Book Review: The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

The Sin Eater's Daughter (The Sin Eater's Daughter #1) by Melinda Salisbury
Published: March 1st, 2015
Add to Goodreads
Summary:
I am the perfect weapon.
I kill with a single touch.

Twylla is blessed. The Gods have chosen her to marry a prince, and rule the kingdom. But the favour of the Gods has it's price. A deadly poison infuses her skin. Those who anger the queen must die under Twylla's fatal touch.

Only Lief, an outspoken new guard, can see past Twylla's chilling role to the girls she truly is.

Yet in a court as dangerous and the queen's, some truths should not be told...


Mixed feelings aside I was on the edge of my seat through the entirety

The synopsis of this book was hinting at something like Shatter Me but it ended up being something completely dark and twisty. First of all, there's some effed up characters here namely one specific one. The motives and plot is so much darker than what I was expecting. Secondly, this world is so freaking messed up. And I love it! The main character, Twylla, is the daughter of a Sin Eater (much like the title implies) and that's a pretty messed up concept in this world itself. Twylla's reason for coming to the castle and her duty is quite dark. 

I do have lots of mixed feelings about this book but by the time I finished, I really didn't care about specific details because I realized the reading experience was so much more. You really have to push yourself past the first few chapters because Twylla's mind is such a still place to be in. She's a very isolated and consuming individual. I was glad Melinda Salisbury took the time to establish Twylla in the beginning because it really helped set the ground for explaining a lot of her behaviour throughout the whole book. You can't expect her to be a brave, spontaneous individual. She's someone who's accepted her fate from the very beginning of her life and I'm glad she didn't just get up one day and change into a completely different being. She's not your average Katniss Everdeen and while that may throw many people off because they love Katniss and Tris, I do think Twylla is a much more realistic character.

I appreciated the plot twists and the world building. What I didn't care for so much were some certain plot devices, like the romance. The romance does have moments of swoon and while I enjoyed it, I almost can't come to care for any of the two males in this supposed love triangle? But I am contradicting myself because by the end of the book, the romance doesn't even stay important which I do appreciate. I liked the Prince at times but then at times I just felt nothing for him. Same with Leif. 

Overall, I do think the strength of this novel lies in the vivid world Melinda Salisbury has created here and the dark twisty plot. She's set up a completely unpredictable story line here for the rest of the trilogy. The characters are not my favourite so far but I've already seen much potential in Twylla so I'm confident Salisbury will bring much more to the table in the sequel. I am looking forward eagerly to the rest of the series.