Take a photo of a barcode or cover
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. *
This was SUCH an interesting read! I had only learned of the true existence of sin eaters with the narrative of this book and it is a terribly intriguing topic. The writing was wonderful and done in such a way as to effectively evoke the time setting of the narrative, which was both impressive and endearing. I liked this book so much that it was one of those rare cases where I felt that it was maybe a little too short. I could have done with more detail and more information...more story.
The premise was interesting to me from the get go and was presented in a way that was gripping, interesting, and entertaining. The parallels to Tudor England were fun and enjoyable. (It certainly didn't hurt that Tudor England happens to be my favorite historical time and place.) The fact that very few characters had actual names was an interesting approach, but seemed appropriate for May's character. It added a little bit of whimsy to the narrative and I found it to be something that put a little additional smile on my face.
May herself was interesting and sympathetic. Her circumstances were certainly harrowing and it was interesting to watch her navigate her sudden shift of living. Admittedly though, I wanted things to move at a slower and more detailed pace. The transition between May's arrival at the home of the Sin Eater and her movement into taking on the profession solo was a bit too short. It felt a little jarring. Similarly, the merging of the sin eater world and the royal court just didn't feel super smooth and the tangential storylines needed a bit more meat.
However, the story flowed well and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I would not mind this being expanded with a sequel or companion novel. (I was particularly interested in the perspective of the Country Mouse.) Will I be reading more of Megan Campisi's work? Absolutely.
This was SUCH an interesting read! I had only learned of the true existence of sin eaters with the narrative of this book and it is a terribly intriguing topic. The writing was wonderful and done in such a way as to effectively evoke the time setting of the narrative, which was both impressive and endearing. I liked this book so much that it was one of those rare cases where I felt that it was maybe a little too short. I could have done with more detail and more information...more story.
The premise was interesting to me from the get go and was presented in a way that was gripping, interesting, and entertaining. The parallels to Tudor England were fun and enjoyable. (It certainly didn't hurt that Tudor England happens to be my favorite historical time and place.) The fact that very few characters had actual names was an interesting approach, but seemed appropriate for May's character. It added a little bit of whimsy to the narrative and I found it to be something that put a little additional smile on my face.
May herself was interesting and sympathetic. Her circumstances were certainly harrowing and it was interesting to watch her navigate her sudden shift of living. Admittedly though, I wanted things to move at a slower and more detailed pace. The transition between May's arrival at the home of the Sin Eater and her movement into taking on the profession solo was a bit too short. It felt a little jarring. Similarly, the merging of the sin eater world and the royal court just didn't feel super smooth and the tangential storylines needed a bit more meat.
However, the story flowed well and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I would not mind this being expanded with a sequel or companion novel. (I was particularly interested in the perspective of the Country Mouse.) Will I be reading more of Megan Campisi's work? Absolutely.