Immortality ~ Dana Schwartz

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I really enjoyed Anatomy, the first book in this duology, so Immortality had a lot to live up to. Sadly this book was not really set in Edinburgh, as the first book was. And if you have seen any of my previous posts, you'll know I love books set in Edinburgh. That being said, I loved this book and absolutely flew through it! In general I find sequels to be faster/easier reads as I think, in most cases, there is less world building and lore as this is typically carried out in the first book. Without the need for so much build up, a lot of sequels tend to feel faster paced. Additionally, the fact that we already know (and hopefully love) the characters makes it easier to get lost in a sequel.

The problem with sequels comes if they stray too far from the first book, and no longer feel related. Fortunately, this was not the case for the Anatomy Duology. Don't get me wrong, the atmosphere and themes of Immortality are quite different to that of Anatomy, but they feel like a natural progression of the story. Just be aware, if you are going into this expecting more gritty victorian Edinburgh, it may fall short for you.

Speaking of story progression (without giving away any spoilers) I think Immortality followed on from the bombshell dropped in Anatomy perfectly! This was a masterclass of how to write a sequel with it's own plot, whilst still following on from the overarching story introduced in the first book. And I think it concluded the series perfectly. Of course I would love to read more of Hazel's adventures, but I think it was a good choice on the author's part to end the series here so as not to drag it out. That being said, I wouldn't mind it being dragged out! There is something to be said for recognising when go conclude a series, so I applaud Dana Schwartz for this!

I also felt the characters grew and evolved beautifully, as they did in Anatomy. There was character development both off and on page, between the two books as well as in them*. It was lovely to see Hazel grow in confidence and skill. And I loved the introduction of new characters. I think in the first book, Hazel was a bit isolated with Jack being her only friend, so I enjoyed seeing her interact with other important characters and build new relationships. And following on from that point, the love interest(s) were great. Honestly I kept flipping between who I hoped Hazel would choose.

Additionally, the introduction of a secret society of famous individuals was so fun. Although, at first, it felt a bit bizarre, it made sense, really, and helped carry the story along and tie up loose ends.

Overall, I was really impressed with this book and would absolutely recommend if you are looking for a fun read!

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