Review - The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen

Oliver has a talent as a necromancer. He keeps it well hidden since it’s widely looked down upon. He trained as a doctor and now works as the pathologist for the Paranormal Society, a group that looks into crimes involving magic and paranormal beings. Felipe is one of the investigators. Oliver has had a crush on Felipe for a few years, but he’s too introverted to make his feelings known. A macabre event forces the two together, making them face their feelings.

“The Reanimator’s Heart” is a slightly steampunk paranormal fantasy set in a nineteenth century-styled New York where shifters like werewolves and people with magical abilities are real. The world-building is well done, based on already common popular mythology about demons, magic and shifters. The characters and scene have enough of authentic nineteenth century New York background to be very believable.

We get a really good picture of Oliver’s personality over the course of the story. I think it’s safe to say Oliver is neurodivergent, existing somewhere on the autistic spectrum. He has an eye for detail and a good memory for all sorts of arcane facts, but doesn’t pick up well on social cues. By contrast, Felipe is more outgoing and personable. His relationships seem to reflect what was probably common at the time, with men marrying women to keep up appearances.

For all the excellent world-building and character building, this book didn’t quite hit the mark with me. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly why, but it’s probably a combination of factors: the macabre story elements; a slow-burn romance that doesn’t quite gel; and some magical legerdemain that’s a little too convenient.

“The Reanimator's Heart” is available from Smashwords or see BookBub for other online sources for your copy.