Cora, the illegitimate child of a wealthy socialite, is born with a physical anomaly that makes her of scientific interest. Cora's Aunt Charlotte raises her--and Charlotte is only too well of the danger presented by Cora's two hearts. To keep her hidden from anatomist's who would love to dissect such an interesting specimen, Charlotte initially disguises Cora as "Jacob," in hopes that the legend of the girl with two hearts would eventually dwindle away.
Ironically, Cora becomes the only female resurrectionist in New York, exhuming bodies for the medical establishment for dissection and allowing Cora to be aware of what physical abnormalities the anatomists are eager to examine. When the legend of the girl with two hearts is suddenly revived, Cora's safety is at risk. And someone is killing the people on Cora's list before their time.
An intriguing mystery that highlights medical advancement and the New York of the mid-1800's, The Impossible Girl had several twists that I wasn't expecting. Cora proved an interesting character in interesting times!
Read in June; blog review scheduled for 9/2/18.
NetGalley/Lake Union Publishing
Historical Mystery. Sept. 18, 2018. Print length: 364 pages.
I've heard several good things about this novel. And I like the time period. And interesting characters like Cora. So I will definitely be adding this one to my list. :D
ReplyDeleteCertainly an interesting premise! I never thought about the idea that the medical community being interested in studying physical abnormalities, but of course they were.
DeleteSounds interesting with the time period and the premise as well. Will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting examination of the importance of resurrectionists to the advancement of medicine, even if it was a weird and creepy method of obtaining bodies for dissection.
DeleteThis sounds so intriguing, and Cora so determined and well ahead of her time, I feel -- a medical resurrectionist is not something I have ever heard of before.
ReplyDeleteBodies used at for teaching anatomy at medical schools were originally those of criminals; later, bodies of the poor were also used. But it takes a lot of cadavers for dissection, and ressurectionists robbed graves and sold the bodies to anatomy schools. Of course, folks like Burke and Hare didn't wait for people to die of natural causes.
DeleteHmmm. How was this in terms of the "gore" factor? I used to have to cover my eyes when watching the dissection scenes in CSI but I can't do that when reading! LOL.
ReplyDeleteNot really a gore factor, but definitely a creepy thought that if you had a physical abnormality, someone might want to hurry your demise.
Deleteok.. insta cover love! I gaped LOL and medical advancement and the New York of the mid-1800's?? WOW how interesting!
ReplyDelete:) It was interesting!
DeleteI find all that medical advancement stuff from the 1800s fascinating. Well, in a shocked but fascinated way so this book really sounds intriguing. Cool cover too!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover, too. Medical practice and research has come a long way!
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