Dana Schwartz

Dana Schwartz’s Anatomy: A Love Story is a gothic tale full of mystery and romance.

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books―she’ll need corpses to study.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares―until Hazel.

Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

Anatomy: A Love Story

excuse me while i sob my little heart out…

annika

"Someone should tell you that you're beautiful every time the sun comes up. Someone should tell you you're beautiful on Wednesdays. And at teatime. Someone should tell you you're beautiful on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve and the evening before Christmas Eve, and on Easter. He should tell you on Guy Fawkes Night and on New Year's, and on the eighth of August, just because.”

“Someone has to be the brains of the operation, and someone has to be the brawn," Hazel said. “I assumed I was the good looks," Jack said. "No,” Hazel said, patting the velvety side of her horse’s neck. "That's Miss Rosalind."

Robyn Harley

“Someone should tell you that you’re beautiful every time the sun comes up. Someone should tell you you’re beautiful on Wednesdays. And at teatime. Someone should tell you you’re beautiful on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve and the evening before Christmas Eve, and on Easter. He should tell you on Guy Fawkes night and on New years, and on the 8th of August just because.”

“Hazel Sinnett, you are the most miraculous creature I have ever come across, and I am going to be thinking about how beautiful you are until the day I die.”

“My heart is yours, Hazel Sinnett” Jack said “Forever. Beating or still” 

BYE NO BC IDK BUT I LOVE THIS SM????????💀💀💀💀💀

“When you’ve lived as long as I have, my dear, you take novelty wherever you can find it and you are nothing if not novel”

Dana Schwartz’s Anatomy: A Love Story is a gothic tale full of mystery and romance. Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry. Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die. When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books—she’ll need corpses to study. Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living. But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares—until Hazel. Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

Emma Wolfe

Courtney Passio

Es war ausgezeichnet! Ich liebe diese Art von Büchern, vor allem wenn es um frauenrechte zu dieser Zeit geht. Ich wurde dadurch aber leider auch oft provoziert, da die Protagonistin, als Frau, nichts sagen „durfte“! Es gab auch eins bis zwei ekelerregende Szenen, die trotzdem noch spannend waren! Der plottwist am Ende war unglaublich überraschend.

Emilia

I’m usually not into love storys, but I loved this one so much. It was unique, very refreshing and heart warming. The protagonists were amazing.

Hannah 

Second read is just as good. I LOVE this book. Hazel and Jack actual make my heart stop. beating or still baby this book has my heart.

Second read is just as good. I LOVE this book. Hazel and Jack actual make my heart stop. beating or still baby this book has my heart.

cry count: 3

Enjoyable. Love the build up and foreshadowing, very believeable especially with all thesmall hints within the text. Pacing seemed a bit off in some parts, in terms of time passing wasn't always understandable, but it was very minor in the overall beauty of this story.

Absolutely perfect dark academy vibe with a magical twist 

Julia 

i liked this a lot, but i came away from it feeling like i accidentally missed a chapter or two!! looking forward to the next book.

erin moran 

Such an interesting and Gripping Read, I love a good Historical Fiction and this book did not disappoint in the Slightest. The Cover is truly Stunning and really drew me to the book in the first place along with seeing some rave reviews I knew that I needed to check it out. 

"Somebody should tell you that you're beautiful every time the sun comes up. Someone should tell you you're beautiful on Wednesdays. And at teatime. “

Hazel Sinnett is a 17-year-old lady of "good breeding" living in Scotland in the early 1800's. She has a passion for becoming a physician/surgeon and is hounded by the prospect of being required to marry her cousin, the viscount's son of Almont. Knowing that this was common back in the day it still made my skin shiver thinking about it. After hearing about a Course to help her pass her physician exam she starts a plan to get her in the room where it happens and start working towards that exam.

Overall, the First half of the book really set the groundwork out and set the tone and atmosphere to the book along with the main characters you would see throughout the book and things don’t really pick up until you hit the 50% mark. But having said that it felt like you really needed that world building and scene setting to really get drawn in and enjoy the second part of the story. There was something truly readable about this story, and I found myself thinking about it and looking forward to picking it back up when I was doing other things. The Ending Leaves it opens nicely for Book 2 which I must admit that I purchases straight away and going to be my Next Read!

Ian Brakspear

Such an interesting and Gripping Read, I love a good Historical Fiction and this book did not disappoint in the Slightest. The Cover is truly Stunning and really drew me to the book in the first place along with seeing some rave reviews I knew that I needed to check it out. "Somebody should tell you that you're beautiful every time the sun comes up. Someone should tell you you're beautiful on Wednesdays. And at teatime. “

 

Hazel Sinnett is a 17-year-old lady of "good breeding" living in Scotland in the early 1800's. She has a passion for becoming a physician/surgeon and is hounded by the prospect of being required to marry her cousin, the viscount's son of Almont. Knowing that this was common back in the day it still made my skin shiver thinking about it. After hearing about a Course to help her pass her physician exam she starts a plan to get her in the room where it happens and start working towards that exam.

 

Overall, the First half of the book really set the groundwork out and set the tone and atmosphere to the book along with the main characters you would see throughout the book and things don’t really pick up until you hit the 50% mark. But having said that it felt like you really needed that world building and scene setting to really get drawn in and enjoy the second part of the story. There was something truly readable about this story, and I found myself thinking about it and looking forward to picking it back up when I was doing other things. The Ending Leaves it opens nicely for Book 2 which I must admit that I purchases straight away and going to be my Next Read!

This book had so many twists and turns, never boring! The ending was such an emotional rollercoaster but so beautiful and romantic. I just wish one thing went right for her in the end :(

I enjoyed the development of the story. Hazel worked hard to get herself into the field of medicine she loved throughout the entire book. The question “what is happening to the resurrection men” was on my mind the entire time and when I finally found out I was shocked. It was a great twist. However… the ending was not what I imagined and honestly it ruined it for me. 

Nena

It took me over half of the book to get into it, and I was very close to DNFing it, but the last 150 pages (out of 333) just took my hand and ran away. 

I’m happy to know there’s a second book coming out because now I’ve GOTTA know what happens. 

I’m also just a big softie when it came down to a lot of the characters tbh. 

samantha lias

It took me over half of the book to get into it, and I was very close to DNFing it, but the last 150 pages (out of 333) just took my hand and ran away. 

I’m happy to know there’s a second book coming out because now I’ve GOTTA know what happens. 

I’m also just a big softie when it came down to a lot of the characters tbh. 

I wanted to like it, I really did! The writing was great and it had a lot of potential. I think the stakes just were not high enough for me. The relationship between Hazel and Jack felt underdeveloped and unfinished. I felt like I had missed or skipped a chapter or two. I don’t feel like the romance and mystery were balanced well enough. Here’s to hoping the sequel is better?

Lizzy Jensen

It was great I did want more in terms of feelings and emotion though

Lizeth Esmeralda

I enjoyed the writing, but the characters were a bit flat and the ending was rushed and unsatisfactory.

Saffia

this was simply not as good as it could have been. having read the feature interview at the end of the audiobook, i also understand that a number of my issues with the book were included on purpose which i am not yet certain how to feel about.

in the interview in question, dana schwartz mentions that she made hazel naive and subsequently chose the ya genre to embody the type of intensity an adolescent person experiences. however, i feel like this almost got in the way of the potential of the story - e.g. hazel's daydreaming often came off as straight up goofy, or where the book was somewhat gruesome it was stopped by the ya rating to be truly gory and repulsive.

i truly feel like, were it not for the above limitations, the book could have truly immersed itself into the gothic and the atmosphere of edinburgh and it would have truly excelled in what it had set out to do. perhaps then crimes such as the odd pacing and readiness to disregard the plotpoints on which it was marketed (e.g. hazel crossdressing in order to get a medical education) or the suspension of disbelief it required would be easier to overlook or, at least, not remark upon.

as it stands, most that this novel has going on for it is the pretty cover and how easily and quickly it reads.

last but not least, i am surprised i never saw anyone bring up 'the body snatched' by robert louis stevenson and the real burke and hare murders and robert knox - all perhaps the strongest association of 'body snatching', 'anatomy' and 'edinburgh'. robert knox was, also, blind in one eye. i cannot help but feel like this is excellent material / precedent that was either seen but disregarded or could have greatly benefitted this novel.

this was simply not as good as it could have been. having read the feature interview at the end of the audiobook, i also understand that a number of my issues with the book were included on purpose which i am not yet certain how to feel about.

in the interview in question, dana schwartz mentions that she made hazel naive and subsequently chose the ya genre to embody the type of intensity an adolescent person experiences. however, i feel like this almost got in the way of the potential of the story - e.g. hazel's daydreaming often came off as straight up goofy, or where the book was somewhat gruesome it was stopped by the ya rating to be truly gory and repulsive.

i truly feel like, were it not for the above limitations, the book could have truly immersed itself into the gothic and the atmosphere of edinburgh and it would have truly excelled in what it had set out to do. perhaps then crimes such as the odd pacing and readiness to disregard the plotpoints on which it was marketed (e.g. hazel crossdressing in order to get a medical education) or the suspension of disbelief it required would be easier to overlook or, at least, not remark upon.

as it stands, most that this novel has going on for it is the pretty cover and how easily and quickly it reads.

last but not least, i am surprised i never saw anyone bring up 'the body snatched' by robert louis stevenson and the real burke and hare murders and robert knox - all perhaps the strongest association of 'body snatching', 'anatomy' and 'edinburgh'. robert knox was, also, blind in one eye. i cannot help but feel like this is excellent material / precedent that was either seen but disregarded or could have greatly benefitted this novel.

While there were some elements I enjoyed and there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with this book (except the head-hopping and the ending out of left field), I was left feeling dissatisfied. The pacing was a bit off, not picking up in what felt like the main plot until 45% of the way in. I could have done without Jack’s POV altogether — his chapters were sparse and short, felt like a late-in-the-process insert. Hazel had a good balance of realistic nativity and feminist ambition, but altogether… a book that didn’t live up to its amazing cover.

Liz Griffin

i am so glad i picked this back up. this specific niche genre i love so much. it’s historical gothic romance and i need to read more books like this. the love that hazel has for science is so endearing and like a big fuck you to patriarchy i love it. and the romance is :)))

Danyella Barajas

Mariane Ferrantino 

I think this is the quickest I’ve finished a book in a while! This is my first time reading anything Dana Schwartz has written, and hearing her talk about it on Hysteria is what brought me here. Great story, great characters, a great mix of genres with dark academia vibes, horror, and a love story all rolled into one. I felt the ending was a little rushed, but it was also refreshing to read a solidly YA title that isn’t a series. Sometimes you just need a solid standalone story, and this did the job.

My first actual five star of the year. So cute, so good. Goodness me. 

Revna

It was, okay. 14 year old me woulda loved it. It started to feel a bit rushed halfway through. Still enjoyed it. My biggest annoyance was that it was set in 1817 Edinburgh but one of the characters mentions a "W.C.". Also, as someone who knows Edinburgh really well, I felt it was lacking a little in describing the streets and surrounding areas - just a few landmarks thrown in to remind you where the story is set.

Krysten Floyd

As a women pursing a career in medicine, the protagonist fiercely reignited the passion that I have for it.  It deeply resonated with this character and I was rooting for her since the first chapter. Plus a romance, mixed with murder, mixed with medicine all set in a 19th century Scotland infuriating social scene? Hell yes. 

Sarahi Flores

I am in love with this book! It has that Gothic atmospheric vibes that I love in books and this is more of a twisty tale. The passion, the love, the murders and mystery, it's all in this book. Definitely recommending this book to all. The narrator to the audiobook also did a great job with the dialogue in the story!
Thank you Netgalley, Scwartz, and McMillan Audio for letting me have the chance to listen to this novel.

Intelligent female lead fighting her way into the male-dominated medical field in the 1800s. This book felt like relaxing with a good show - it was a little dark (I mean its centered around grave robbing & 1800s medicine) and had a little mystery. The mystery element I felt was predictable, but overall I enjoyed reading this book. My favorite part was when she was running a makeshift hospital out of her house for people who couldn’t afford proper medical care. I think i could’ve read more chapters of just her caring for different patients it was so interesting. 

Alli

Andrea

Los personajes me han gustado mucho pero creo que el final ha sido muy precipitado (además de doloroso). No han explicado, a mi parecer, bien las cosas y podría haber sido mucho mejor.

Jackie Siegel

An interesting book about medicine and love and courage in the 1800’s. Set in Edinburgh, a bit anti-climactic and ambiguous but overall a decent read

Anatomy: A Love Story

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