Brilliant.
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is at its heart a love story.

The characters feel REAL, and I had genuine emotions about their actions (or inaction!) and screamed and celebrated with them.
At one point Aneurin speaks a line of Gaelic (now Irish) and I had to use Google Translate, and when I did my heart leapt and broke at the same time.

This book is so unlike anything I've ever read. It was a joy to read, never felt like it dragged, and will leave me thinking about it for days!

I'd like to thank @Netgalley @Kingstonbooks and @araewrites for this early review copy. I can't wait for its release later this year!

I've read and watched several books/tv shows that focus on the Resurrection Men movement in Edinburgh and how that relates to modern medicine. Each time, I am fascinated by the history. Truthfully I was unsure whether we really needed another piece of content in this realm, but this book was a happy surprise! I loved our narrator's voice, and that the story somehow combined the expected body-snatching caper with elements of a cozy detective novel.
The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is the fact that I wish we'd had more time with our 2 main characters. I would've loved to see further fleshing out of their relationship (both before they get together and later on). Although once the body snatching starts, this book MOVES, so it's possible this would've just felt out of place. That being said, I would definitely read a follow up story about what happens to the two of them in London

I got an arc for this book from Netgalley and I’m really glad I did. It was a very dark, interesting read. Different from what I’ve read before and captivating. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. I definitely recommend checking this one out. It kind of had some thriller elements to it too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for sending me the ARC of this book!

The Resurrectionist is a coming-of-age novel by A. Rae Dunlap where historical fiction meets queer romance blended with some true crime elements. It’s focused on a side of scientific history often overlooked—its dark underbelly where many questionable choices were made in the nascent stage of scientific inquiry in its name. In this particular story, it is the era when anatomical studies and medical practices involving surgeries were flourishing in Europe at the cost of graves being robbed to supply specimens for study, a task undertaken by those dubbed as ‘resurrection men’. Donating one’s body to science was still quite an unknown phenomenon yet, the world wanted medical advancements.

Set against this backdrop in the early 1800s, The Resurrectionist follows the point-of-view of James Willoughby—a young man barely into his adulthood who is eager to study medicine and pursue the anatomical sciences. However, when he moves to Edinburgh for this purpose and finds the university curriculum lacking, James discovers the existence of anatomy schools—private houses where the arts of surgery were taught to a select few by skilled persons of the profession in the style of Parisian doctors. However, admission to any of these schools requires a fee, one which our protagonist is hard-pressed to pay thanks to his deceased father’s debts and his family’s declining finances. So, to further his education, James strikes a deal with Aneurin, the assistant to one of these anatomy schools—a deal which introduces him to the dark world of those who call themselves ‘Resurrectionists’, responsible for supplying corpses fresh from the grave for the sake of science.

The Resurrectionist blends nineteenth-century language with gothic, dark academia themes. As such, it is a very pleasant read despite dealing with a fairly morbid subject matter. It even manages to weave in a neat little mystery inspired by the true murders of Burke and Hare in that era which is a very nice touch that grounds this fictitious tale in real history. At the heart of it though, this is the story of James’ coming-of-age. It is truly a pleasure to see James blossom throughout the course of the novel; from a timid, naive, and sheltered boy eager to explore a new vista, to a self-assured, more confident, and shrewd young man, who takes charge of his path in life and hatches his own plans instead of playing along to others'.

A part of this character arc and growth is also centered in James’ coming to realize his sexuality and queer identity. I’ll admit, the romance was my personal favorite part of the novel—I think it was very well done; it progressed naturally and felt very satisfying to see develop. The relationship dynamics and banter never felt forced and were often humourous, sweet, and genuine.

The friendships and side characters are charming and never feel too underutilized or cardboard-like, while the main characters are vividly vibrant. There are also a few informative and interesting discussions regarding these 'resurrection men' and the morality of their work which adds to an understanding of the issues of this time that the novel deals with. My only criticism for this novel is the pacing which does get a little slow in the middle, but not for long.

Overall, The Resurrectionist tackles a lot of themes within its pages but if you are a fan of queer romances, gothic and morbid settings, and historical fiction, this should be a perfect read. It has a little bit of everything to appeal to all kinds of tastes, so as long as you can stomach some gore and morbidity, I would highly recommend this book.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

This book really surprised me. I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, but it was actually quite good. It reads like something written in the 1800s, which took some getting into, but I really liked the narration and I think it fits the story very well.

James Willoughby is the third son of a noble family deep in gambling debts, and while he was supposed to earn his living by going into the military or the church, James's passion lies in surgery. He goes to med school in Edinburgh, the best medical university at the time, but when all his friends go take private surgery classes from doctor Malstrom, James finds himself short on money.

To finance his private classes, where all students get to practice on their own bodies, James makes a deal with Malstrom's assistant Aneurin "Nye" MacKinnon, an anatomist and a body snatcher.

At its heart, this is a coming of age story for James. At the start he fully buys into some lies Aneurin tells him about the job he needs him to do and it hasn't occurred to him that the bodies they practice on during his private classes have to come from somewhere. James has to go through several moral panics before coming to terms with the body snatching process.
Meanwhile, Aneurin is a man with a rather dubious moral code, but he does have a moral code and believes in scientific progress more than anything. Without bodies to study, medical research can't progress, but the law is rather behind on this and only the bodies of executed murderers may be used.

I loved the development of the body snatching, and I can tell the author did a lot of research into the topic, I think more than some of the other books using a similar setting. The body snatchers work as a team, and there are multiple crews through Edinburgh all working their own graveyards. The side characters are not all super developed, but I did like Mary Paterson, who is based on a real life historical figure. Charlie, who is one of James' med student friends, was also quite charming.

The book has a romantic subplot between James and Aneurin, and while it's not the center of the book it's still quite signficant and I liked how their relationship developed, it didn't feel forced, but rather a natural result of James ending up more in the body snatcher circuit and all they go through together there. While it was a subplot, I do think the love between James and Aneurin strenghtened everything else in this book, it all fit together well and the romance added to the tension later on.

I loved the true crime elements added later on, James and Aneurin have to go up against Burke and Hare, a pair of real life serial killers who sold their victims's corpses rather than digging up bodies on a cemetery.

I would recommend this book to people interested in the history of the time period, the resurrectionists and medical history, people interested in true crime, and people who like queer romance within such a setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Resurrectionist.

First, I love the cover! It's the first thing that caught my eye! The premise was intriguing so I was pleased my request was approved.

Second, this is more of a coming of age tale about James Willoughby, a naive, young man from a posh family attending medical school in 19th century Edinburgh, which really isn't my cup of tea.

I was hoping for a frightening, gory tale (there are scenes of gore, violence, and trauma) but not in the ways I prefer it.

Third, I wasn't a fan of James. I didn't dislike him but his naivete and innocence was particularly annoying.

I realize that's part of his character and the reason that propels him to take part in body snatching.

It was pretty ironic and narrow minded of James to believe his sister, Edith, had an easier time in life than he did. Women had no rights back then other than to marry (well) and breed as many sons as possible.

Fourth, I loved the blend of true crime and historical fiction. it's clear the author did research and incorporated the real life serial killers Burke and Hare seamlessly into the narrative. That's not easy to do.

I visited Edinburgh almost 10 years ago and learned about Burke and Hare on a ghost tour, and I did my own research into the lucrative body snatching business prevalent in Scotland at the time.

Fifth, I liked the scenes in the laboratory, but the body snatching parts were darkly comedic and in my opinion, the best parts.

The writing was good, formal and it fit the world and the time period.

I liked Nye the most, not surprisingly, he's street smart, ambitious, loyal, charismatic, and confident.

I'm not a fan of dark academia but I did love the blend of true crime and historical fiction.

It would definitely compel some readers to learn more about Burke and Hare.

James is a great narrator. I loved reading about his journey through early surgery studies and the story was well tied into the history of resurrectionists such as Burke and Hare without losing the heart of the story.

This story was willing to show you compassion, guts and all, for the sake of showing you the value of taking risks in life.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

“You must understand that just as actions have consequences, just as laws have repercussions, progress has a cost.”

genre: historical fiction

rating: 4.50 ☆

review:

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me ARC access to this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Resurrectionist delves into the study of medical anatomy. The story, which takes place in Edinburgh, follows James Willoughby, the main character, as he abandons his old life at Oxford to pursue science and knowledge. When he arrived at the institution, he was presented with an offer that was too good to turn down but had financial difficulties. He finds himself, with unwavering will, in the nexus of two distinct worlds, both centred on the same dimension.

I found the book to be really well written, and I really like it in every way. the author did a terrific job creating the universe via the eccentricities and humours of the characters, instead of relying just on the flow of the plot. I almost felt as though I was there to witness every moment and movement thanks to the delicate settings of Edinburgh's dismal and dark city. despite the frigid mood, the romantic subplot definitely warms things up. discussions on interlinked science and its advancements with societal ethics lend a nice detailed touch to the tale. I couldn’t put down the book from the moment I read it. highly recommend!

Overall I adored this gothic novel set in 19th century Edinburgh. It is the perfect blend of historical fiction, true crime and dark academia. The writing is highly descriptive and made me genuinely forget I was reading. I really loved the characters and thought they all had clearly defined individual personalities. My one criticism was that Burke and Hare were introduced too late, leading to the ending seeming a bit rushed.

It was clear that the author had done plenty of research prior to writing this book, and I though the fictional elements were perfectly interwoven amongst the true setting and characters. I must admit I hadn’t heard of the Burke and Hare murders before reading this book, but I was inspired to do further research upon completion.

I loved the side romance between James and Nye which provided an extra layer of complexity but didn’t overshadow the exciting plot.

The main characters are studying anatomy and medicine at university and I thought the detailed medical descriptions were done well. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper or to anyone who likes historical fiction, dark academia or true crime.

4.5/5. Well written and enjoyable historical fiction blended with an unexpected queer love story. Highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a lot of fun which blends some real life crime history and an amazing love story. I don't usually read historical fiction, but the cover was so good that I decided to read it, and I am so glad I did. The main character is the right mix of initially naive but competent and the love story is really engaging. I honestly hope that the author continues this story, I would read many more stories featuring James and Aneurin!

"The Resurrectionist" by A. Rae Dunlap is a chaotic and thrilling dive into the world of body snatching in 19th century Scotland, and I absolutely loved every moment of it. Set against the backdrop of Edinburgh in 1828, during the terror reign of real-life serial killers Burke and Hare, this decadently macabre, dark, and twisty gothic debut intertwines historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine.

James Willoughby, the main character, has an infectious passion for medicine that reminded me of my own love for diving into textbooks and continuously learning. Naïve but determined, James abandons his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue his dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. His desperation to gain surgical experience leads him to strike a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with a reckless passion for knowledge. However, it doesn't take long for James to realize he's made a devil's bargain—Nye is a body snatcher, and James has unwittingly become his accomplice.

Aneurin, a funny and mysterious character, quickly became a favourite of mine as the story unfolded. The blend of historical fiction and true crime is masterfully done, reminiscent of the captivating tales from the podcast Lore, especially the infamous story of Burke and Hare, Scotland's most notorious serial killers who never actually robbed graves. The society depicted in "The Resurrectionist" is both fascinating and disturbing, making it one of the most engaging reads I've had this year.

The characters, the intricacies of medical school, the macabre world of grave robbing, and the development of the Resurrectionists all come together to create an unforgettable narrative. As James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists, he's caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige. James and Nye find themselves in the cross hairs of Burke and Hare, unscrupulous opportunists dead set on cornering the market for bodies, even if it means cold-blooded murder.

I loved everything about this book—the characters, the society, the love that blossoms as they grow and learn more about themselves. "The Resurrectionist" is one of my favourite reads this year, and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. This book is a shining gem in my collection, and I can't wait to read this again.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eArc of this amazing book.

Is it too bold for me to say this? If it is, I do not care: This is likely to be the best book I've read this year. It had everything: from the atmospheric historical setting and exhilarating plot, to the wonderful, charming characters we had the pleasure to meet.

We follow James Willoughby, a young man from a noble family who's trying to find purpose in life, after failing to fulfil the expectations his family forced upon him. His curiosity and love for the sciences lead him to Edinburgh to pursue a career as a physician. Despite successfully entering university, James soon realises that the only way to truly learn about the human body is if he can practise on a real one—something that only surgical schools offer. And it's here where he meets Aneurin "Nye" MacKinnon, Malstrom's smart, enigmatic assistant. Desperate to earn money for his tuition fees, James approaches Nye in hopes of getting a scholarship, and the man offers him a deal that he cannot decline. But James will soon discover that the job he signed up for is nothing like what he thought. It is something far more intricate, and more dangerous, than he expected.
In spite of his first assumptions, James swiftly submerges into this underground world, unveiling its secrets, making friends, falling in love and, most importantly, finding his own purpose in life.

I simply loved this book. Its premise captivated me from the very beginning. Being inside James's mind was an absolute delight on its own. It was beautiful to see his character development as an uptight guy full of determination trying to prove his worth, completely by himself, for the first time. His eagerness was contagious to the point that his happiness became mine as well. He was beautiful in a way that it was just impossible not to wish him well, not to suffer when he suffered, not to smile when he was happy. The book focuses on a lot of aspects, but it never loses track of what's important: James's journey to self-discovery. I loved that he had his own dreams and aspirations, which were deeply explored in the story, and that he was able to figure out his queer identity naturally, as the author stated in their notes, as "part of his coming-of-age story; a piece of the puzzle, not the whole of it". We are shown his talent and passion for medicine time and time again, which was so fun and interesting. He's a fully fleshed-out character, which is exactly the sort of main character I want to read about.

Nye was just as intricate. He had an intriguing background, the wits and the charisma of a perfect hero. He was also so, so funny. His crazy ventures allowed the story many exciting and thrilling scenes, moments where I could laugh out loud and smile widely, but also worry and feel nervous. His backstory broke my heart, so obviously I cheered for him twice as much when I learnt it—but even if there hadn't been such background, I still would've loved him as much. He also has his own hobbies and aspirations that made him unique, along with his endearing personality. And the way he slowly started showing his feelings for James was the cutest thing in the world. The yearning was feral.

James's love story with Nye was exquisite. Their romance was beautifully executed, and so passionate and pure and real. Their connection and chemistry was like no other. I loved that they were friends first, and that they falling for each other was so natural and not forced at all. It felt right. Reading them together, I could feel their feelings slowly blooming as they spent more time together, how their friendship lead to admiration which lead to adoration. And I loved that their romance played such an important part of the story, but was never its only moving force. I find it extremely dull when books get lost in the romance and forget about the actual plot, but this book had none of that. It was the perfect combo of all the ingredients I love.

I truly feel like this piece of literature was made for me, and I'm thankful beyond words that I was able to read this jewel. I will treasure it and recommend it, and think about it (and die a little and resurrect again) for years to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly sending me a copy of this book to review.

My review will be published today on Goodreads which I will link!

First, a big thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this e-arc--I absolutely LOVED this story.

<i>The Resurrectionist</i> by A. Rae Dunlap is a delightfully macabre story of a man traversing a morbid yet exciting new world he never knew existed. This story follows James--a man with a passion for medicine and an unfortunate knack for finding himself in dubious circumstances--along with a myriad of colorful side characters.

To be frank, when I first requested this book, I was not sure what I would think about it; dark academia is very hit or miss for me, and I haven't read a ton of stories with historical fiction. I am very pleased to say this book <b>absolutely</b> lived up to and surpassed my expectations. Dunlap's ability to convey humor, love, and self-discovery organically within a story based around body snatching is honestly astounding to me (and all in just over 300 pages)!

Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a bloody, dark-academia story with lots of mystery and intrigue, as well as a touch of romance.

This reminded me a lot of the TV series "Penny Dreadful"... not necessarily in content but in the "vibe". Scotland in the 1800s finds the main character, James in search of an education as a medical practitioner. He has travelled to Edinburgh and passed up on an Oxford education because he wants a more visceral education.

While hanging out with friends in his program he finds out about an underground way that students get to see deceased bodies and are sometimes even taken in to a place that gives a hands on education. When he meets Nye - the plot thickens and becomes more adventure!

There are competing folks who "snatch" fresh bodies from cemeteries and James ends up stumbling into the middle of it.

Really enjoyed this - loved the world building

In my public presentations about historical novels, I always say that the perfect historical novel is one that, on top of a historically solid framework, based on rigorous research, inserts a fictional story as naturally as possible, mixing real and fictional characters in such a way that the reader cannot tell which are which, even if he or she knows the events perfectly. The attitudes and dialogue, then, must perfectly reflect the characters and the era. This learned introduction is to say that Dunlap's is a virtually perfect historical novel, which is also an intriguing thriller, a sweeping love story and an examination of religious and class prejudices. There isn't a character who isn't in the round, not even the most insignificant ones or even those who appear in the form of corpses, and this guarantees a reading pleasure that is only extinguished on the last page, leaving the reader with a burning desire to know what the protagonists will do in the next adventure (because there will be a next adventure, won't there?

I adored this book. I really enjoyed the writing, the gothic atmosphere, the setting, the distinctive voice of the main character and the romance. The story was really interesting and until I read the author's note I had no idea that a lot of the background characters were actually real people! That made it even more interesting.
One thing I will say though, is that I found the ending a little bit rushed and anticlimactic. I liked the happy ending, but the epilogue wrapped things up a little bit to well, so much so that I found it a tad unrealistic.
(Also I noticed a blatant lack of female characters in this book, which could be blamed on the all male college setting, but it bothered me anyway.)
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

3.75/5. This was very entertaining and a change for me. James and Nye's chemistry drives the narrative forward and makes James' dive into the world of the Resurrectionists all the more intriguing. That being said, I found James to be a bit too naive for my liking. I understand that he's been sheltered and privileged and that that makes him easy for shaky plans and clearly shoddy plots to evade him, but at times it was hard for me to believe he couldn't see the shaky foundations of others', his as well, logic. The climax could've used a bit more drama, in my opinion, but it fit the way the story had been told until that point. I would like to think that this isn't the end of the story because the loose ends are a little too lose for my liking without a sequel in mond and there's certainly grounds for more if the author so chooses.

Overall, it's a quick, fast-paced read that will keep you interested if not for the banter for the dark and alluring ambiance.

I’m really excited to buy this for friends over the holidays! This was a really enjoyable read and I felt engaged the entire time.

The Resurrectionist is a well-written, enthralling historical fiction that takes us into the lives of medical professionals who get caught up in the art of body snatching. These body snatchers do not see themselves as grave robbers but as resurrectionists, working towards advancements in medical science for the benefit of all mankind. In this book we follow James Willoughby, a newer resurrectionist stemming from a well-off family, and his story of how he came into body snatching, his love for medical science, and of course, him finding love and himself along the way. Throughout the read, we touch on topics of medical science and its advancements, moral ambiguity, self-discovery, and, of course, romance (same sex, which was taboo and illegal at the time). The author has done a wonderful job creating an atmospheric setting, making the reader feel like we were in 19th century Edinburgh. As far as the writing, it was impeccable and gave a poetic feel, and it also flowed nicely with a steady, even pace. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and would highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and A. Rae Dunlap for this captivating ARC!