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raben_76325 's review for:
The Last Sin Eater
by Francine Rivers
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.