A gothic tale full of mystery and romance about a willful female surgeon, a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living, and the buried secrets they must uncover together.
I came to know Dana Schwartz work though on of my absolute favorite podcasts, Maintenance Phase. She appeared on their episode about Marie Antoinette and is an expert in many things royal. Her work is witty, disruptive, and great fun. However, I hadn't read any of her fiction work, so I was so excited to see her writing style.
Her writing matches her generally irreverent tone and grasp of the dramatic aspects of storytelling. Schwartz is not a historian so her work has a different sensibility to it which translated well to her fictional work. Not to mention that this cover is one of my favorites (and yes, even though it's only January 2022 as I am writing this, I think it's safe to say it will land among my top 10 for the year).
Anatomy: A Love Story follows Lady Hazel Sinnett and resurrection man, Jack Currer, through the dirty streets of 1800s Edinburgh. The city is fearful as reports of the Roman fever is back and killing people. Amidst the chaos, Hazel attempts to break the glass ceiling of female physicians but little does she realize that she is in a web of deception. As the story progresses, Hazel and Jack attempt to figure out who is kidnapping resurrection men.
Schwartz's story is a fun read. It's witty and atmospheric. The characters are engaging and feel real to life. However, the plot is a little all over the map. I felt like I was reading a completely different book the last 1/4 of the book. It just kind of goes off in a very different direction. That said, it's part Grey's Anatomy, part Law & Order, and part Victorian drama and ends up as a fun adventure through the past and the city.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the early access in exchange for my honest review.
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