Some Rise by Sin
Some Rise by Sin by Siôn Scott-Wilson, published by Deixis Press in 2021, is a historical fiction novel that delves into the world of body snatchers in 19th-century London. Set against the backdrop of 1829, the story follows Sammy and Facey, two resurrection men who navigate the grim streets while masquerading as bakers. Their lives take a turn when they receive a tip about a rare cadaver—a hermaphrodite—drawing the attention of a renowned anatomist. This narrative captures the complexities and dangers of their trade, highlighting the societal pressures faced by those on the fringes.
Readers will find a richly detailed exploration of ambition and survival in a society that often marginalizes the poor. The book presents an authentic portrayal of the darker aspects of Regency London, filled with both grotesque and humorous moments. As Sammy and Facey embark on their perilous quest for the unusual body, they uncover secrets that complicate their mission. With a page count of 412, this edition offers an immersive experience into a meticulously researched historical setting, making it a compelling read for fans of crime and thriller genres.
Official synopsis Publisher
“I felt I was eavesdropping on genuine 19th-century grave robbers . . . the author’s skilled prose . . . convinced me. I felt I was there in the rough and tumble streets of 1830s London. Grotesque, pathetic, yet with poignant moments of calm and welcome humour.”
-TRACY CHEVALIER
“This book is a masterpiece … Some Rise by Sin is a dark dark book, though often hilarious, and with a masterful voice. Buy this book immediately.”
-NICK MAMATAS
“Siôn Scott-Wilson seems very much to be a writer after my own heart. Some Rise By Sin proved pretty much impossible to put down … masterfully plotted and presented, with indelible characters.”
-ALAN MOORE
1829 is a tough year to be a body snatcher. Burke and Hare have just been convicted of killing people to sell their bodies, to widespread outrage-but despite the bad press, doctors still need fresh corpses for medical research.
Sammy and Facey are a couple of so-called ‘resurrection men’, making a living among society’s fringe-dwellers by hoisting the newly departed from the churchyards of London whilst masquerading as late-night bakers. Operating on tip-offs and rumours in the capital’s drinking dens and fighting pits, the pair find themselves in receipt of some valuable intelligence: an unusual cadaver has popped up on the market, that of a hermaphrodite.
For any medic worth his salt it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity-a medical curiosity and rara avis-and famous anatomist Joshua Brookes commissions the two men to obtain the body, at any cost. But some corpses hold secrets, and before long the enterprise becomes a deadlier and more complex undertaking than either man could ever have imagined.
Some Rise by Sin is a rich, authentic and absorbing historical narrative with a darker edge, a story of surviving on the outskirts of respectability. With echoes of Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White, it is meticulously researched and suffused with the dark and grimy atmosphere of Regency London, and explores what ambition can mean for poor people in a society that conspires to grind them down at every turn.
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