For the queer horror fans who enjoyed the magical element of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. The greatest horror interpretation of fae I have ever seen, the hungry ones, the ones if air and made of stomachs. Amazing

Thank you to the author and publisher for access to an advanced reader copy via Netgalley!

This is an unsettling and propulsive read with witchy, cannibalistic, gothic horror themes. A story of women using their power and sacrificing to survive. The descriptions of the women's trials and their dialogue provoked visceral emotions. A must-read for lovers of sapphic medieval horror!

WOOOW! what such a crazy and amazing read!! the vibes are so unsettling in the absolute best way and it made for such an interesting and spooky read. it took me a couple chapters to get into, but i quickly was sick reading and hated putting it down because i was dying to know what would happen next. the characters were all so amazing and it was so fun to read. i absolutely am a sucker for unreliable narrators so this book was great for me. such an amazing read and will definitely be something that i tell others to check out if they enjoy horror!

A Sapphic Hieronymus Bosch bacchanal with honeyed, cannibalistic saints, sulphuric shadow creatures, blessed cisterns, hungry crevices, and claustrophobic conundrums that demand either miracles or flesh. What a wild ride! If you’ve ever wondered what Julian of Norwich got up to, you’ll love this.

A madwoman, a knight, and a fallen-from-grace former royal—now a servant girl—come together to form the strangest of trios.
The Starving Saints is horrific, magical, and transfixed by a bizarre religious psychosis that kept me in a fever dream. I could never guess what would happen next.

Caitlin Starling has crafted something that’s equal parts body horror, folk horror, medieval horror, and religious horror—all blended with decrepitude, gore, and honey into a kind of alchemical slurry of lesbian yearning.

I was carried along aimlessly, not really caring or worrying where things were going, wandering through dark castle corridors as everything grew darker and weirder. Eventually, it all unraveled—perhaps a bit too much for my liking. Still, I believe Starling has created something entirely new and remarkably fresh, even if many of the tropes she uses are familiar. This is a work of art.

This was a real crazy roller coaster ride. Dark gothic horror set in a crumbling castle with a starving population, this book descends further and further into madness as it goes on. It’s a dark magic cannibalistic fever dream, and I’m not sure how to feel! The pacing of this didn’t really work for me, it felt kind of clunky and the set up for the major plot points in the book took too long. I did like the characterization of the three women in the book, I love a crazy unhinged woman and this was full of them. The writing was very evocative, you can definitely feel the desperation from both the starvation and the situation. I think more regular horror readers may enjoy this more, but for a casual horror reader I did not connect well with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This was a really fun one. Some of my favorite things about this was the variety in the characters individual voices. It made it super easy for me to identify who was narrating from the beginning, especially when we are introduced to so many characters. I also really loved the vivid descriptions, especially the gore and body-horror in this was just really well done. On top of that, I, of course, loved the romance and I have a huge crush on Voyne now....

I do think that the plot moved a little slowly and I found some of the points confusing. I found myself rereading a lot of portions simply because I was getting confused. That could be a me problem, so take that with a grain of salt.

Overall, I had a fun time with this! Once again, thank you for providing me this ARC!

Caitlin Starling does it again! The Starving Saints was like a fever dream. Dreamy and disgusting and creepy and I couldn't put it down.

Darkly atmospheric, unsettling, and surreal, The Starving Saints paints an intense portrait of three women simply trying to survive a world that tries to tear them down. Aymar Castle has been under siege for months and is now completely out of food. Phosyne is the resident heretic and witch who has been ostracized from her religious order, yet is tasked by the king to come up with a miracle to feed the people. Ser Voyne sits at the king’s right hand and prides herself on her protection of the castle, but wishes she could do more and was treated less like a prized guard dog. And Treila is an unassuming servant girl who actually is an orphaned and homeless princess who is intent on seeking revenge on the people that killed her family, including Voyne. As these women struggle against expectations from the king, their responsibilities, and their missions, something sinister is sneaking its way into the castle. The castle falls into madness and chaos quickly from there, as the three women try to survive, strike bargains, come into their own power and strength, and once again learn what it means to lean on someone else.

Fast-paced, at times chaotic, and incredibly dark, I had no idea how this story was going to play out. The castle descends into darkness and madness so quickly—in similar ways to how you might make poor decisions but the only defense you have is “it just happened”—that I was simply pulled along with the tide. The fast pace of this book helped justify the strong hold the creatures and madness had over the castle, but it also meant that sometimes it wasn’t the easiest to follow the magic system. While this may have been a feature of the story as the women were also figuring out the magic as they went, it wasn’t the easiest to understand. And yet, by the end of the book, and despite some minor confusion over how the magic worked, I was rooting for each of the women to be as vicious as they needed to be in order to win. Sometimes you just love women going feral.

Unapologetically queer, brutal, and grotesque this book is definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like horror and fantasy, and women going feral, then this is the one for you.

I loved this book! I used it for my r/fantasy bingo prompt this year and I am so glad I read it. I love reading about female knights and when you add sapphic elements to it, perfect. This story was so entertaining and gripping and I am so thankful I got an early copy of it.

Starving Saints opens up with a castle and it’s people under siege, quickly running out of food and barely holding on thanks to a miracle performed by Phosyne, a nun turned alchemist. Having left behind a life of the faith, Phosyne managed what her former order could not and cleansed the waters of the castle that had been sickening the people. Unfortunately, by accomplishing one miracle, she then is tasked with performing another: create a solution to their starvation. Placed under surveillance and with time quickly running out, Phosyne struggles to find a solution... and then four mysterious saviors appear, promising food for the desperate.

Throughout the novel, we are presented with an intense, surreal experience, questioning the limits of human debauchery when presented with their own mortality. The desperation of the starved poured off the pages as the pressure increased like a corked bottle, until it burst into a Bacchanalian frenzy of consumption, both of food and of the body. Furthermore, this descent of madness consistently reinforces a strong bond between food and the mere acting of feeding another, creating power boundaries through the experience of hosting. I found myself taken in just as much as the characters with their thirst for knowledge—where did these saints come from, what did they want, and what would be the breaking point for this castle? Would anyone survive their terror?

I loved every part of this book, from the intense relationships between our main characters that brimmed with sapphic energy to the dark descent of the besieged into depravity. Most of all I loved the Saints, glorious, powerfully cruel, and oh so hungry. I have already raved about Starving Saints to several people and recommend it to any who enjoy dark, religious horror. For those looking for catalog purchases, this is a solid choice to add for any horror collection.

Dark, haunting, unsettling, this book will slowly work its way under your skin until nothing but dread remains. The best way to describe this book is a sapphic medieval horror fantasy, but if you were having a fever dream. I am a lover of horror, but this book is a different breed; there is nothing that Starling does not throw at us, and it makes for the most enticing concoction.

My only complaint and reason for giving 4 stars rather than 5 is the first half of the book was slow, almost too slow. But I will say, when I finally reached the second half, everything fell into place. I am so happy that I stuck it out because this is one I will be talking about for ages.

If you are a fan of the horror genre, please read this! I akin this to books like The Unworthy, Bunny, with a sprinkle of Tender is the Flesh. This is one novel I cannot stress enough to check the trigger warning and do your research if you are in any way squeamish.

Thank you, Harper Voyager and Harper Collins, for the opportunity to read and review this arc. This is one that will forever haunt me in the best ways.

This one took me a while to get through because of the sheer terror it instilled in me. I don't often get genuinely scared while reading horror, but something about the utterly alien (and brilliantly built) world, the terror of religious fervor gone wrong, the isolation, and the inability for characters to trust their view of reality (or the views of others) really got to me here. I loved all of the characters with their many, MANY flaws -- even (or maybe especially) the saints themselves. I also learned that bees were an important part of medieval Christian theology, which adds a layer of realism and terror to all of this. I felt like the soundtrack to Eggers's The Witch was blasting in my head the whole way through.

The Starving Saints is one of those books that takes a while to get going, but once it does, it really digs in (sometimes literally). The first third is a slow, atmospheric build—almost frustratingly so—but by the time things start to unravel, it’s a wild, body-horror-laced dive into faith, obsession, and decay.

Caitlin Starling absolutely nails the vibe of medieval mysticism. The mix of ecstatic religious devotion and physical suffering feels deeply rooted in that era’s strange, beautiful, and often horrifying spirituality. The body horror is intense, but it’s never gratuitous—it always feels purposeful, like a natural extension of the characters’ beliefs and the world they inhabit.

That said, I have to mention one small thing: the word "insensate" pops up a lot. Like, enough that I started noticing it every time. It’s a minor nitpick, but once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

Overall, though, this was a richly unsettling read. Definitely not for the squeamish, but if you like your horror theological, visceral, and steeped in historical weirdness, this one’s worth pushing through the slow beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read!

I had a great time with this one—it was my first dive into medieval horror, and the setting and atmosphere really hooked me! There were some seriously unsettling moments that kept me on edge, reminding me of movies like Midsommar and Hereditary, where it felt like a fever dream until you’re neck-deep in the madness. That said, it felt a little confusing at times due to the lyrical writing, and the first half could’ve been trimmed down a bit, since it took a while to get to the truly wild stuff. But if you’re into strange, creepy reads with a touch of cannibalism thrown in, I’d definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much for the ARC!

I LOVE Caitlin Starling, The Death of Jane Lawrence is one of my favorite horror books, so I was ecstatic when I was approved for this on NetGalley and it completely lived up to my hopes!

Caitlin Starling has such a unique writing style and approach to speculative horror that I really love, it strikes the perfect balance between readable and flowery historical prose. She writes absolutely fantastic imagery, and is able to craft vivid scenes while not moving away from the action.

The plot of this book was so unique and not really like anything else I’ve ever read. The Constant Lady and her saints are unlike any other folklore or creature I’ve ever read about, and it constantly kept me guessing.

The pacing is quite steady, perhaps a bit slower than the average horror but a fair bit quicker than most historical fiction; I thought it was a very nice happy medium between the genres.

The three main characters are all distinct and compelling, each with well rounded personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. I think one of the things Starling really excels at is characterization, and this book was no different.

If you’re hoping got a weird girl historical fiction summer, this is definitely the book for you!

4⭐️
Thank you for the ARC publisher and NetGalley!
A visceral, gothic descent into madness, The Death of Jane Lawrence meets Masque of the Red Death in this nightmarish medieval horror. Caitlin Starling crafts a haunting tale filled with cannibalism, a tender sapphic romance, and—unexpectedly—bees.

Following three compelling female leads, this book excels in character development and unsettling atmosphere. Each woman’s arc is distinct and powerful, pulling you into their descent as dread builds steadily. Starling’s prose is immersive, with grotesque imagery and eerie worldbuilding that leaves you squirming in the best way.

Unrelentingly eerie. I loved it.

This book was a complete fever dream on acid! Written in a very lyrical way it felt like to me, I many times did feel a bit lost as to what was even happening. Specially in the beginning as I was trying to get into the story and the feel of this world, which is very lucid medieval.

You follow 3 main characters, a madwoman, a female knight, and a servant. You are at castle Aymar and they have ran out of food- and you follow along with the dread, tension, stress of what are they to do. There are some very drastic measures they can follow (cannibalism) and they are at that point to consider it as people start to pass away.

Though all of a sudden these gods appear offering a endless bounty of food- though this is where the madness begins. Flipping through the different POVs from each FMC you are seeing everything unfold from different angles throughout. Brainwashing, cannibalism, music, fests, body horror, joy, terror, uncontrollable, religion. There is so much going on that your head will spin. Slow burn love triangle, I THINK?!

The descriptions of the feasts that take place, stomach churning (I love it). Magical elements mixed with religion. There are so many powerful things that take place.

I felt lost a lot of times, but I do feel like getting a 2nd re-read I will be able to comprehend and enjoy the story event more. Perhaps if there is an audiobook release I would love to get that and experience this story that way. ALSO THAT COVER!!!! Love!

Medieval horror with a touch of sapphic longing, cannibalism, and religious madness come together in this story about three woman who all are in the same castle and must deal with the new godlike visitors that enter. Aymar Castle is under siege, food is running out, there is no rescue... and the three women find themselves at the center of it. Ser Voyne is the war hero who is aligned with the Constant Lady and tasked with caring for Phosyne, Phosyne is a nun turned sorceress tasked with creating miracles for the king, and Treila is a girl who seeks revenge against Voyne while also wanting to escape Aymar's walls. When Phosyne summons saints to the castle... their new guests are not what they seem and all these godlike people are much more monstrous than anyone could imagine. As the castle descends into madness, the three women must find a way to work together to get out before it's too late. This was such a weird fever dream of a novel that simultaneously had not enough going on and also so much happening. There's no romance strictly it just lust and yearning, and at the same time the horrors are happening. I do think it's a weird little book that horror fans will have a fun time with and while I should have been the perfect person for this book, it just kind of felt like a missed vibe for me.

Release Date: May 20, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Too many points of view switching in the dialog, gets very confusing. I think a lot of the "felt like dying" phrases could have been shaved down. Good Idea, not great execution (ha ha).