** I received an ARC for an honest review**
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Description
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver. For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .
Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice. Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.
James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .
Summary
I recently read The Resurrectionist, a gothic dark academia novel by US author A. Rae Dunlap.
Review
In The Resurrectionist, Dunlap has crafted a compelling gothic atmosphere that portrays the eerie 19th-century Edinburgh and the illegal practices of body-snatching. Dunlap provides thorough depictions of medical practices and the 19th century Edinburgh when scientific curiosity often clashed with the societal and religious norms of the time. It is pleasing to see character development from a naive aristocrat to a morally conflicted surgeon contrasted with secondary character Nye’s charm and recklessness adds depth to their relationship. The inclusion of a queer romance between the protagonists is wonderful to see and crafted with sensitivity.
The Resurrectionist explores the ethical dilemmas during a historical time of medical advancement and societal prejudice. These themes combine with personal transformations and queer elements of the novel. The inclusion of the infamous figures of Burke and Hare add menace and tension to the plot as the illegal cadaver market of 19th century Edinburgh escalates dangerously.
Conclusion
A recommended read! A combination of the gothic, history, dark academia and mystery with elements of queer fiction. This is a perfect read for fans of Robert Louis Stephenson’s ‘The Body Snatchers’ and novels including The Alienist and The Lieberman Papers where readers will enjoy this dark exploration of Victorian era medicine and queer fiction.
**This review reflects my personal opinion and does not influence any official judging decisions.**
Leanbh Pearson 