Scan barcode
aliteracja's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Classism, and Bullying
Minor: Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
fromdusktildom's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Bullying
aliyyah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"Faith is a bloody business."
The Sin Eater is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
The Sin Eater is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
This novel is about a fourteen year old orphan girl who is caught stealing bread, and thus is sentenced to become a sin eater. Sin eaters are women who consume the sins of an individual upon their death, freeing their soul and allowing them to enter heaven. These women however must now carry these sins to their own graves.
I was drawn to this book because of the premise as it struck me as extremely unique and I was not disappointed. I really loved the plot. I think this concept is absolutely fascinating, and learning that this ritual was actually done in the British Isles from the early 1600’s to the 20th century made this novel even richer to me. This book also has a little mystery that, while not at the forefront of the story, is still done very well and had me intrigued from the start.
The main focus of this book is our protagonist, May. While there are a lot of minor characters sprinkled throughout the novel, the heart of this book lies with her. I adored May and I highly enjoyed watching her move through her life. She struggles with being a sin eater but by the end we see a sense of hopefulness from her. May battles with a lot of internal conflict that relate to her family, who she truly is as a person and where exactly does she fit in this world. I felt everything she felt and at times I was completely aching. It was a delight to witness her emotional journey and for me, that was the best part of this book.
I highly enjoyed the writing. It flowed smoothly and captured my attention very easily. I love the atmosphere created by Campisi as well as the religious and political aspects. This book was heavily inspired by 16th century England and I loved the similarities between the history of their world and ours.
Overall I had such an amazing time with this book, and would definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gore, Torture, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, and Death of parent
More...