Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kathleen S. Allen’s “The Resurrectionist” is a feminist, gothic reimagining of Frankenstein, infused with dark ambition and the dangerous pursuit of knowledge. Set in Victorian England, a time when women were barred from medical school, the story follows seventeen-year-old Dilly Rothbart, a brilliant but ruthless young woman who will stop at nothing to become a doctor—even if it means stealing corpses, defying the laws of nature, and sacrificing her own humanity.

After discovering her late father’s hidden journal, which details the steps to bring a dead soul back to life, Dilly becomes obsessed with finishing his work. She enters the macabre world of resurrectionists—graverobbers and scientists who believe they can defy death—searching for proof of a tangible soul within the human body. Her moral descent is starkly contrasted by her passive twin sister, Deidre, whose eventual resurrection reveals the horrifying consequences of playing god. As bodies pile up and ambition overtakes reason, “The Resurrectionist” creates a suspenseful, fast-paced story that explores the fine line between genius and monstrosity.

Allen’s writing is rich with gothic atmosphere, evoking the eerie streets of Victorian London as Jack the Ripper’s murders unfold in the background. Themes of scientific hubris, the ethics of medical experimentation, and the obsession with power and recognition make this novel as thought-provoking as it is unsettling. Dilly is a fascinatingly unlikable protagonist—morally gray, single-minded, and chilling in her detachment—making her journey both compelling and horrifying. This is a book you can easily finish in one sitting as you just can’t wait to see what happens to the characters. My favorite part of the book was the medical aspect, especially with the idea that there is a physical soul hidden in the body, and this soul can be transferred to others in order to bring the dead back to life. The idea of resurrectionists was so fascinating to me, and the morally gray characters (basically every character in this book) made this idea even more interesting.

With its thrilling twists, haunting imagery, and a conclusion that serves as a stark warning against tampering with life and death, “The Resurrectionist” is a must-read for fans spine-tingling gothic tales that linger in your mind long after the final page.

Oh don't mind me, just busy picking my jaw up off the floor after that ending! I devoured this book so fast. It's dark and twisty, perfectly paced, and has a captivating plot! Loved it!

The Resurrectionist is a dark, gripping, and utterly mesmerizing gothic tale that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the last page. Kathleen S. Allen masterfully weaves a story of ambition, morality, and the dangerous allure of playing god, set against the eerie backdrop of Victorian England. This is a book that will appeal to readers who love atmospheric, twisty tales with a gothic edge. Kathleen S. Allen has crafted a story that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling, and I cannot recommend it enough. *The Resurrectionist* is a haunting exploration of ambition, morality, and the lengths we go to in pursuit of greatness—or infamy. A brilliant, spine-tingling read!