Sin Eater

The Handmaid's Tale meets Alice in Wonderland in this gripping and imaginative historical novel about a shunned orphan girl in 16th-century England who is ensnared in a deadly royal plot and must turn her subjugation into her power.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. For the crime of stealing bread, fourteen-year-old May receives a life sentence: she must become a Sin Eater--a shunned woman, brutally marked, whose fate is to hear the final confessions of the dying, eat ritual foods symbolizing their sins as a funeral rite, and thereby shoulder their transgressions to grant their souls access to heaven. 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 she barely understands. When a deer heart appears on the coffin of a royal governess who did not confess to the dreadful sin it represents, the older Sin Eater refuses to eat it. She is taken to prison, tortured, and killed. To avenge her death, May must find out who placed the deer heart on the coffin and why. "A keenly researched feminist arc of unexpected abundance, reckoning, intellect, and ferocious survival" (Maria Dahvana Headley, author of The Mere Wife) Sin Eater is "a dark, rich story replete with humor, unforgettable characters, and arcane mysteries. It casts a spell on your heart and mind until the final page" (Jennie Melamed, author of Gather the Daughters).

About the Author :
Megan Campisi is a playwright, novelist, and teacher. Her plays have been performed in China, France, and the United States. She attended Yale University and the L'École International de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. The author of Sin Eater, she lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. Shiromi Arserio is a stage actor, voice talent, and audiobook narrator from London. She holds a BA in theater from Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance. In addition to narrating dozens of audiobooks, her voice can be heard in documentaries, e-learning projects, and video games.

Review :
"[A] rousing, impressive debut...Campisi's stirring portrait of injustice is deepened by May's cleverness, frustration, and grief. This spellbinding novel is a treat for fans of feminist speculative fiction." -- "Publishers Weekly" "A dark, propulsive novel that twists your stomach in all the right ways." -- "Literary Hub" "A phenomenal read." -- "Palm Beach Post" "Campisi uses the history of patriarchal injustice to create a keenly researched feminist arc of unexpected abundance, reckoning, intellect, and ferocious survival." -- "Maria Dahvana Headley, author of Magonia" "Very much reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale. In this way, it transcends its historical roots to give us a modern heroine. Richly imaginative and strikingly contemporary." -- "Kirkus Reviews" "Sin Eater is a dark and thrilling page turner that turns a dystopian eye on the past in an unnervingly contemporary way. All hail Megan Campisi and her smashing novel." -- "Emma Donoghue, New York Times bestselling author" "Rich with imaginative and historical details, Sin Eater is part mystery, part horror, and--ultimately--a timeless story of one woman regaining her power. I loved this from beginning to end." -- "Christina Dalcher, author of Vox"