Anatomy

A Love Story

By: Dana Schwartz

Narrated by: Mhairi Morrison, Tim Campbell

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

This audiobook includes a bonus interview with the author.

*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

*INSTANT #1 INDIE BESTSELLER*

*INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER*

*A REESE'S YA BOOK CLUB PICK*

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, 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.

©2022 Dana Schwartz (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

*INSTANT #1 INDIE BESTSELLER*

*INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER*

*A REESE'S YA BOOK CLUB PICK*

2022, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2022, Chapters Indigo Best of the Year, Long-listed

"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

"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

Loved everything about this book…until the ending

Loved everything about this book…until the ending. Don’t get me wrong this was a great read! The last final details of the plot just disappointed me. Otherwise I couldn’t put this book down.

Read It!!

This books is amazing! One of my favorite books of the year, with characters and themes that will stay with me for a long time. The narrator is fantastic, and I even enjoyed the conversation with the author at the end. I Wish I could read it again for the first time!

Good with some flaws

CAUTION SPOILER ALERT: It took almost half of the book for me to feel invested. The chapters of the book that were read by Dr Beacham often felt out of place, or like an interruption. My biggest issue is that the whole concept of the book is that we have a woman who is passionate about science and medicine. She fights to be able to learn and practice medicine. But then the whole premise of the end of the book is…magic. The concept was cool but it felt like this magic elixir was out of left field.

Couldn’t stop reading!

Visually captivating. Completely intriguing. And, heart wrenching. I could not recommend more! Absolutely. Must read!

It gets better

If you can wade through the first four chapters, you will find an intriguing story with some unexpected twists and turns. Glad I didn’t give up on it.

Brilliant!!!

This is an incredible book! Dana is creative with the plot and characters and using mesmerizing words! Mhairi has a beautiful voice - highly recommend!

Recommend

I really enjoyed this book. The story was fantastic and the medical details were perfection. I loved the main narrator - she did an excellent job.

Here's to hoping for a sequel!

Loved it!!

I listen to Dana’s podcast, so I wanted to give the book she had written a listen. It is so good. The narrator was excellent as well. Can’t wait for book 2!

Fantastic

This book is really well done. I love the characters, the science, the history! Read this now.

Brilliant narration and plot!

I'm an avid listener to Dana's podcast "Noble Blood" for a while now and didn't realize she wrote this book until mentioning the squeal coming out at the start of an episode. Brilliant novel with a few unexpected twists at the end! The pacing was just right as well - didn't feel rushed or at a lull. The description of Edinburgh made the city feel as if it was a main character in the novel.