“Reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale”(Kirkus Reviews), playwright Megan Campisi’s debut novel,SIN EATER( Atria), is an inventive exploration of history and womanhood in 16th century England—with a dystopian and eerily contemporary feminine twist.
When 14-year-old May is caught stealing, she receives a life sentence: rather than being hanged, she must become a Sin Eater—a shunned, silent woman, performing a funeral rite of consuming food that symbolizes each particular sin—from lust to rebellion to murder. This allows the dying to leave behind their sins, thus giving their souls access to heaven.
