Skin Hunger is the story of two people, centuries apart. Sadima, a girl with strange abilities in an era where magic is forbidden, and Hahp, an unwanted child sacrificed to a school of magic where only one can survive to graduate. Alternating chapters tell each of their stories as they slowly intertwine.
More than the perfect prose, the entrancing characters, and the increasingly dark plot, what I love about this book—and, by extension, the series—is the incredible portrayal of the insidious nature of evil. The best and brightest intentions in the world cannot hold against its taint, and once you succumb to it your descent is all but inevitable.
This is not a book for anyone looking for a quick, light read. This is for someone who wants something they can chew over slowly, that will sit in the back of their mind and prey on their thoughts. If you're looking for something that will haunt you, this is the book for you.