I think that it is unfortunately time that I have to hang up my hat on trying future Caitlin Starling books. I was fully blown away by her debut, The Luminous Dead, but everything I’ve read since just hasn’t been up to par. This, like many others, I found to be just bland and lacking.

3.5 stars rounded up

I have to admit that I only really skimmed the summary of this book, so when I started I only had the vaguest idea of what I was walking into. Honestly, I saw the medieval Europe-esque setting and the possibility of cannibalism and I was sold.

This book was quite good. It's chaotic and has a lot of different threads to keep track of, what with the three main characters who keep getting separated from each other. It was, overall, an interesting and fun read. I thought the author did a good job of establishing the stakes, first from the siege and then from the Saints' appearance.

The characters were pretty solid, but I think Phosyne was lacking a little something in backstory that Voyne and Treila had. Because the latter two have a shared past, we do learn more about them as people and what led them to Aymar, but I can't really say the same for the former. We are told why Phosyne left the order briefly, but I don't feel like the explanation of her turn to "heresy" felt quite as fleshed out as Voyne's guilt or Treila's quest for revenge.

I also thought this book skimped a bit on the worldbuilding. Everything outside of Aymar feels hazy and unclear, down to the political situation and the religion of the Constant Lady and the other Saints. I can kinda forgive not learning more about the war and the story behind the siege, since that isn't the main focus of the book, but I really wish the religion of this world was explained more. Like, the nuns play a big role in part of this book (Phosyne used to be one), but I didn't think they were explained very well.

I also found the lack of folklore, parables, and myths kinda strange considering the central role religion/supernatural beings plays in this book. We aren't really told who the Constant Lady and the Saints are, and when the Saints arrive at Aymar and chaos ensues the main characters don't have any theories as to what these creatures could be. It felt strange since, in most instances like this, people will make some sort of connection to religious or folkloric figures in their attempts to understand what's happening. That never really happens, and I personally find it hard to believe that there's a culture that mirrors out medieval Europe yet doesn't have any weird creatures that people tell stories about like demons, fae, or vampires.

I have some very complicated feelings about this book. The first…50% was decidedly boring. Now that I’ve finished the book, I am happy to have had that time with the characters, but at the time it was hard to get through.

But the second half. THE SECOND HALF. I considered giving this book 3/5 stars because of the first half, but the second half of this book was too unique, too MUCH, to give anything less than 4/5 stars.

Recommend if you like really messy, smelly, complicated women who eat rats and sometimes other people.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Read this if you like: medieval horror, A24 movies, Florence’s Dance Fever album.

The vibes here were off the charts bizarre in an enchanting fever dream way. There are times when you (and the characters) will wonder what’s real and what isn’t. The magic/fantasy elements provided incredible drama for the horror unfolding in Aymar.

The trio of main characters (Phosyne, Voyne, Treila) are toxic and terrible…and so engaging and enjoyable to read about. The characters are complicated, with depth and mysteries that unravel over the course of the book. I always worry that with multiple POV stories there’ll be one I dislike, but all three were excellent.

The premise of this is so unique - definitely not cookie cutter fantasy, and I’m not as familiar with the horror genre, but I think it’ll stand out there as well.

As mentioned in my read this if - this book would make a great A24 movie. Someone needs to get on that ASAP. I want to see Aymar Castle (I will close my eyes during the meat-related scenes).

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read.

I made it 70% into this book and realized, I didn't know if I quite understood what I was reading and how it made sense. Normally, I don't have an issue with Caitlin's books, since I rated The Death of Jane Lawerence so highly. This was... well, lets ask this: to be created, where does one or something come from? An idea? A combination of various things? So that means that its original status, or basis, is traceable. Correct?

I think that's what the the author was attempting to convey. In the story, religion is expression as creation - but is it creation of thought or something else entirely? What are the building blocks?

Bees, water, fire, and thought are all things mentioned and focused on in this book. But honest to god, it's like someone dumped a bunch of shapes with holes made out of squares and asked me to plug them into the correct holes. One is gonna match up, but the other shapes are shit out of luck. That was me with this book, I understood one thing but the rest I didn't and it frustrated me so much that I gave up.

I'll wait for the reviews on it. To those who wish to really deep dive and go into physics with this book go ahead. But I don't rate books for vibes, I rate them for meaning and the ability to express, vibes come secondary. To most I think will have a hard time understanding and the average reader will be lost on what is going on in here. But, if you're enjoying an acid trip in the middle ages, guess knowing where you are when you take acid doesn't apply when it comes to this book.

Wow! what a creative and one of a kind story with such a unique premise that i haven’t read before! The characters drag you in, in the most intriguing and depraved ways that really makes you question humanity and yourself. The multiple narrative/POVs can be really difficult to keep you engaged within their story, but this was PERFECTION. Each perspective was its own, building the story in such a compelling way and really keep you intrigued with their truly insane histories. This was a fabulous read that’s entertaining, fulfills any interest in more medieval gothic genre and really makes you think without realizing it.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you! I feel like it has been so long since I read a book that was refreshingly different and wild, and this book hits every mark. It’s fresh, it’s creepy, and it’s definitely not like anything else I’ve ever read before.

This book is disgusting, and I meant that in the best possible way. The situation being described is horrific and desperate, and Starling spares no detail to draw you into the setting. There was a scene where a woman has to chew up a bit of dried fruit and spit it into another person’s mouth because they were so starved they couldn’t do it themselves. That description stuck with me through the end of the story because it was so foul and realistic that I actually reared away from my Kindle like I could see it. At times I found myself rubbing phantom grime off my arms while I read.

The setting of the story is also really interesting. What is left of a ravaged kingdom has hidden inside the last castle standing to wait out their enemies, only for a new enemy to walk through the gate. Whenever a story presents you with one antagonist and then suddenly introduces another, I start rubbing my hands together in expectation. Starling presents you with a horrifying setting to make you ask, “what could possibly be worse than this?” And then what you get is so much worse it makes you yearn for what you had just a few pages ago.

And finally, the Saints. I’ll be brief so as not to give away arguably the most interesting part of the story, but I always enjoy a story that leaves you with more questions than when you began. If you read a lot of fantasy, you’ll see enough evidence to make your own conclusions about the nature of the Saints. But the text itself never really clarifies what it is you’re dealing with. It’s just familiar enough that I think I know, but just different enough that I have no idea what I’m seeing. Starling plays with the inherent horror of not truly knowing your enemy in such a deft way that the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up until I finished the book.

This review is provided in exchange for an ARC copy via Netgalley.

This book was so horny and bizarre. A little confusing at times but over all the vibes were SPOOKY. I love me some sapphic medieval weirdness.

This was a disgusting but brilliantly wild ride. I ate (lol) this up, truly could not put it down. I think it could have leaned more into the horror of it all, but it was so unique and I had such a good time reading it I can’t really complain.

This reads like a fever dream, but is a gripping, disturbing ride through medieval horror with cannibalism, magic, and body horror. It’s dark, atmospheric, and filled with compelling characters. The supernatural elements are fun!

“A miracle so profound may be indistinguishable from horror.“
What did I even just read!!! Going into this (at least the first few chapters), I was getting Gideon the ninth/the sixth deaths of the saint vibes. Maybe a bit of the honeys with the bee religion. However I was soooo wrong but I’m not mad about it!! This was a wild, gory ride that I couldn’t put down. Despite all the horror (so much horror) the beautiful prose really emphasized the disconnect the characters and everyone in the castle felt. I also felt weirdly hungry the whole time…the sensory details were that good. I will definitely check out more by this author!!! Massive trigger warnings for war violence, cannibalism, murder, assault, starvation so be careful but if you’re fine with those things give this one a try!!

We are extremely lucky to be spoiled for the sheer volume of nun flavored horror coming out next spring (TWO entire books, this one included). This one is especially hallucinatory, as it features a convent and town under siege, dwindling supplies, and the desperation of leaders lets in something old and hungry and eldritch. We've got lady knights, false miracleworkers, nuns, lesbians, increasingly desperate people, and the fever dream madness of what unfolds in this small town. Also, A++++ for cannibalism using illusions and delusions. Pick this up, you'll be in for a hell of a treat.

i actually ended up dnfing this book 67% in try as i might it simply didn’t click with me nor live up to my expectations sadly. i wasn’t a fan of the long build up to the saints arriving, the romance felt slow and uninteresting, and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. i can absolutely see this being a book someone would love and i expected to love it too but sadly i don’t. 2 stars though because i truly think this book had so much potential to be a favorite for me.

This was UNIQUE. Definitely check trigger warnings because there's cannibalism, eating disorders, body horror, graphic imagery, etc. But if you can stomach it, this is definitely worth the read.

The Starving Saints was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The story was filled with beautiful imagery, horrific scenes of malice and gore and rich with a lore that left much to the imagination. (which i quite enjoy) i found myself greatly engaged with the quick pacing and i read massive chunks of the book at a time. I talked about it non-stop to friends and coworkers and i’ve very excited to purchase a physical copy next year. one of my only critiques of the book was finding certain passages confusing and getting my characters / dialogue mixed up. at the beginning i was a bit lost with the vague and often cryptic descriptions or dialogues of some characters and the cryptic descriptions of action sequences but once i kinda got used to it i found it to be very enjoyable. all in all i absolutely loved it.

I honestly don’t know how to start this review, or what to say about the book itself, but it is most certainly a book worth reading. If, of course, you don’t mind all the cannibalism, body horror, gore and imagery. This is not a book for people sensitive to eating disorders, to bloody violence or religious horror. The characters in this book starve, glut themselves, feel guilt and shame and horror at the acts and both suffer and serve up death and violence. And it’s a wonderful book.

It reminds me a lot of Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett, with the imagery, with the delightful violence and elegance of the Saints, with the three strong women — each with their own strengths in action, emotion, endurance and rage. The writing is good, the pacing is smooth and flawless and the claustrophobic world within the castle walls is vivid and horrifying. I loved every bit of it.

Personally this is more of a 4.5 than a 5 — but I’m rounding up because I enjoyed this book so much; I sat down to read a chapter after lunch and didn’t stop reading until dinner time — because, for all the nightmarish chaos going on, it felt too dreamlike; too insubstantial and too diffuse. The three characters have distinct actions and stories, but their voices overlapped and I didn’t feel strongly enough about any one of them to really want a happy ending for any one of them.

That’s just me, though. Other readers will, of course, have their own opinions. For what it’s worth, I do strongly recommend this book and will come back to this one for a re-read next October. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this book!

these starving saints is unique in every single way- truly one of a kind. this book was also built for a certain niche, a niche of ethel cain lovers mixed with horror devotionists, and while that niche won’t be for everyone, I believe this is a wide appealing story.

while I was a little slow to pick this up, the story sucks you in immediately, and when the saints arrive ~25% mark, you can already feel like something sinister is going on.

this was written well, it had a good plot, good characters (the weakest one was still fairly decent too), and a truly sublime atmosphere.

this was the arc I was praying for and I’m so glad I got it. amazing book!!

Antenora: Dante’s ninth circle of hell reserved for traitors to their country.

What really happened to Nora Willet? The religious community of Bethel, Alabama can’t agree on the truth. They always said she was trouble. Later, they said she was possessed. Maybe she lost her mind, killing three people and injuring many others.

In a part confessional, part plea for Nora to come home, Nora’s childhood friend Abigail Barnes tells of another girl’s gruesome eighteenth birthday, of the time Nora may have fully revived a snake, of the intimacy of their private encounters at the lakeside, of Nora’s deliverance ceremony. Where, Abigail wonders, is Nora now?

In this tender and horrific debut, religious dogmatism sniffs out two girls whose innocent affections threaten an entire town and way of life, making one a traitor to a homeland in which only Abigail and Nora know the bittersweet truth. A homeland in which Nora can only say, “There’s a snake speaking to me, Abby-girl.”

perfect for anyone into weirdieval core (meee)!!!!
-religous in a disturbing way
-beautifully captures the brutality and grotesqueness of the time period
-weirdly and deliciously sapphic yumm!!
this book could be the love child of christopher buehlman and otessa moshfegh (my faves) and is definitely everything i’ve ever wanted in a book!! definitely recommending this for my book club! thank you so much for the earc netgalley! i loved it so much i can’t wait to add a physical copy to my collection!!!

What. a. ride. This is a queer medieval fever nightmare full of gore, magic, and heart. I loved the lush writing style and characterization of our three FMCs. In sum: very fucking metal.

Shout out Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is set to release May 20, 2025. i’m