Reviews with content warning for Torture - Sin Eater

This book is so moving. I teared up multiple times while reading about May’s lot in life. Her character is so brave and scared and well written. I loved her progression through the story, and her determination to do what she sees as right. She’s such a human character with flaws a teenager would have, and the goodness they possess as well.

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lunarpeach's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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christoco's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

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a_mad_obrien's review against another edition

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hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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cleopatravii's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced

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

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aliyyah's review against another edition

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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.

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.

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coolbeans's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Venturing into a not oft-traveled genre for me, I picked up Sin Eater with it's historical 16th-century England setting and medieval vibes. The hook for me was the interesting main character and the author did indeed deliver the goods. May, caught stealing bread to survive, is punished by being branded a Sin Eater. Sin Eaters must listen to the final confessions of the dying and eat ritualistic foods that represent the sins the dying have confessed to so that they may be accepted by the Maker in heaven. This was a very interesting and fascinating story that focused on May and how she copes with this dramatic change in her role in society.

The mystery that is teased in the book blurb for this title does indeed play a part of the story as it drives the character through the plot, but I found myself much more interested in May's evolution as a character. The author does a wonderful job of putting on the main character's skin and letting us see on the ground level the brutal, unrelenting daily life the young woman endures throughout the novel. This is not a happy story. This story does not hold back in it's stark, raw outlook of life during this time period.

No sudden reversals of bad fortune or miraculous happy ever after here.

But, that's what made this book all the more interesting to read. The author doesn't ask you to suspend your belief for plot points such as the previous mentioned. Here is the story, this is how it is. I admired that. I also admired the growth of May and how she finds her footing in the brutal world she walks through.

If you like a medieval setting with a major focus on the daily trials of the main character who just happens to have an unusual role, this would be a pick for you. The murder mystery aspect of the story is not a major focus and is not spoken of as much as I thought it would be, but it is an extra element of the plot to enjoy. Interesting main character, moody atmosphere, satisfying ending. Would have liked more Country Mouse, but alas, twas not realistic, I understand.

I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. Kudos to the Sin Eaters for eating some food items that sounded terribly disgusting. I guess that was the least of their problems, to be honest.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this title.

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