ANATOMY: the must-read Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

No spoilers

Never in my wilder dreams had I imagined I would ever read a medical fiction with an aspiring female surgeon as a protagonist set in the Victorian era. This book was everything I never thought I would get served in a book together. It made me feel guilty for misjudging it altogether, even before starting it. I really thought it would be another average book, but I never knew I was in for a surprise. I love it when a book manages to amuse me by surpassing my expectations.Set in Edinburg in the early 19th century, Hazel Sinnett had always wanted to become a surgeon. But she has been engaged to her cousin since childhood, who wants her to take over the Almont house. Imagine wanting to be a surgeon in the 19th century as a girl! Hazel goes against the norms and sneaks her way into the forbidden anatomist society, where she meets Jack - the body resurrector, who illegally sells corpses to doctors for examination. But mind you, Jack is not the villain here. He has to do what he has to do for survival, and he has his set of problems, too. There are greater evils going around, and Hazel and Jack promise to uncover them together.To start with, this book was marketed as a gothic romance. But it was less gothic and more of an excellent mystery thriller with historical romance. If anything, it felt like a Little Women / Jane Austen girl x Disney male protagonist x Sidney Sheldon crossover. It goes without saying that no romance book has ever managed to impress me in the past quite like this one. It's commendable how the author has taken snippets from medical history and woven them all together in a wonderful tale, except for a very few inaccuracies. These were the things we were taught in medical schools as a part of medical history. If only they had taught us this way.There are a few inaccuracies and a bit of a melodrama towards the end, though the book never really ends. It's left with an open ending for us to find in the sequel, which I eagerly look forward to. But this book is definitely going to be one of my top reads of the year.MY REVIEW: 4.5/5

this is a sweet young adult romance set in Edinburgh in the early 1800s. i loved the setting and the vibes. i'm not a fan of the ending but the sequel is coming out next year so fingers crossed.

First and foremost, let’s talk about that striking cover image of a heart at first glance and on deeper scrutiny reveal the woman with a bent head and the dress that is spread out. And once you read this story, you realize how aptly the image has been conjured capturing everything and more, that the author has conveyed. Hats off to the designer.Anatomy by Dana Schwartz is an extremely riveting tale, the author having the extraordinary ability to transport the reader to the exact setting of the story and endure the emotional upheavals of its characters in the dark and forbidding atmosphere. The historical era is captured so brilliantly and the gothic overtones add a kind of brooding atmosphere that every time Jack as a resurrectionist goes to a graveyard, I was walking in his footfalls and experiencing the same terror he was going thru. It makes one think of the predicament of the doctors and surgeons of that era who had to resort to these illegal means to make strides in the medical field.Hazel’s character is another factor in the book that I absolutely loved. Her intense desire to study medicine and become a surgeon and her ability to use textbook knowledge to treat patients secretly, everything about her endears her to the reader. There are lots of puzzling incidents in the story, the threads of which never get tied up completely, and knowing that there is another book in the series, I am all in anticipation mode to know the progress of this love story which was hardly a love story.Anatomy, book #1 in the A Love story series is historical fiction with gothic flavors and fantasy elements woven through it.

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"Maybe she could become a midwife, the mad lady in a tiny cottage in the woods with a stocked apothecary of roots and herbs and foul-smelling teas, who helped women in need. She would be a surgeon, a teacher, a witch - a cautionary tale told in threat to trembling debutantes before the coming-outs. A myth."Set in the early 1800s Edinburgh, Anatomy, is a young adult fiction with the classic rich girl-poor boy trope. But it would be an injustice to call the book just a love story, because it is so much more.It addresses some of the important social issues prevalent in the Regency era. Schwartz has beautifully described the dominance of men over women and how certain professional fields were strictly restricted to men and women were actively discouraged from pursuing those fields.It also highlights the disparity between the rich and the poor, and Schwartz points us to every aspect of life where it becomes apparent, be it medical attention or a proper send off after death.The best part about the book was that inspite of dealing with such heavy topics, the tone was light and at some points downright hilarious, ensuring that it's an easy read for both young and adult readers.I personally loved all the history of the medical advancements of that era, starting from success of vaccination to the initiation of heart transplant. Also, the Potterhead in me couldn't help loving the references to the Philosopher's Stone. I get super excited when I find a book that I've read mentioned in another book that I'm reading. 😆Seeing as to how long this review is turning out to be, I'll have to cut short here and just tell you that I loved the book. It's fun, there's history and also cute romance (which is not at all overdone). So if that's your thing, you should definitely pick this book up.

The media could not be loaded. Book with pretty cover and story I liked it when I read it online so i was excited to have a copy of my own.

La historia no me gustó nada, lo compré solamente para un club de lectura pero la calidad del libro es muy buena

I knew I would enjoy the subject matter because I love a good gothic novel, especially in the vein of Frankenstein. This was so much more and I thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact I couldn't put it down!

Lindo e super delicado , achei uma leitura fluida com enredo muito interessante…

What are your options in 1817 if you are from a titled family, your greatest desire in the world is to become a surgeon, you have re-read an old copy of the best surgical book around to prepare yourself, and you have been told being a surgeon isn’t possible because you are female? Unless of course, you can pass the medical examination without taking the classes and learning the dissections. Hazel Sinnett knows reading the latest tome will only get her so far but having dead bodies to dissect like the students in the class . . .Enter Jack Currer, one of the local resurrection men who exhumes freshly buried bodies and sells them to the anatomy school. Can he find bodies for Hazel while staying out of reach of whoever is kidnapping resurrection men? Hazel and Jack work together to solve the mystery of the missing men, while their romance slowly builds. Hazel hones her medical skills caring for local villagers, some of whom have vague dreams of being treated by local doctors. Another mystery they come to solve together. I loved Hazel and Jack! Although they were from different backgrounds, their characters are so likeable. They were perfect for each other.Dana Schwartz has crafted an amazing story that I could not put down. I loved the gothic feel of the story as it added to the mystery surrounding the storyline. Hawthornden Castle is the perfect backdrop for Hazel’s home! The anatomical and historical aspects are thoroughly researched and well-written. Her narrative easily places you in the side streets and back alleys of Old Edinburgh. You are completely immersed in the surgery amphitheater as Dr. Beecham anesthetizes his patient and conducts surgery.I thoroughly enjoyed Anatomy: A Love Story! Hazel’s courageous spirit and tenacity make her a worthy opponent for any adversary. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel to see more of the dark, murky world Ms. Schwartz has created.

I needed more historical fiction on my shelf, so I decided to give this duology a go, and I was absolutely hooked! Here we meet Hazel, a young woman who'd rather be a surgeon than marry. She soon crosses paths with a man named Jack who works as a "resurrection man" who could be able to help her achieve her dream. But bodies have been disappearing, and soon it's up to Hazel and Jack to find out the truth.This was a haunting Gothic story, and I'm excited to see what happens in the sequel!