Twylla has only ever known duty. As the daughter of the Sin
Eater, she watched her mother eat the sins of the dead,
learning the role she would one day have to fill. But she had a
larger destiny, one that brings enormous responsibility. A
destiny that made her walk away from her family and all she'd
known.
She's the Goddess Daunen embodied.
As the Goddess, her touch can kill, and every month she
executes the traitors in the kingdom. She lives in isolation,
feared and revered by everyone, except for her new guard, Lief,
whose quick smile and disregard for the rules makes Twylla feel
like a girl, not a goddess. But she's engaged to Merek, the
prince,
who is immune to her touch because of his royal bloodline.
That doesn't stop her from falling in love with Lief. But the
Queen has plans
that could ruin them all and Twylla must chose between love and
duty. Will she
follow her heart even knowing there can never be a happily ever
after for her or will she do her duty to her prince, her
kingdom, and her destiny?
What first drew me to THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER by Melinda
Salisbury was the extraordinary title and cover art. The title
calls to mind images of ritual, duty, and familial obligation
and the cover is gorgeous with the swirling colors inside the
glass bottle. I had high expectations for this book before I
opened it, and the story definitely lives up to the provocative
packaging.
THE SIN EATER'S DAUGTHER is a dark, brooding tale set in a
deadly and beautiful kingdom of Lormere that could have come
straight out of a fairy tale. But in the best possible ways,
Melinda Salisbury deviates from the fairy tale tropes,
delivering a satisfying and unexpected story that will have
readers going back again and again for answers. While THE SIN
EATER'S DAUGHTER does make the reader ask big questions, it is
fast-paced and tense. The emotional tension as Twylla struggles
with her feelings of love and duty complements the external
tension of kingdom living in fear of unstable and ruthless
royalty because Twylla's identity is so strongly wrapped up in
her duty to the people of Lormere.
Melinda Salisbury shines when writing about the myths of this
world. Myth in this case is not referring to untrue stories,
but myth that creates the core belief system for a people.
These are the myths that shape their choices, show them right
from wrong, and provide them with hope and answers for life.
The myths in THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER aren't used simply to set
the tone in this fantasy, although they do work to create a
dark, foreboding atmosphere. The myths of this world are the
basis for character motivation and identity.
Twylla defines herself by these myths. Her mother is the Sin
Eater, a person who must consume the sins of the dead in order
for the dead to pass peacefully into the afterlife. If she
refuses, then the dead are not accepted and will never be at
peace. Twylla doesn't question this role or the price of sin.
It shaped her relationship with her mother, forged her
identity, and defined her place in the world. Twylla is also
the Goddess Daunen. She can't separate herself from her duty.
These beliefs truly do force the reader to ask big questions
and the answers aren't going to be found on the page. THE SIN
EATER'S DAUGHTER will make you question your world and those
questions will linger long after you've finished the story.
THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER is a dark and compelling tale that
defies the classic fairy tale tropes and delivers a new type of
fairy tale; one you will want to read again and again.
Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But
although
she's engaged to the prince, Twylla isn't exactly a member
of the court.
She's the executioner.
As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she
touches. Each month, she's taken to the prison and forced
to
lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will
ever
love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince,
whose
royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla's fatal
touch, avoids her company.
But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile
belies
his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he's able
to look past Twylla's executioner robes and see the girl,
not the Goddess. Yet Twylla's been promised to the prince,
and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.
However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla's
problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a
plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable
sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her
kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed
love?
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