A review by theomnivorescientist
Sin Eater by Megan Campisi

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I rarely give five stars to a debut book but this work by Campisi was one of those rare good books which when finished make me really sad. Sin eaters were real back in the old days when these eaters would preside over funerals and eat tiny pieces of cake or a meal laid down by the deceased in order to 'eat' his sins before his journey to the afterlife or absolving his soul of all sins. Particularly popular in the Welsh culture and documented during early Victorian Age ( yes, they invented the culture of the funeral business ) but version of sin-eating prevail in ancient cultures too. In this book, it is a fictional tale of a girl in the Elizabethan age who is forced to become a sin-eater and suffers ostracization from society because of her profession. The one absolute rule of the sin-eater is that she cannot speak to anyone as it is forbidden. But when murders happen and the royal court members are involved, the protagonist has to solve them without talking to anyone to save her own life. The socio-political layout of the story is similar to the reign of Elizabeth herself as the characters in her court have been used as inspiration here. The book portrays the hardships of the working class folk of the late middle ages, especially the discrimination and hardships of women, immigrants, and the outcasts of the society. For a debut novel, this is an impressive undertaking. The book doesn't rush itself but doesn't slack either. The best part is the list of food items along with the sins they represent listed at the beginning of the story.