4 stars

This alternative historical fiction novel centered on a "sin eater" in a version of Elizabethan England was dark, lyrical, and unforgettable.

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Sin Eater comes out on April 7, 2020!

May Owens is caught stealing a piece of bread in the streets of an alternative version of London. It's the time of the Virgin Queen. Taken to be sentenced, May is shocked to receive a one-of-a-kind punishment: she's been declared a sin eater.

A sin eater is always a woman. She's branded by a collar displaying an "S," and branded with a black ink "S" on her tongue. She's not allowed to speak, she's not allowed to be touched, she's not allowed to be looked at, and her entire life is plagued by the limitations of her new position—she "eats" the sins of the dying.

As you can tell, the job isn't great.

May's life as a sin eater in this alternative London was fascinating, heartbreaking, and poignantly human. This is a lingering read. I really disagree with the comparisons claiming this tale is like The Handmaid's Tale and Alice in Wonderland—neither of those comparisons resonated with me and they really miss the connections to historical England and the lyricism of this novel. This is about the grimy underbelly of London, the seedy witchcraft of a prescience era, and the life of a pariah among and separate from the people.

Also, there are no fantastical elements to this novel whatsoever, so fantasy fans take note. I still loved it, but would not call it a fantasy even in the loosest sense.

Thank you so much to Atria Books for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

SIN EATER is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. I’ve already recommended it to multiple people, and I can’t wait for it to be available to the public so others can enjoy this richly-imagined world, too.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

For the crime of stealing bread, fourteen-year-old May receives a life sentence: she must become a Sin Eater. Orphaned and friendless, apprenticed to an older Sin Eater who cannot speak to her, May must make her way in a dangerous and cruel world.

16th-century England seems to have been a harsh time to be alive. May is such an interesting character, street smart and full of spunk. It was humorous how she labeled people with descriptive names.

4 ☆

Sin Eater is an excellent original, dark & complex fantasy. Set in 16th century England, 14 year old orphan, May, receives a life sentence for stealing bread. Her sentence is to become a Sin Eater. A Sin Eater is a shunned woman, brutally marked with an S on the tongue, who is to hear the final confessions of the dying. She is to eat certain foods that represent each sin, thereby taking on the sin so the dying's soul can be granted access to heaven. There is this creepy atmosphere and outstanding world-building. The premise is so intriguing! The story then goes the mystery route as mysterious deer heart appears on the coffin of a royal governess and the Sin Eater refuses to eat it. May sets to find out who placed the deer heart on the coffin and why. Highly recommended to readers looking for something fresh in historical fantasy.

At 14 years old, May Owens is sentenced to become a Sin Eater after being caught for stealing bread. As she begins her apprenticeship, May finds herself alone and in need of answers after the elder Sin Eater is put to death. Not knowing where to begin, May slowly assumes her role and becomes more brazen in her search for knowledge despite her oath of silence and being illiterate.

With the plot landscape based in the 16th century England and in the midst of a religious conversion, the townsfolk are uneasy but there is also a set caste system. This atmosphere doesn’t help May as she is feared by the majority and carries the mark of a Sin Eater. Combined with fiction and various religious references, the predicament of the Sin Eater is a heavy burden and this contributes to a gloomy mood.

This story is a complex one with May’s tribulations, religious oppression, hatred, greed, murder and fear. Throughout, I empathized with May’s plight and couldn’t reconcile why her punishment completely outweighed her crime. As the plot layers unfold, many questions are answered, but I would have liked more development into the sin eaters. Additionally, there were times when the narrative veered a bit off-course for me causing a disconnect.

What I most enjoyed is May’s evolution and how she found her worth. Though forced into silence, May still had an imperative to be heard and her life would not be ignored thanks to her resolve, making her an admirable protagonist.

May Owens' punishment for stealing bread to prevent herself from starving is a harsh one - she is marked to be a sin eater for the rest of her life. While at the palace of Queen Bethany performing her duties, May is forced to eat the food of a sin that hasn't been recited. She feels compelled to solve this mystery since it results in the death of her fellow sin eater she has christened as Ruth.

This feels almost like an alternative history with queens Maris and Bethany mirroring the lives of Mary and Elizabeth Tudor. I couldn't put this down. It was tragic as well as disturbing, with sin eaters required to eat many "meals" of sins daily, required not only by law but also by their religious beliefs in order to save their own souls. The mystery of the deer hearts appearing at the Eating of two of Queen Bethany's ladies is intriguing and has an unexpectedly action packed ending.

With shades of Margaret Atwood, the Sin Eater is a unique and original story about a young girl forced to take the "sins" of the dead upon herself. With heartbreaking prose and sympathetic characters, this novel is a feminist tour de force debut!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

First of all, I love that the author took this nugget of history and wove it into a beautiful and unique story. Definitely has a lot of comparisons to Atwood.. but darker, in a way? Beautiful prose, unique story.

The Sin Eater took me totally by surprise! The story has so many twists and turns... and just one of the more interesting books that I've had the pleasure to read this year! I did not expect to be so captivated by the life of the young Sin Eater. The story weaves in and out of the horrific terrors of the day of living during a time of Queen Elizabeth I. The common folks were caught between a bitter feud between sisters... and had to show their allegiance one way or another through their religion. The history that one learns along the way is impressive!

I highly, HIGHLY recommend, "Sin Eater" by Megan Campisi to anyone that loves history, romance, ancient mysteries, tossed in some real folks that are known to us only by what others dared to write about them. I had heard of Sin Eaters, but wasn't very familiar with their history. I'd love to know when the practice stopped. It's so odd to think that folks honestly thought they could confess to a Sin Eater and then... magically... all of their sins were forgiven and given to the Sin Eater to take to heaven or sit by the side of Eve forever. Of course, they had their own way of redemption and with that came it's own cruel rules.

A wonderful, historical thriller that is sure to be the talk of the literary world as soon as it debuts!! Put it on your list!! Trust me, you will WANT to read this unique story!

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy to review.
This was original and quite interesting! The concept of a Sin Eater was completely new to me and I loved the fantasy that was blended with English history. The ending was good, but the resolution of the conflict was less impressive. Overall a great and entertaining novel though!

A very unique storyline told so well that you could easily believe the fate of the dying is dependent on the skill of the "sin eater". The term was not new to me, but Megan Campisi managed to make the characters real, their thoughts and actions setting the stage for the mystery in the center of the story. Set in a royal court where intrigue is as common as bread, this young woman who spends her life being fed the sins of the dying, must find what lies at the center of the story or she will die a horrible death as did her mentor before her.

This book/ story is engrossing. Following the young sin eater at the center of the story is compelling, you want to read this book from cover to cover in one setting. Her only crime is hunger, yet she will find herself central to court drama. Again, a very unique story told by a skilled author. I won't forget this one anytime soon.

Truth: I liked the first 80% of The Sin Eater better than the final 20%. Not that there were any real problems with that last 20%—just that I was mesmerized watching the world the author was building during that first 80%. By time I reached the denouement I was less invested in the plot than in what else I might discover if I could explore this world further. Which, I think, indicates...

I'm hoping for a sequel.

The Tudor-England-meets-Handmaid's-Tale setting of Sin Eater is creepy and wonderfully complex.
The pathos of the plot is intense—what happens to someone who is suddenly silenced and ostracized, yet forced to remain in the community that has done this to her? How does one assert identity without words or human interactions? Compared to these elements, the central mystery simply can't compete. It's useful in moving us through the novel, but it's not the novel's heart.

This is a "must read" book because of the world the author has created. While familiar, it is also completely foreign—and is a fascinating place to spend time.

This book was fascinating! By the end I was completely convinced that it was real and that I needed my own sin eater!

This book had an interesting premise and developed into a rich tapestry. I found the darkness of the world very compelling and the characters well developed. It had a particularly strong start and remained entertaining throughout.

Orphan May stole a loaf of bread and when arrested expected to die a horrible death. The Recorder stared hard at her and sentenced her to be branded as a Sin Eater. The teenager would be shunned for the rest of her life but would never again starve. She was to hear the sins of the dying and eat the proscribed foods to take their sins upon herself. The dead would fly to heaven; a locked collar kept May chained to hell.

Being a sin eater is a constricted life, alienated from society, yet May has unlimited access to the darkest secrets of the human heart for the the dying are eager to shrug off their worst sins before judgement.

The Queen's ladies in waiting are dying. May hear their confession but is given foods for sins never confessed. Something is afoot in the palace, and illiterate, powerless May is the only person who can cipher out the truth.

Sin Eater by Megan Campisi is set in a familiar Elizabethan-inspired alternative world with the virgin Queen Bethany jealously guarding her favorite while lords present themselves as suitors.

The stench and inhumanity of the times are vividly described, as are the consequences of the quest for beauty and power.

May is a remarkable and sympathetic heroine whose story arc takes her from powerlessness to embracing her destiny. The story winds up to a tense climax.

I was given access to a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

This book was interesting as it was written on the concept of “sin eating”. The story was good and the characters well developed. It is dark fantasy.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As I read this dark tale, it brought to mind a "Twilight Zone-type" TV episode I had watched in my youth about sin eaters: i.e, people who "ate" the sins of the deceased so that the dearly departed could pass on to heaven.
The idea that you can buy yourself out of Hell or the Final Reckoning after death is certainly not a new one. These practices continue to exist today. Just about every religion has some ritual that will speed a soul to its final resting place. We can still, to this day, pay for masses for the souls of our dearly departed so that they may be released from purgatory and cleansed of their sins. All these fear-based conventions or traditions fed (and still feast) off the general inexperience ("ignorance" is too harsh and loaded) and superstition of the general population. As I have already said, despite the widespread advancement of education, similar "sin eater" practices persist to this day in many cultures or religions.

In this story, young May Owens is sentenced for her paltry crimes to become a sin eater. Her poverty and desperation have inadvertently condemned her into becoming a social pariah: she is now contaminated by other peoples' sins..

This author writes very well - although there are times where I felt I was "plodding along". In her preface, the author describes her story as being a fairy tale or fantasy, but the events described are often too gruesome to fall into that tame category. This novel reminded me of why I stopped reading historical fiction: the plight of women in the days of old was abysmal.. We still have a long way to go, and change has not been universal, but this story underlines many of the key factors that continue to take away our power and our voice. These types of stories always make me so thankful to be living in this day and age!

I'm going to rate this a 3.5 out of 5. This novel had great potential. I am actually looking forward to reading future works by this author - she certainly has what it takes to write a decent novel.

In an reimagined Elizabethan England, May is sentenced to be a sin eater, a real profession ( I was shocked to discover), who consumes a meal to take on the sins of someone who is dying. May is a captivating and intriguing character and I wish the book had spent more time on her backstory initially, instead of throwing us in at the time she was sentenced to be a sin eater. The royal players got a bit confusing as the story went on. It is clear that Campisi built the fictional monarchy on Queen Elizabeth, but it would've been simpler and easier to follow if she hadn't changed all the names. The 16th century England May lives in is haunting dark, cutthroat and unmerciful with tinges of witchcraft & mystery and Campisi's imagery is vivid and rich--you can almost smell the smells of May's cottage. I predict this book will divide readers but I think it would make a great book club pick because everyone will have their opinion on the story. I find myself missing May and her bravery & resilience.

"The Sin Eater walks among us, unseen, unheard
Sins of our flesh become sins of Hers
Following Her to the grave, unseen, unheard
The Sin Eater Walks Among Us."

A strong round of applause for Megan Campisi for creating a unique and original book set in sixteenth century England.

Recently orphaned, fourteen-year-old May has been jailed and convicted for stealing bread. Her sentence - to be a Sin Eater. A "what?" you ask.... A sin eater, shunned, an S tattooed on her tongue, unseen until she is seen, not to speak unless hearing the sins of the dying. She is a cast out, who provides a service to those who are dying. She will listen to final confessions and for those sins she will eat certain foods so that they may be granted access to heaven.

It's a dark and dreary world. May's only solace is meeting another sin eater, who takes her in and shows her the ropes, then one day, May is once again alone. Her mentor has been jailed and executed because she refuses to eat a deer heart which has been left on the deceased coffin. Her reasons, the dead woman did confess to the sin which the heart represents. Left in a court where women are dying and deer hearts are appearing on their coffins, May knows something is not right at court. Someone out there is killing others and May is in danger but she can't/wont/refuses to stop investigating her mentor’s death.

This was an incredibly unique tale and Campisi did a fabulous job transporting me to sixteenth century England. May is a likable character who I couldn't help but feel for. She is an orphan trying to survive in the beginning of the book but through the course of becoming an outcast, suffering loneliness and having no one acknowledge her, she finds a strength within herself. She is a young teen in world full of royal intrigue, witchcraft, lies, manipulations and betrayals. The setting is dark and gloomy.

I enjoyed the contrast of how she was shunned, not looked at, not touched, considered cursed, until she was needed. Then they came calling, invited her into their homes, told her their sins and feed her for absolution.

The book started off strong for me but did lag a little in the middle and slightly towards the end, but then there are some "aha" moments, some reveals and a solid ending. I really enjoy book which not only entertain but teach me. I had no idea that sin eaters where real and sin eating is viewed as a ritual. You can learn more as I did by reading about sin eaters on Wikipedia.

Dark, original, unique, gloomy, and entertaining. It stands on its own and doesn't need to be compared to other books.


Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

A reinvented/alternate Sixteenth Century English Court had sentenced fourteen year old May Owens to life as an outcast. For the crime of stealing bread, May was given a life sentence: A Sin Eater...a social pariah...brutally marked with an "S" etched on her tongue...a shunned woman forced to wear a heavy brass collar with a hanging "S" pendant...cannot be touched or spoken to...cannot speak except during recitations or eatings.

What is a Sin Eater? "[Her]...fate is to hear the final confessions of the dying, eat ritual foods symbolizing their sins as a funeral rite...". "The sin eater bears the sins of all folk in silence to her grave. She alone may never confess and be absolved...". May finds herself apprenticed to an older Sin Eater."I am not to talk. Even to her." They dwell in Dungsbrook, "no place is as unfortunate". Daily messengers from all walks of life request the services of the Sin Eater for a "Recitation" of sins of the dying or an "Eating" of the ritual foods. "When the foods is et, your sins will be mine...", says the Sin Eater.

An Eating is conducted for Corliss, governess to Queen Bethany, daughter of King Harold II. Folk attend "the Eating" to bear witness. The elder Sin Eater stops eating, refusing to eat the deer heart placed atop Corliss's coffin.. The deer heart is a lie. No confession has been recited to warrant this ritual food. Disobeying a direct order, the Sin Eater is sentenced to death for treason.

May Owens is determined to discover who placed the deer heart on the coffin. She must avenge the death of her mentor,"Ruth". May is now the sole Sin Eater attending recitations and eatings. She lives on the fringes of society. "I wish [I] could show folk [my] insides...then they'd know I'm not wicked at all...folk would know I am goodly...".

"Sin Eater" by Megan Campisi is an imaginative, creative work of historical/ dystopian fiction. One cannot help rooting for May. An excellent read I highly recommend.

Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Sin Eater".