Title: Anatomy: A Love Story
Author: Dana Schwartz
Narrator: Mhairi Morrison & Tim Campbell
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release Date: 2022
Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Format: Audiobook
Duration: 9 hrs 35 mins
Reading Level/Interest Level: Grades 9-12
Awards or Honors: None
Plot Summary
The year is 1817 and Hazel Sinnet is 17 years old at a time when women were expected to marry a wealthy man, have children, and maintain their social calendars. But Hazel wants none of these things. In fact, all she cares about is becoming a surgeon, a goal that is prevented by her gender. Hazel is determined to fulfill her dream, so she dresses like a man and signs up for classes with the renowned surgeon, Dr. Beecham, whose grandfather’s book she has obsessively studied for a majority of her life. Her ploy is quickly found out and she is kicked out of school, but not before striking a deal with the doctor: if she passes the medical examination on her own, he will allow her to enroll at the university and even offer her an internship. There’s only one problem. How will Hazel prepare for this test without any subjects to practice on?
Enter, Jack Currer, a resurrection man who spends his evenings digging up bodies and selling them to the highest bidder. When he and Hazel run into one another, she realizes he is the perfect solution to her problem and quickly strikes a deal to purchase cadavers from him. But Jack has other issues on his mind: his friends keep going missing, strange figures are lurking in the graveyards, and he’s lost his regular job at the theater due to the Roman fever that has resurfaced in Edinburgh. Jack and Hazel must work together to figure out what is plaguing Edinburgh amidst a sinister and mysterious setting that threatens their world as they know it.
Author Background
Dana Schwartz has a wealth of experience in storytelling, which she shares with her fans through a variety of mediums. In the podcasting world, she is known for being the host and creator of Noble Blood, as well as the original host for iHeart Radio’s podcast Haileywood. In the literary world, she has published 4 novels, including Anatomy. In the journalism world, she is known for publishing articles in a variety of outlets, including Entertainment Weekly, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post (Schwartz, n.d.).
Critical Evaluation
I loved this story so much! The pacing of the writing was good, the plot was interesting, the writing was solid, and the characters were fun. I especially loved the gothic aspect to the entire book and felt like I was fully entrenched in spooky 1800s Scotland. I think teens who have a love for historical fiction and gothic horror will fall in love with the writing and characters in this book. In terms of the audiobook quality, the voice acting was clear and precise. A majority of the book was read by Mhairi Morrison, with snippets from Dr. Beecham’s treatise read by Tim Campbell. The only issue I had with the voice acting was that it was tricky to figure out which characters were speaking at certain points. I couldn't decide if this was a writing issue or a VO issue because, for the most part, Morrison did a good job at adding inflection to the characters’ voices to differentiate them. There were some points of the story where it felt like we were switching perspectives between Hazel and Jack within the same scene, which was very confusing.
The romance between Jack and Hazel felt pretty one-sided for the majority of the story. I felt like Jack was way more invested than Hazel in their relationship, though I still did love the two of them together. I wanted more from her side: she didn’t really seem to be in love with him until the end, while he was smitten from the beginning. Their relationship seemed to escalate “off-screen,” which was kind of frustrating for readers. In terms of the ending, without spoilers, there wasn’t a whole lot of closure, though it did have a bittersweet end that felt fitting for the tone of this novel.
Creative Use for a Library Program
Step into Hazel’s role as a surgeon by hosting a tournament of the game “Operation,” with a prize for the winner!
Speed-Round Book Talk
Take a trip back into time to 1800s Scotland, where Hazel dreams of becoming a surgeon and Jack is just trying to live to see another day. Find out what happens when worlds collide and our two leads must work together to figure out what darkness is enveloping their city. With a gothic atmosphere, twisting mystery, and fast-moving plot, you will literally be unable to put this book down.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation
As a novel with surgery as one of its main components, there are quite a few gory descriptions that might make readers uneasy - especially in the audiobook version! There are also some depictions of violence in this novel as well. There are no official challenges to this book, but in anticipating a need to defend these issues, I would say that none of the descriptions are needless and all work to move the plot forward. Listeners can definitely skip forward through anything that they feel uncomfortable listening to.
Reason for Inclusion
This is overall an incredible book that I think teens will certainly resonate with. Hazel and Jack are characters who are striving to change their situations and work toward a goal, which is a timeless theme.
References
Goodreads. (2021, June 23). Dana Schwartz profile [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15485047.Dana_Schwartz
Muresetivoire. (2021, December 23). Death, my darling, is a romantic theory I will never overcome [Image], Tumblr. https://muresetivoire.tumblr.com/post/671385588028620800/death-my-darling-is-a-romantic-theory-i-will
Sam-hells-americana. (2020, February 27). Dark academia mood board [Image]. Tumblr. https://sam-hells-americana.tumblr.com/post/611145800209350656/dark-academia-mood-board-inspired-by-a-post-by
Schwartz, D. (n.d.). Home. Dana Schwartz. http://www.danaschwartzdotcom.com/
Schwartz, D. (2022). Anatomy: A love story [Cover Image]. Macmillan Audio. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Anatomy-A-Love-Story/dp/B094LHBQXW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WDY6ZYMQXQ00&keywords=anatomy+a+love+story&qid=1647036220&sprefix=anatomy+a+love+sto%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-1
Snootyfoxfashion. (2021, November 6). Original art by wickedwitched [Image]. Tumblr. https://snootyfoxfashion.tumblr.com/post/667143096568528896/original-art-by-wickedwitched-x-x-x
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