word, much of it is simply grotesque. Large rooms filled with men trying to watch a man in waistcoats saw off a leg. The person losing said leg not with anything close to anesthesia or even ether, with the additional joy of having a 50/50 chance of losing the wrong limb. The doctor, self-proclaimed in many cases covered in blood from previous operations talking while cutting. Sometimes stabbing himself and later dying of infection maybe from a previous patient, as gentlemen never washed their hands. These men, always only men for a long period of time, learning their trade, and having to engage in a darker trade to find bodies to learn on. Recently expired, sometimes from disease, sometimes from something else. This is the world our protagonist finds himself, in the novel The Resurrectionist, by A. Rae Dunlap about a young man trying to find himself, and finding out the world is darker and uglier than he ever knew.

James Willoughby is a man who has never really found a place for himself. An extra son in a family of means, but not frivolity, Willoughby was chosen to enter the clergy, and was attending Oxford University when the truth occurred to him. Willoughby was not made for the clergy, but maybe for medicine. Willoughby shared this information with his family, and the same night his father leaves the Earth, leaving Willoughby even more confused. Edinburgh, Scotland is the place of learning for the medical arts, and Willoughby goes there, full of hopes and dreams, dreams that a lack of wealth soon come crashing down. Though he does make a friend in Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon. Without money Willoughby can not afford to practice the skills he is being taught in school. Nye offers him a solution, one Willoughby is eager to take, until he finds out the truth. Nye needs Willoughby's help in his other occupation, digging up bodies who have recently passed and selling them to students for their education. Willoughby enters a world far darker than he thought possible, confused with feelings for both Nye, and learning. The the world of body snatching has many dark sides, and some of that darkness might be coming for Willoughby.

A very atmospheric dark tale told in a different style. One can tell that Dunlap did a lot of research, as the characters ring true and one gets a feeling for Edinburgh through the writing. And the dark trade of body snatching. There are many real people from history who appear in this story, and all of them are well-written and interesting. Willoughby might be a bit dumb sometimes, but that might be because of the feelings he has for Nye, the guilt he has, and the fact that the world is in many ways new to him. I liked the writing, a bit of Charles Palliser mixed with a tad of Ann Rule.

A nice spooky little tale. A good mix of history, medical, gore, and crime, and one with a lot of feeling and sense of place. Perfect to read before a fire, or waiting for the watchman to look the other way at the cemetery.