I really enjoyed this and was engaged the whole time. The ending dragged a bit but otherwise I found this to be classic fun fever dream weird girl horror. I am not a fantasy reader and found the fantasy aspects easy to understand and follow.

Wow. I have never read anything like this before. I am not sure if this book and writing is typical of Caitlin Starling (this is my first book by her), but she accomplished something very unique, horrifying, gruesome, and yet hopeful with this book.

I was transported to this castle under siege (sometimes I wished I wasn’t) through Caitlin’s descriptive writing and focus on atmosphere, vivid descriptions of what it looks like to be under site both physically and mentally.

I thought her characters were flawed and imperfect but you couldn’t help but root for them throughout. This book was a gruesome fever dream that I couldn’t put down.

Major trigger warnings for cannabalism and body horror.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I did really like this one, though the fantasy element often took away from the horror for me. I really loved the opening but wasn't entirely satisfied by the explanation, I feel like the no explanatory cosmic horrorness could have served it better. But overall, incredible book, very horrifying, the girls are EATING

The premise of this book sounded great. Unfortunately, the execution was not for me. The weird fever dream quality of the story is not something I enjoy.

This book is so weird, it’s so good! I really don’t know how to describe it other than twisted, trippy, and gayyyy – things I love. The pacing was great, and gosh I hope Sterling continues to write fun little stories like this (or more under water horror! – I won’t be picky ;) )

This book was interesting to say the least. Think Tender is the flesh meets the renaissance gone sci fi. It was a long read and I felt like the end wrapped up really fast. There needed to be a more in depth explanation about the saints.

Starting to think that Caitlin Starling loves to write out books that give the readers a fever dreams. This is my 3rd read of hers and boy was this a weird culty ride that has me questioning what I was reading,

Three words. Gay, medieval, cannibalism. SO good.

Starling has such a talent for atmosphere, and The Starving Saints is no exception. The creeping dread builds beautifully, with imagery that stuck with me long after I put the book down. I loved how she balanced body horror with emotional intensity — it never felt gratuitous, always purposeful. If you’re looking for gothic-tinged horror that really gets under your skin, this is a standout. Def check the trigger warnings if horror isn't your thing but it's a great story if you can handle the gore!

Really enjoyed the 1st part of this book but things got confusing during the 2nd half of the book. I still don't know what happened to the good saint.
Really loved the campfire part.
I would recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and thank you publisher for this ARC!

Thank you so much for the ARC, I had fun reading it and here is my quick and short review because I am still on the floor crying:

The book does feel like a fever dream, but it makes me craving for some more. Which is crazy to be honest.

Will re-read it again so I can properly write a better review.

I couldn’t stop reading The Starving Saints because the story is intense and completely unpredictable. The three women felt real, even in this twisted, dark medieval world, and I found myself rooting for them through all the horrifying stuff. Some scenes were brutal, but the tension and weird, gothic atmosphere kept me hooked the whole time.

Because the novel was split between three perspective characters with three distinct narrative threads of their own, central plot progression was slow-moving. This alone was not necessarily an issue, but because the chapters were relatively short and quite numerous (and new chapters resulted in a perspective change), it often became repetitive — in the way that events were described or recounted, and in the way that characters had very back-and-forth decision making processes. This could be an intentional choice in order to emphasize the fever dream/dream-like haze cast over the characters, but the narrative did not reach what I’d describe as (and what the book’s description did choose to describe as) bacchanalian madness and hedonistic ecstasy. I’d have loved more intensity in this regard, because there was certainly a lot of potential. I felt similarly about the worldbuilding,. The novel had many of the accoutrements of a compelling queer medieval horror, but ultimately lacked the depth of exploration I really wanted.

The Starving Saints is a dark, unsettling horror that plunges you into a starving castle where faith, hunger, and superstition collide. The story follows three women, each struggling to survive and maintain their sense of self as mysterious visitors stir chaos and devotion turns deadly. Starling’s writing makes the desperation and dread tangible, and the medieval setting feels claustrophobic and tense. It’s haunting, vividly imagined, and impossible to put down.

This book was an engaging and enjoyable read from start to finish. The writing is clear and well-crafted, making it easy to stay immersed in the story. The pacing feels natural, keeping you interested without ever dragging. The characters are relatable and thoughtfully developed, and the themes are handled in a way that feels both meaningful and accessible. It’s the kind of book that stays with you after you finish, leaving you with plenty to reflect on. Overall, a highly satisfying read that I would gladly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for a digital ARC of the book, and Libro.fm for a free ALC!

An absolutely twisted and fantastical medieval fever dream.

Opening this novel, I knew to expect a few things: A medieval castle, cannibalism, lady knights, sapphic yearning and horror. And I got all of that—but also so much more, for better and for worse. I’m still not sure how to sum up my feelings about it all.

THE STARVING SAINTS was atmospheric, horrifying, mysterious, confusing, empowering. I enjoyed almost everything it delivered, even though much of it was unsettling, destabilizing and grotesque. The prose is beautiful and relatively straightforward for a plot so mind-bending and a character journey where nobody is in their right mind 100% of the time. Starling excelled at building the chilling atmosphere of Aymar Castle and the creatures (both mortal and not) that dwelled within. I was enveloped in suspense from cover to cover.

There’s a lot to love about the characters of this book, too. Phosyne is the castle madwoman, living in isolation and driven by a hunger for knowledge and magic that shouldn’t exist. Ser Voyne is the ever-loyal knight whose purpose is driven by service—no matter who it’s to. And Treila is a once-noblewoman-turned-servant who lurks in the shadows until she can enact her long-awaited revenge. All three of these woman had distinct voices and motivations and were lovable (and hateable) in their own ways, but the story was most powerful when their fates intertwined and they had to work together to save each other and themselves. They were also MAJOR disaster gays, and the sapphic yearning and complex web of relationship dynamics they build by the end were absolutely delicious.

This is not a book that gives answers freely. At times, Starling directs the reader to a particular revelation via the three main characters, but there’s still a lot left up to interpretation by the end. While I appreciate this type of book, I don’t think it will be for everyone, especially given the intensity of some of the questions left unanswered (What are the saints, really? What is the creature in the castle walls? What’s going on with the time bubble? Where did Phosyne’s magic come from?).

The slow unraveling of the story’s mysteries also create a bit of a lag about 2/3 through. I think this book would have been stronger if it were 75-100 pages shorter—giving the same volume of questions and answers, but without some of the repetition in the book’s second half. At a certain point, the saints and the bacchanal they created in the castle no longer felt scary or high-stakes, and I missed the intensely unsettling feeling I had in the chapters immediately following their arrival.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall. Amidst the horrific and fantastical, there were ample themes to chew on (pardon the pun): mastering a desire for power, finding one’s purpose, overcoming the need to serve. The ideas of “feeding” a castle with blood, succumbing to gluttony and what it takes to get us to “eat our own” will stick with me for a long while.

Audio notes: I listened to portions of this book via audiobook, but ultimately the complexity of the story and the atmospheric descriptions demanded eyes. This was not a fault of the audio, but of my brain! I did like the audio narrator, but having one person for three perspectives did make it more challenging to parse out whose POV we followed, in some cases. Whether in audio or physical form, I don’t think this one’s for the faint of heart.

The vibes were great, and I loved the setting and the concept of this book. Unfortunately, I thought it could’ve been much shorter. The narrative seemed to drag on without providing answers, so it was confusing for me to understand what was going on. I also wasn’t moved by the main characters. They felt flat, and often made decisions that didn’t seem in-character.

A beautifully written book that had me hooked from the beginning. With multiple point of views and cult mentalities, this one was a refreshing horror read.

This book is a cannibalistic fever dream of insanity. And I do mean that as a compliment, but it’s also one of those books that people will think you’re really, truly in need of some help for enjoying.

You’ll either love it or hate it and I don’t think there’s going to be an in between.

5 stars. No notes.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC!!

This book was insanely brilliant and original and was a fever dream ride that I didn't want to get off of. Probably my most memorable book read this year so far. Can't wait to read the author's other works!!