A young adult gothic historical fiction story, set in the heart of Edinburgh in 1817. A unique tale of a girls quest to become a surgeon but what she discovers along the way is not what she expected.
Book Synopsis
Book Details
Pages: 338
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Piatkus
Format: Paperback
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, then.
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.
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Review
* Non-Spoiler Review*
I have had this book for at least 6 months, so when I found myself leaning towards it I took the plunge and brought the book with me on holiday. The flight definitely held me get into the swing of things.
The two MC’s Hazel and Jack are likeable characters, their storyline fall into the classic trope of one from a rich background and one from a poor background. Which I am not annoyed by because historical fiction can commonly have this trope included “two worlds collide so to speak”.
I found the anatomy elements in the book for be fascinating, well described but not gorgy to put off many people. Hazel’s storyline was refreshing and engaging, it added to the overall arching theme. While Jack’s was a little more subtle in seeing where his adventures might take him. But Schwartz blended both storylines well and the overarching plot had a good twist and was a good pace.
The mystery element added another layer to the overall story and kept you guessing just enough but also in a predictable way (I’m not sure if that makes sense?!)
Overall, a tasty gothic romance with murder, mystery and a dash of modern thinking for that time.
Spice Rating: 1/6 – See my rating system here
Book Rating: 3.5/5
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