The Resurrectionist, by Eric Hudspeth

Not sure if I liked the form or idea better, but does it matter when they complement each other? This is book that gave me a feeling of someone who tried something interesting and it worked. The drawings are magnificent and while the basic story is not really breaking any new ground the combination of text and images brings the book to life in a way that surprised me.

That I would like to have seen a much longer novel where the character was more fully developed - and both the different events and the creatures where described in more details - I think the short format and almost sketch-like writing added to the feeling of realism.

The book tells the story of Spencer Black. He is a 19th-century physician who as a young boy helps his father, who is a professor of anatomy, with grave-robbing. He is fascinated with anatomy and one of the first areas he focus on are transformations in the insect world. Then he takes this further to the human body where deformations becomes his passion. This passion then leads him on a path where he ventures into new territories. Territories where madness and genius are very close to each other.

A short story where metamorphosis , anatomy, myths are reflected in illustrations that pays homage to the early scientists is something woth experiencing, and I hope as many as possible will give the book the chance it deserves.