Review: Sineater by Elizabeth Massie

Sineater takes place in the remote mountains of Virginia. According to the legend, the sineater is a man that has been banished to the woods. His existence is vital to the local townspeople, however. As the townspeople die, it is his duty to absorb all their sins so they may pass freely into heaven. This is done by eating food that is laid out on the deceased’s body. This is part of an elaborate ceremony that takes place after a funeral. The guests of the funeral must turn their backs, for if they catch a glimpse of the Sineater’s face they will bear witness to all the sins he is carrying.

The tradition of the sineater goes back for generations. However, the tradition has been violated. The sineater has married and has a family of his own. One of his sons, Joel, is permitted to attend school. His childhood is a bit more difficult than most. The family must fall asleep before their father enters the house or they will face the same fate as those that dare to look at the sineater’s face. He is taunted at school and throughout the community by members of a local religious sect. Everyone knows they should avoid the family or face the wrath of the sineater. However, Joel can’t help but form relationships with other members of the town. He can’t simply ignore the existence of those around him.

Suddenly, violent things begin to happen to members of the town. Missy Campbell, the leader of the religious sect, believes it is God’s way of punishing them for interacting with the sineater’s family. Joel desperately searches for the real perpetrator and feels obligated to stand up for the father he has never known.

Sineater is without a doubt one of the best horror novels I have read. Very deserving of the Bram Stoker Award recognition, Massie focuses on a tradition and storyline that is realistic rather than supernatural. Religious fanatics like Missy Campbell really do exist in our world. Massie’s sharp eye to detail really brings the characters alive. I felt a great deal of sympathy for Joel and the burden that he and his family must bear. Sineater is not only a horror novel but a mystery and coming of age novel as well. The town must face the fact that the traditions it has been following for several generations are archaeic and unfounded.

I was reading Sineater on a road trip too and from my husband’s family reunion in NC, and we passed through many a small town. The very detailed setting Massie protrayed made it very easy for me to feel like I was experiencing a part of the small town world detailed in the book. I can’t say enough about this highly recommended book!
Warning: not for the faint of heart. There are a few sex scenes and some of the details of the violence that takes place are quite vivid.

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