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katclaybaugh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It was a great premise, and I loved most of it. There were moments when I had to fight to suspend my disbelief for the sin eater overhearing certain conversations between members of the court.
I also thought this book would’ve been more powerful if the focus of the novel was more entirely on May the sin eater and less on the court of Queen Elizabeth I aka Queen “Bethany”. It felt like the mystery at the court was a bit of a gimmick to mimic popular royal intrigue plot lines to keep us engaged. I felt like the character of May already had so much depth and the role of a sin eater was already so fascinating that the court intrigue felt unnecessary and overwhelmed the parts of this book that were truly special and unique.
Keeping the world more focused on May and less on the court would’ve allowed deeper explorations of the thematic aspects of - I had especially hoped for more exploration of her relationship to the Instrument Maker as a Jewish man who didn’t believe in sin eating.
Overall this premise was so unique and was an engaging, tender, dark but not unbearable sort of read, that I really enjoyed.
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Death, Ableism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Torture, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Miscarriage, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Ableism, Abortion, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity, Infertility, Classism, Animal death, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Incest, Alcohol, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia
salemander's review
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Ableism, Classism, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
christoco's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Infertility, Murder, Rape, Death of parent, Vomit, Child death, and Sexual violence
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, and Torture
cleopatravii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Torture, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Pedophilia
Minor: Abortion and Incest