Published: 2022 (Anatomy), 2023 (Immortality)
Series: Anatomy Duology
Author: Dana Schwartz
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Gothic, Horror, Supernatural
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 9-12 (Young Adult)
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Anatomy: A Love Story; Immortality: A Love Story
Triggers: Medical procedures, gore, violence, graphic descriptions of human anatomy, death, illness, prison conditions
Review By: Nicole Nicosia
Publisher’s Summary:
Anatomy: A Love Story: “Edinburgh, 1817. 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, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect. 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. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.”
Immortality: A Love Story:
“Beecham has disappeared. Is Jack alive or dead? Hazel does not know, but she is determined to carry on her medical practice in Hawthornden Castle until she finds out. When saving a life leads to her arrest, Hazel seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: Hazel has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly granddaughter of King George III. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamour and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death. As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn’t the only thing at stake for her. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.”
Review:
Hazel Sinnett and Jack Currer are incredibly compelling characters. Hazel is a member of the aristocracy in Edinburgh, but she longs to be a surgeon, going so far as to impersonate a young man to attend medical lectures. Jack is a resurrection man who steals bodies from graves for aspiring doctors and hospitals to perform experiments on and to use to teach with. Jack lives in a theater and scrapes by a living by completing his grave robbery and other odd jobs. The two fortuitously meet and team up to find out why so many people have been disappearing with paranoia that the viral Roman Fever has returned.
I found the beginning of the first novel somewhat sluggish as the characters and back story had to be developed. Once this foundation was achieved, the conflict and tension increased. Readers will be kept intrigued by this mystery, and there is quite a twist at the end of this novel—solving the mystery reveals more depth to this story which adds more drama to the novel. Revealing the twist would spoil the ending, but captivated readers will fall for the characters and long for more.
Immortality: A Love Story serves as the stunning finale to the Anatomy Duology and is full of surprises for the reader. While Anatomy: A Love Story was a slow burn, Immortality immediately picks up the pace with suspense and action. Hazel is swept away to court, where new characters based on actual historical figures live, and where she must solve medical mysteries in order to continue to survive and be free. Hazel is also invited to join a secret society, The Companions to the Death, and she is unsure of their motives or purpose. Hazel also learns the fate of Jack Currer. Will Hazel continue to pursue her dreams of being a surgeon or follow a different destiny?
There is a little bit of everything to this duology—adventure, science, history, romance, mystery, and more. Be sure to look twice at the cover of the first book—is it a heart or a girl (Hazel Sinnett) wearing a ballgown? Ultimately, Hazel Sinnett is a character that will inspire young women to dream for more and to achieve their goals in life.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies / World History: The duology offers a rich window into early 19th-century society, exploring the stark class divides of Regency-era Edinburgh and the London royal court of King George III and Princess Charlotte. It serves as a fantastic launching pad for discussing class stratification and monarchical politics.
- Science / History of Medicine: These books connect beautifully to the history of science, the evolution of surgical practices, anatomical study, and the historic hurdles women faced when trying to enter medical and scientific fields.
- English Language Arts (ELA): Perfect for analyzing gothic literary elements, suspense building, pacing shifts between duology installments, and the integration of real historical figures into speculative fiction.
Diversity & Representation:
This duology features exceptional feminist representation through Hazel Sinnett, an aristocratic young woman who completely defies the restrictive gender roles of her time to pursue a career in surgery. Additionally, the story highlights the lives, struggles, and perspectives of marginalized working-class individuals, like Jack, who are forced to take dangerous, illegal jobs just to survive in an unequal society.
Readalikes:
- Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
- The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman
