Set in a fictional 16th Century England we meet May. A 14 year old orphan in poverty, is sentenced to a life of servitude when she is caught stealing a loaf of bread. Her punishment is to be forced to be a Sin Eater.

Sin Eaters were actually a real thing - women who heard the confessions of the dying and ate food that symbolically represented the sin they confessed. By doing this, they relieved the burden of the sin from the dying person so they could ascend to heaven with nothing weighing them down. But being a Sin Eater, the women were completely shunned by society. They were never spoken to, nor looked at and were threatened constantly with being sent to hell if they performed their duties incorrectly.

When May's mentor is executed for treason (when she refuses to eat a deer heart for a former governess in the Royal Court), May sets out about uncovering the truth. Unbeknownst to her, May is about to enter a spider web of lies, conspiracy and secrets.

This book has been compared to the likes of The Handmaid's Tale, which I have to say is a tad unfair to Campisi. The Sin Eater is one deliciously dark book with a very original premise. The underlying feminism is brilliant (which is the only reason I can think of it being compared to The Handmaid's Tale) and the research into life in 16th Century England is superb.

Campisi explores the very prevalent issues of the time; class and gender and religion. She has carefully woven her fictional story that is so cleverly near to the truth that you instantly recognise the issues the society has had. For example, The Late King Harold changed religion and the old 'Eucharistians' (i.e. Catholic) were all abolished. Fear and scaremongering using the devout religious ways were one of the key themes throughout this book and women were seen as little more than secondary citizens compared to men. 

This is one very thought provoking book. It is much more of a character piece, than one of action, but one that I enjoyed very much. The suspense and plot will keep you engaged the whole way through. But be prepared as some for some brutal and dark tellings.

A brilliant 4 star read for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

What a great read. The idea of the Sin Eater as an alternative to a final confession and absolution was well executed and well thought out. A great cast of characters, and the first person narrative was just right for this story. A murder mystery disguised as a coming of age tale? Or a coming of age tale disguised as a murder mystery? Either fits. The setting in a fantasy Tudor England was a great idea too. A very enjoyable if rather gruesome (at times) read. Highly recommended to lovers of good escapist fiction.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review another great book.

A fantastical novel based on a dark myth from the Tudor period, centering on the experiences of women, with a mystery thrown in? Sign me up

I had high hopes for The Sin Eater and was not disappointed!

This dark, sumptuous novel is based on an idea of the 'sin eater' which seems to have been mentioned in history, but we have been left with sparse information as to what that might have been. So Megan Campisi invents her own history for these mysterious figures, and an alternative version of Elizabethan England to boot. In this novel Sin Eaters exist to assume the sins of the dying by eating certain foods for the sins committed. But to be a Sin Eater makes you cursed, an outcast. So when our heroine is imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread and her punishment is to become a Sin Eater we see her embark on a difficult life, where she will never go hungry, but will always be shunned.

The amount of detail in creating this alternative world is wonderful. Not only do we get lists of what food equates to what sin, but Campisi weaves her fictional creation into daily life and all of our traditions, and so we get nursery rhymes, practicalities of when you call for a Sin Eater and a detailed religious system which mirrors the religious turmoil of the period. If you are a particular fan of the Tudors you will take joy in working out all of the coded characters, and if not, it doesn't matter as it's fairly easy to follow the court drama that sits in the background of the novel.

This book does a wonderful job of exploring some pretty big themes - the association of sin, women and food that pervades Western culture for a start. Yet it also looks at how women are often cast in the role of 'reedmer', class and poverty, as well as what sin itself means. All of this is wrapped up in a story which propels you forward with drama, and with a mystery at its heart.

The Sin Eater is an utterly indulgent novel, perfect for anyone who has ever felt guilty over food, or who secretly sympathises with Eve for taking that apple.

Historical fiction based on historical fact. I really had high hopes for this book but unfortunately for me it did not deliver. After reading the blurb I could not wait to start reading. A murder mystery and so much more. It would have been enjoyable except for one thing. Certain passages were constantly repeated through the book. Otherwise I would have awarded it nearly five stars.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the ARC.

An alternate history of Elizabethan England, whereby English history is turned slightly on its head and pushed into a dystopian novel? Yes please!

The thought of women chosen to eat the sins of the dead is unnerving, yet to so intriguing! May becomes a Sin Eater through unfortunate circumstances and has to navigate life as a woman hated yet respected by the community for her job. She entangles herself into a poisonous plot involving Queen Bethany and her royal court, a plot that she needs to solve in order to make peace with her new role.

This novel is a fun take on the Elizabethan period, with feminist thought mixed in beautifully. I enjoyed reading about May's fight for independence in a world that has trapped her as the most hated, least sought after position in a community. She wrestles with the feminist ideals of economic and bodily independence, all whilst carrying out her role. 'The Sin Eater' is not so much a story of a woman oppressed, but a story of a woman carving her own path from a particularly muddy dirt track.

Thank you @netgalley and @panmacmillan for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Sin Eater was a whodunnit wrapped in historical fiction, through the focus of May's growth as a character.
There weren’t many parts that sparkled, and it was pedestrian in pace at times. The mystery and May's coming into herself ( somewhat) made me want to keep reading. There were moments where the lot of characters, because of gender, socio economic class and or looks, we’re devastatingly detailed without being too preachy.

Most if not all of the secondary characters seemed only fleshed out enough to move or turn the plot, some were just background noise ( the musician, the Doctor, Jane ). There’s a feel as though they may be further explored in follow ups, but aren’t necessarily compelling enough to make one want to read.

Pros: May's journey was something to follow. Portrayal of the time period was deftly done for the most part.. the conceit of a Sin Eater is intriguing and may spawn some fan fiction on the phenomenon.
Beautiful cover.

Cons: the parallel Elizabethan setting grew tedious. *this may just be on my part* I found the effort to parody the religious divide and the Royal houses cumbersome, intrusive, not credible within the world. It was too obvious what they represented in historical terms, to be credible as world building elements in a simulacrum world.

The Sin Eater is a historical novel set in an alternative Elizabethan England (Angland, with Bethany on the throne). The main character, May (a 14-year-old orphan) is made into a Sin Eater, a woman who hears confessions of people about to die and literally consume their sins. Each sin is associated with certain foodstuffs and those dying are morally cleansed through the ritual in which a sin-eater eats the food that symbolically represents their sins.

May steals a loaf of bread, gets caught, and, as punishment, is made into a Sin Eater - a necessary role but one that is shunned by society. No one may speak to her or touch her. Already a unique girl that seemed at odds with the world around her, the shunned life pushes her further to the sidelines of society. In true Scarlet Letter fashion, she is branded with the letter S on her tongue and forced to wear a collar displaying her sin eater status to the world as she moves through it. Aided by the older, experienced sin eater, she hears the sins of the dying and de-burdens them by eating the ritual foods. Eventually, she is summoned to the royal court.

I was extremely excited about this novel, and, though it did not disappoint entirely, it was extremely different from what I had expected. It felt more like a character with the narrator's (May) unique voice and world view. While it was one of my most anticipated reads, I did not enjoy it as much as I expected. Perhaps because I, personally, was more interested in learning about the society, the royal court, and the world-building. These factors are more background noise for May's character who is still extremely compelling.

I think the most exciting thing for me was probably the idea of the "Sin Eater" (and, shamefully enough, the beautiful cover design), especially upon discovering it was a real thing! I feel as though, being the historian I am, I would have preferred the story to be set in the real Elizabethan court, as opposed to an alternative one. Nevertheless, the story is truly original and would recommend it to any fans of unique narrators and historical fiction with a religious twist.

'I understand why sin eaters were made. Carrying such feelings is too much for one little heart, too much for one body. There must be some hope of shedding regret, grief, sorrow, sloughing them off like a skin and going into death free and light. Else we'd never be able to live.'
~
I enjoyed this book and found it very readable, even with some of the older language and colloquialisms.
It felt like a mixture of genres, with both historical fiction and mystery elements.
The story is essentially about a young girl (May) who is sentenced to become a sin eater, but does not understand why.
In seeking to unearth the family secrets of others, she unearths family secrets of her own, and in doing so comes to understand her fate.
~
'His shadow stayed in the house for weeks. It wasn't dark like a shadow, just an empty place in the shape of my da. I would see it out of the side of my eye and turn knowing he should be there. But when I looked there wasn't anything.'
~
I didn't know much about sin eaters before reading this book, and found it really interesting learning about this historic practice. Especially the fact that only women could be sin eaters, and that this was often given as a sentence.
I found the conflicting reactions to May to be quite interesting. Most of society shuns her, and she finds herself in the company of outcasts, as noone else will interact with her.
However, she brings plenty of comfort to people when they need it most, absolving them of their sins and unburdening their consciences before they die. After all, in death we are all equal, regardless of class, wealth or status.
~
'I hear the recitations of all the women set to die... Many... sinned out of anger because folk were cruel or things unfair.'
~
I did enjoy this book overall, but I probably wouldn't read it again personally.
If you are into mystery/thriller and historical fiction I would definitely recommend it.

The Sin Eater begins with a provocative menu of sins, each human sin is given a food, then when an individual is on their deathbed it was believed if they recited their life's sins to a sin eater they would be abolished and in death would be reunited with 'The Maker'. This debut novel revolves around May after she is given the outcaste role of a sin eater as punishment of petty crime, anything is better than the death penalty.... right? May has been raised in a volatile setting, historically during a time where religion and superstition flooded people's lives, where everyone was born with sins - some sins more frowned upon than others but due to the tightened religious grip on society and it's relationship to how women were viewed in that era. For example, women were viewed as the daughters of the mother of Sin - Eve and expected to become the consumers and carriers of others Sins, expected to be an unseen and an unspoken, it's hugely plausible.

The Sin Eater concept was derived from the folklore that a sin-eater would save the dying not only from hell, but also from wandering the earth as a ghost. The sin-eater is usually associated with the British Isles, but there are analogous customs in other cultures as well. It's not like anything that I have ever read before and it's a dazzling debut, so stunningly written with an atmosphere that fully draws you into the novel's concept.

Our protagonist is May, a young girl with gloomy beginnings in life who radiates a sort of profound loneliness who lives in a world where she has no place, no connections and no understanding about where she connects when it comes to family ties. As the storyline begins to evolve, I got a sense that May was discovering her own feet while also finding her voice in a setting that blocks out not only the voices of the Sin Eaters, but also of women. May is identifiable on so many personal levels, her childlike vulnerability and fear that develops into strength as her journey to learn the trade of sin eating is noticeable and applaudable.

Along with The Sin Eater being a spectacularly written historical fiction, it's also one that has a deadly mystery flowing through it, one concerning a royal scandal. Only she, using her powers of being on the outskirts of society; unseen and unheard, can get to the bottom of it. The whole storyline is intoxicatingly captivating, atmospheric and a read that you will not be able to put down - with its foodie chapter titles, writing and creativity injected by Megan Campisi, this is going to be a book that any reader, especially fans of historical fiction will love!

14 year old May Owens expects to be sentenced to death for stealing a loaf of bread. But her sentence is much worse. She’s to become a Sin Eater – responsible for taking on the sins of others so that their soul is cleansed. The role means she’s to be forever shunned. So when she discovers someone is trying to blame dead women for sins they didn’t commit, no one will listen. Intriguing setting, believable characters and a great story. What more can you ask?

I was drawn to this book by the blurb; the idea of the Sin Eater was really intriguing and I wanted to know more. The story is set in a fictional time which seems based on the end of the House of Tudor: people being made to change faiths as the crown changes hands; a prior queen given the prefix Bloody; a Virgin Queen on the throne. Within these religious arguments lives the Sin Eater. Always a woman, the Sin Eater hears the confessions of the dying and at the funeral eats foods which represent each sin, thereby taking on the sins of the confessor and leaving them free to enter heaven. None are permitted to look at or speak to her and she is not to speak, with the exception being the Recitations when sins are confessed.

Our main character, orphan May, is turned into a Sin Eater at the age of just 14 after she steals a loaf of bread. Initially guided, wordlessly, by the existing Sin Eater, May suddenly finds herself facing the world on her own and with knowledge of treachery within the Queen's household. With no education to allow her to read and write and without being able to speak, May must find her own way to uncover the truth and bring about justice.

I enjoyed this book. May is a relatable character and the description of her growing into her role as the Sin Eater and finding ways to live with what she has been forced to become was really engaging. The intrigue itself was less interesting, to me. The treachery within the castle walls seemed almost to be a secondary story line and, whilst still providing intrigue, didn't have the excitement and hold on my interest I had expected it to have. The story itself is probably only worthy of three stars, but I enjoyed the world building enough to give the book an extra one.

'The Sin Eater,' by Megan Campisi tells the story of May, a 14yr old girl sentenced to act as the towns Sin Eater. In this role she hears the confessions of the dying, consuming food representing each sin at their funerals. This means the townsfolk can go to heaven, while having taken on their sins, May is said to go to 'Eve's' right hand. As a result, she is shunned and condemned to being silent and unseen.

The story is set in a mythical past. However sin eater's existed, particularly in Wales. Also, the royal family depicted in the novel are strongly reminiscent of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. At times this gave the story realism. At other times the parallels were a little bit heavy handed, making me wish they had been more fictional.

Other than that I really loved this story and found myself absorbed. I loved May's humour and her rage - "I am a curse." The nursery rhymes adapted to reflect the context of the novel worked brilliantly. There were elements of a dystopian past, and many who feel marginalised in some way will find aspects of the story that resonates with them. I also liked the way May came to find strength in the parts of herself that she'd previously despised or attempted to get distance from.

Wow!! What an amazing book this is. I absorbed it like air. I fell in love with May and her courage. Outcast from society and made into a sin-eater, May battles her way to a freedom, of sorts. I could have gone on and on reading this beautiful novel.

The Sin Eater by Megan Campisi is described as a " gripping story of treason and treachery, of secrets and silence , of women, of power and ultimately, of the strange freedom that comes from being an outcast" and between that description and the striking, richly coloured cover I was eager to get my hands on a copy.
I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed, I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fantasy set in a slightly different version of Tudor England. The story centres on May, a fourteen year old girl who as punishment for a crime is sentenced to become a "Sin Eater", an untouchable who travels to people on their deathbed to "eat" their sins in the form of representative foods, so that they can go to the Maker without a stain on their soul. Since the first sinner was Eve, a woman, all Sin Eaters are women , and once collared and branded as such they are no longer seen or spoken to by the rest of the community, their only contact is with the dying. They follow a strict ritual with different foods assigned to each sin e,g, salt for pride, pomegranate for witchcraft and animal hearts for murder, and offer comfort to the dying in their last hours. By doing their job well, and absorbing the sins of others they will be rewarded in the afterlife.
As I mentioned the setting of this book is an alternative version of Tudor Britain, the Virgin Queen Bethany is on the throne, having inherited it from her sister Maris but not before there was a bitter religious conflict that divided the people. I really enjoyed how Campisi handled this, twisting history just enough to make it feel new and interesting while still holding on to enough of the familiar to keep it recognisable,
When the Sin Eater is summoned to the Palace to attend one of the Queen's ladies, May is at first intimidated, then baffled to find she is expected to eat a sin that was never confessed, a deer' s heart , one of the signs of murder. When a second Lady in Waiting falls ill and dies, the same thing happens, but this time May's suspicions are aroused and she decides to make use of her invisibility to try to figure out what is really going on, and whether the Queen's life is in danger. Those familiar with the history and especially the speculation surrounding Queen Elizabeth 1 may have some idea where the story is headed, but that should not hamper the reader's enjoyment of the story.
I loved the character of May, and how she grows in strength and determination over the course of the book. The world building is excellent, the author's descriptive writing is simply wonderful, the sights, and unfortunately sometimes the smells seem to come to life on the page. Her descriptions of locations as diverse as the Royal Palace and a hovel in the worst part of town are all vivid and evocative., and I was fascinated by the concept of Sin Eater's ritual and the various foods that represented each sin- it is clear that the author put a lot of time and consideration into her choices. I also liked that the author did not shy away from incorporating ideas about gender and class discrimination in a way that folded well into the story. There are some truly dark and horrifying moments that might disturb some readers, but they are never gratuitous and always drive either the story or the character's motivations.
It is a rare book that so successfully blends historical fantasy and political intrigue with beautiful writing and a memorable character.

An incredible and gloomy book that perfectly depicted 16th century England!
I would definitely recommend it.

A Sin Eater’s duty is a necessary evil: she hears the final private confessions of the dying, eats their sins as a funeral rite, and guarantees their souls access to heaven. It is always women who eat sins – a punishment, for it was Eve who first ate the Forbidden Fruit. Stained by the sins they are obliged to consume, the Sin Eater is shunned and silenced, doomed to live in exile at the edge of town. Recently orphaned May Owens is just fourteen when she’s arrested for stealing a loaf of bread and sentenced to become a Sin Eater. It’s a devastating sentence, but May’s new invisibility opens new doors. And when first one, then two, of the Queen’s courtiers suddenly grow ill, May hears their deathbed confessions – and begins to investigate a terrible rumour that is only whispered of amid palace corridors.. Set in a thinly disguised sixteenth-century England, The Sin Eater by Megan Campisi is a gripping story of treason and treachery; of secrets and silence; of women, of power – and, ultimately, of the strange freedom that comes from being an outcast

An extraordinary, original, darkly disturbing and complex magical tale that grips you from the very beginning. This is a really original and exciting story set in an alternate version of Elizabeth I's London where the old story of how when she was still a Princess, she was seduced by Thomas Seymour (here only referred to as the Wolf) and had his child is retold as a grim fairy tale, There is something very disturbing about a society in which women are tasked to almost literally transubstantiate and eat the sins of the dying, only being allowed to speak during the ritual which is horribly in keeping with the ways in which the voices and free will of women were historically controlled. This is a painted fairy tale world where most historical characters like Robert Dudley, Blanche Parry, and Bess Throckmorton are represented by nicknames May gives them that show how sees them: The Painted Pig, Mush Face, Black Fingers. This is a murder mystery and a story of how May breaks the chains that silence her, escapes the frightening world in which she is trapped and at the mercy of ruthless figures who will use witchcraft against their enemies and how she finds a new life on her own terms.

Beautifully written as history meets fantasy. Following the life go a young Sin Eater though court intrigue, personal poverty and despair, it's a well written and thoughtful book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy to review.
I am usually not one for Historical Novels - my experience of working with historical documents puts me off the sugar-coated romancing of the past. This book, however, is certainly not sugary.
Neither does it attempt to re-write or distort history. Yes you can suggest that the period in which it is set has the feel of 16th century England but it will be your suggestion not the authors.
The style of writing suits me and the use of varied fonts helps in the first person narrative.
Five stars all the way ***** I want more

It's rare for me to dabble in historic fiction, but the premise of the Sin Eater was so strong that I couldn't resist and I was not disappointed.

May is caught stealing a loaf of bread and the 'Recorder' declares that her fate will be to become a sin eater. Fitting perhaps that one caught in a crime of hunger should be sentenced to eat the sins of others every day, as expressed through foods placed on the coffins of the dead in line with the sins they have confessed to. This 'job' comes with a full belly but the responsibility to bear the sins of strangers until you die, and a position as one of societies outcasts.

May becomes the main sin eater to the court of Queen Bethany (loosely based on the intrigues of the Tudor queens) after her older sin eater 'guide' is killed for refusing to eat something that represented a sin that the deceased hadn't confessed to, she finds herself complicit in an attempt to reveal sins of many years before. Someone or some people have killed a baby, but whose baby and why? And how is it all connected to the queen and her close circle of courtiers?

I loved this book. The character of May is a real conundrum; functionally illiterate but very eloquent in her storytelling, alone and cast out by her community but sucked into a new circle of similarly outcast companions. Can May solve the mystery hidden in the sin eater's meals and woven into a fine royal tapestry before the Queen's supporters do their best to stop her revealing all?

I was reading The Sin Eater at the same time as listening to 'Thunderhead' by Neal Shusterman, in which a young woman of a similar age to May is working as a 'scythe' (an official gleaner of an otherwise immortal society). Playing compare and contrast with two feisty young women, each burdened by responsibilities placed upon them by their jobs, it was fascinating to look at historic past and futuristic fantasy and reflect that whatever the time and place in history, nobody should ever underestimate the power of a young woman who's determined to do her best.

Highly recommended. One of the best books I've read this year.

I received a free ebook from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This was an extremely enjoyable read for me. A historical fiction tale that is based in fact but seems almost too fantastical to have any truth. at all A wonderful story full of secrets and betrayal and I highly recommend it.