Literally Leander discussion

This month, we're reading Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz. There are definitely spoilers in the discussion prompts, so consider yourself warned if you haven't already finished the book.

Anatomy came out early in 2022 and was an instant hit for YA readers; it was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award last year. It's the opening of a historical fiction duology, with its sequel, Immortality: A Love Story published in February of this year.

Our discussion prompts come from Forever Young Adult, a community of YA readers. Please feel free to use them, but remember, you don't have to!

1. Between the dissections Hazel attends, the medicine she practices at home, and the newsy excerpts between chapters, this book features a lot of 19th century medicine, and Schwartz doesn’t hold back from writing squeamish details. Did you find this interesting or did it make you queasy, or both? What did you think of Schwartz’s world-building overall?

2. Hazel was reluctant to let go of her engagement to her cousin Bernard, because being a viscountess would guarantee her a comfortable life, even if it meant she couldn’t be a proper doctor. Did you understand her reluctance, or did you want Bernard to get stuffed? What would you have done?

3. Jack is what was known as a “Resurrection Man” – a fancy term for body snatcher – who was paid by doctors to dig up fresh graves and bring them corpses to practice medicine on. Did this affect the way you felt about Jack?

4. What did you think of the romance between Hazel and Jack? Do you think Anatomy: A Love Story refers to their romance, or Hazel’s love of medicine?

5. Hazel doesn’t hesitate to hire Jack to bring her corpses, so that she could pass Dr. Beecham’s exam. If the villains of the story are stealing parts and organs from people off the street, is Hazel any more in the “right” if she is stealing corpses?

6. In the end, it’s revealed that Dr. Beecham had uncovered the secret to immortality, which gave the book a magical twist – what did you think of this turn the story took?

7. Do you think Hazel should have taken the immortality serum? If you were Hazel, would you have taken it?

8. What did you think of that ending? Do you think Jack is alive and he and Hazel will be reunited? Do you plan to read the sequel, Immortality?