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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Sin eating is a common concept. It was often thought back in eighteenth century England, Scotland and Wales that a person could sit and consume a ritual meal, and that by consuming this meal, the person would take on the sins of a person and cleanse them from their sins. Yet, I had managed never to hear of this strange, shamanistic custom until I picked up this book.
I bought this book at our local library's book sale, and I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it might be some sort of dystopian work or science-fiction, which I thought was odd because I associated Francine Rivers with Christian romance. I picked it up, and I was completely surprised to find that this book is more in the category of historical fiction.
There are parts of this book that I love. I love the concept. I love the set-up. I love the way that the lives and the hopelessness of these people is portrayed. I love the quest for the sin eater and Cadi's attempt to have her sins forgiven long before she dies.
There are parts of this book that I hate. I hate the angelic guidance. I hate the man of God and his odd quotations of scripture. I fail to see how he makes an understandable and relatable story of the gospel. It actually kind of makes me cringe. I feel like the solution to the story is kind of simplistic and one-dimensional.
Yet, the story is compelling. I am glad that I read it. I am happy to have learned about sin eating, because I had to go do some internet searching to find out more. I really like the bones of this story, the valley and the complex relationships themselves. I wonder if, perhaps, I would have enjoyed more if the narrator/main character of the story had been an adult and not a ten year old (BTW, despite the youth of the narrator, this book is a little intense for young readers). I don't know. I did like the book, but I can see so much potential that is not tapped into.
I bought this book at our local library's book sale, and I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it might be some sort of dystopian work or science-fiction, which I thought was odd because I associated Francine Rivers with Christian romance. I picked it up, and I was completely surprised to find that this book is more in the category of historical fiction.
There are parts of this book that I love. I love the concept. I love the set-up. I love the way that the lives and the hopelessness of these people is portrayed. I love the quest for the sin eater and Cadi's attempt to have her sins forgiven long before she dies.
There are parts of this book that I hate. I hate the angelic guidance. I hate the man of God and his odd quotations of scripture. I fail to see how he makes an understandable and relatable story of the gospel. It actually kind of makes me cringe. I feel like the solution to the story is kind of simplistic and one-dimensional.
Yet, the story is compelling. I am glad that I read it. I am happy to have learned about sin eating, because I had to go do some internet searching to find out more. I really like the bones of this story, the valley and the complex relationships themselves. I wonder if, perhaps, I would have enjoyed more if the narrator/main character of the story had been an adult and not a ten year old (BTW, despite the youth of the narrator, this book is a little intense for young readers). I don't know. I did like the book, but I can see so much potential that is not tapped into.
Kinda weird, honestly. I wouldn't recommend it but I enjoyed it enough to not get rid of the book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the message an vibes from this book, I loved the Appalachian setting, but I would just say that the plot could have been a bit more exciting maybe? The ending felt a little anticlimactic after how her journey to come was built up but otherwise good
It was a slow book to get into but the middle was great. The end gets kind of clunky, but overall a good read.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book grabbed me from the first page. Rivers created a protagonist with an authentic voice in a world all too close to home, a world so real people deny that this could have possibly happened. To truly enjoy and understand this book, one much both know about and believe in the sovereignty and omnipotence of God, the same God that Cadi searches for and ultimately finds.
This book definitely survives round two of the purge from my personal collection.
This book definitely survives round two of the purge from my personal collection.
Powerful. Dark. Emotional. True.
Rivers puts her heart-string-pulling superpowers to use to create a story that is not about romance, but rather the darkness of the human heart, the power of guilt, and whether or not there is truly any hope for us.
Rivers puts her heart-string-pulling superpowers to use to create a story that is not about romance, but rather the darkness of the human heart, the power of guilt, and whether or not there is truly any hope for us.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is definitely on my all time favorite list ! The story is so riveting and powerful!
This book took a few chapters to get into (and to adapt to the mountain dialect), but then it was absolutely fascinating. Cadi's search for freedom helps set the whole valley free.\n\nI had never heard of a 'sin eater' before. Amazing.