The Situation: It has been roughly a year since Hazel dressed in the clothes of her older brother and attended classes at the Royal Edinburgh Anatomist's Society, where women are not allowed. This is also when she met Jack - whose fate she is still not sure of - as well as Dr. Beecham, a man who was able to achieve the impossible. Now she is alone, living only when a few servants, as her mother has decided to leave the area with her youngest brother. Despite not being a real doctor, Hazel has found a steady, though often discreet, customer base among those who have a reason not to seek out the assistance of more well-known, and well-respected doctors. Some are eager for her help, while others are simply desperate. Hazel is glad for it, though she wonders how long she will be able to keep it up.
The Problem: When Hazel is arrested after helping one of her many desperate clients, she fears her habit of doing shady operations under dubious circumstances will indeed prove to be her end, but then help comes from the most unlikely of places. It seems the royals have heard of the female doctor with passable skill and the neatest stitches anyone has seen, and their hope is that the beloved Princess Charlotte will be more willing to be examined by one of her own sex, and that Hazel will be able to diagnose the mysterious illness that has caused the princess to call off her wedding. Hazel may have been saved from jail, but being in service to royalty has its own complications. And when Hazel encounters a secret social club known as the Companions to the Death, the events and secrets of the past year come back in a new way.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of young adult historical fiction set in the early 1800s, taking place almost entirely in and around London. Hazel is sent there to help take care of the ailing and well-loved Princess Charlotte, whose variety of symptoms have stumped the best doctors in England. Here, Schwartz admits to taking some liberties with real historical figures for the sake of the story, as well as some points in the history of medicine, particularly when it comes to the first uses of anesthesia. While the first book dealt more with Hazel's studies and the practice of medical students and doctors purchasing corpses to work with, this one looks further into the political aspect of it all, including the presence of secret societies that attempt to orchestrate things to follow their own agenda.
My Verdict: From the start, the pacing and tone of this book is wonderful. Hazel may be done with school, but she is still learning, and her commitment to her patients, to gaining knowledge, and to working on her treatise gives this book a fun beginning as Hazel navigates the reality of being a female doctor at a time when that is frowned upon. Moving her into the company of royalty once again gives her a new problem to solve, and a new group to prove herself to, while still wrestling with the events of the previous book. Sure, the adventures in digging up dead bodies were thrilling, but now Hazel must move among royalty, and penetrate the inner workings of a secret society, all while holding out hope that Jack is still alive. It may seem like a lot, but Schwartz handles it well, providing a new kind of adventure, and love story, that will keep readers guessing without leaving them exhausted.
Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* Hazel being able to correctly guess what is wrong with the princess is naturally a wonderful and triumphant moment, especially considering what the diagnosis turns out to be.
Favorite Character: Dr. Simon von Ferris is a Swedish doctor, and the latest one brought in to assist the royal family with the ailing King. He has every reason to not be on Hazel's side, and yet he is, even when it is clear they may be working at cross-purposes.
Recommended Reading: I will recommend Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, which I am aware can be a slog, but I promise it is worth it.
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