★ 02/01/2023
Gr 10 Up—In this sequel to Anatomy: A Love Story, Hazel Sinnett is alone. With no word from Jack Currer besides a cryptic note, she's beginning to believe that Dr. Beecham's tincture didn't work, and Jack is truly dead. All she can do is treat patients, both wealthy and poor, in Edinburgh. When saving a life leads to her arrest, Hazel prepares to be executed while rotting in prison. However, her life is spared when she receives a royal invitation to treat Charlotte, the beloved Princess of Wales. Hazel leaves behind kirkyards and body-stealing for a more dangerous and intriguing place, the Royal Court. Schwartz continues to seamlessly blend fiction with historical events, creating a richly detailed and engaging look at life in Regency London. While less macabre than Anatomy, the central mystery is intriguing and fun, with a delightful historical who's who in the form of a secret society. VERDICT An excellent follow up to the first book. Fans of Schwartz will not be disappointed. Recommend to readers of the first installment or fans of Gothic romance.—Kaetlyn Phillips
2023-02-08
Historical fiction with a side of gothic.
Having loved and lost grave-robbing Jack (who possibly survived being hanged thanks to serial killer Dr. Beecham’s tonic but has vanished), Hazel finds solace as the “lady doctor,” caring for Edinburgh’s poor while mourning Jack. Hazel pours her energy into writing a book of medical knowledge designed for ordinary people, not just educated male physicians. After being imprisoned for aiding a woman who aborted an unwanted pregnancy, Hazel is whisked to London to care for Princess Charlotte (as explained in the author’s note, Schwartz creates an alternate history here; the real Charlotte was married and had died in childbirth before her fictional counterpart appears). Once in London, the pacing picks up, but the plot largely maintains a slow burn until a flurry of late-game action. It’s easy to root for Hazel’s self-determination, but she is subsumed by her relationship with the Companions to the Death, a social club of great intellectuals who, as it happens, possess the same tincture and immortality as Beecham. A number of interesting concepts bubble to the surface in this duology closer but largely fizzle out before being fully developed—women’s intellectual rights, the price of immortality, the role of scientific knowledge in society, class tensions, and more. Hazel is White; side characters add some diversity in race and sexual orientation.
Accomplished prose deserving of a better plot. (Historical fantasy. 12-17)
Praise for Anatomy: A Love Story:
Cosmopolitan, "30 Best Young Adult Books of 2023 That You Don't Want to Miss"
"Irreverent, intelligent and smart, Dana Schwartz is one of the brightest of the next generation of young writers." —Neil Gaiman, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Schwartz's magical novel is at once gripping and tender, and the intricate plot is engrossing as the reader tries to solve the mystery. She doesn't miss a beat in either the characterization or action, scattering clues with a delicate, precise hand. This is, in the end, the story of the anatomy of the human heart." - Booklist (starred review)
"...an intimate look at how society decides who is worth healing and who is worth exploiting in the name of science. " - Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books
"A fast-paced, utterly engrossing tale of mystery, romance, and cadavers. Dana Schwartz deftly blends the historical with the supernatural, racing from macabre graveyards to Scottish castles with two compelling young heroes I dare you not to root for. I grinned, I gasped, I cried and ended this book breathless and craving more.” —Alwyn Hamilton, New York Times bestselling author of the Rebel of the Sands series
“Diabolically delightful. A love story, a murder mystery, and a horror novel bound up together in ghoulish stitches." —Maureen Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Truly Devious trilogy
"Lionhearted heroine you’ll root for from page one? Check. Dark academia vibes? Check. Cheeky romantic banter that will make you blush? Check, check and CHECK. Read this gripping, ridiculously clever tale only if you’re fully prepared to be haunted by its revelations about life and death while also swooning at the idea of flirting with someone in an open grave." —Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of You Have a Match and Tweet Cute
"[R]eaders will eagerly turn pages... A suspenseful, intricately plotted gothic romance, perfect for fans of macabre historical fiction. Recommend to readers who enjoy Kenneth Oppel’s 'The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein' series or Megan Shepherd’s 'Madman’s Daughter' trilogy." - School Library Journal (starred review)
Listeners are once again treated to the Scottish accents of Mhairi Morrison and Tim Campbell, the two narrators who brought Hazel and Jack to life in ANATOMY, the first in this historical romance series. Campell narrates occasionally, while Morrison handles most of the story, taking listeners back to early-nineteenth-century Scotland as Hazel, still raw from Jack's uncertain death, is practicing medicine. Soon she's swept into the unexpected worlds of prison and, later, the bedside of the Princess of Wales. Morrison embraces the mad pacing of these whirlwind developments and, more importantly, captures Hazel's emotional ups and downs as she misses Jack. Narration and story combine for a gripping listen. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Listeners are once again treated to the Scottish accents of Mhairi Morrison and Tim Campbell, the two narrators who brought Hazel and Jack to life in ANATOMY, the first in this historical romance series. Campell narrates occasionally, while Morrison handles most of the story, taking listeners back to early-nineteenth-century Scotland as Hazel, still raw from Jack's uncertain death, is practicing medicine. Soon she's swept into the unexpected worlds of prison and, later, the bedside of the Princess of Wales. Morrison embraces the mad pacing of these whirlwind developments and, more importantly, captures Hazel's emotional ups and downs as she misses Jack. Narration and story combine for a gripping listen. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
