*The Starving Saints* immediately captivated me with its haunting cover and intriguing premise, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Set almost entirely in a besieged castle town, the story moves quickly, unfolding through the perspectives of Treila, Voyne, and Phosyne, each with her own complex background and distorted view of reality. The dynamics between these three women—exploring themes of revenge, loyalty, submission, and protection—are gripping, and fans of the toxic devotion seen in *Gideon the Ninth* will find similar intensity here. The sinister magic in the story is revealed gradually, adding mystery and tension, while the Saints themselves are beautifully eerie, providing a formidable challenge for the knight, serving girl, and disgraced nun at the center of the plot. Starling’s writing is lush and atmospheric, with vivid, unsettling imagery, particularly the recurring motif of honeycomb, which plays a subtle yet significant role in the story. Overall, *The Starving Saints* is a dark, compelling read that pulls you into its madness and keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Aymar Castle find themselves running low on food when being held under siege for 6 months until their saints they worship come brining hope of salvation, or maybe not salvation but madness.

I can’t lie the beginning of this book was slow and I was a tad bored. I kept wanting to put it down but, Caitlin Starling's writing is beautiful and I love books that take place in Medieval times AND it’s horror so I kept going.

I’m glad I did, once these “saints” appeared it got so unsettling, slightly fever dream-ish at times and then it led me to just wanting to figure out what these saints and other creatures are, not to mention I did find things I loved.

All of our main characters (Phosyne, Ser Voyne, & Treila) are so interesting to follow. They all feel a little unhinged in their own way. The author does a great job making you feel that hunger and dread these characters must feel. They do a great job making you feel helpless. These saints themselves feel so deeply unsettling and you long to figure out what they are but that knowledge feels so out of reach that it does make them in turn terrifying.

There were parts of this I loved. I do feel though that because at times things felt disjointed (which maybe I just missed something while I read?) it did take me out of the story and I still found myself wanting to put it down and wanting to read something else.

I do feel there’s a reader for every story and I’m sure this one could resonate with some of you. I’m still glad I read this. The writing I still find beautiful, it was atmospheric, and deeply unsettling. I’d still try more of this author's work. I’d like to believe there’s something of theirs I would resonate with.

I found this overall very unique and I for sure enjoyed the second half more than the first.

Thank you Netgalley, the publishers, and author for this ARC for my honest review!

Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months & is now descending into absolute madness within its walls. The story is told from the POV of 3 women who do not trust the four saints who have appeared to save the inhabitants of this doomed castle. This medieval horror fever dream is laced in cannibalism, debauchery, obsession and pure horror. This was utter craziness in all its glory. Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC. You can give this a read when it publishes May 20, 2025

Told from three alternating POVs, The Starving Saints takes place in a castle under siege where the food has run out, and the residents have begun to starve. Ser Voyne, a knight loyal to her king; Treila, the daughter of a Lord killed by Ser Voyne at the king's command; and Phosyne, a madwoman tasked with making food out of nothing is under Ser Voyne's watch. Once the food stores have diminished, and the king begins to consider feeding the castle's dead to its inhabitants, four Saints appear in the courtyard and bring with them a feast.
This book was like a medieval fever dream. The characters are well developed, and their interwoven backstories create an interesting dynamic between the three women. As the story progresses, the castle becomes more and more frenzied under the Saints' thrall, and I never truly knew what was reality.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of The Starving Saints in exchange for my honest review. This is my first book by Caitlin Starling, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

The Starving Saints took me on an epic fantasy adventure. I love that this book by Caitlin Starling feels like a fresh new take on fantasy and magic. I couldn't put it down and the characters and world she has created will for sure be an amazing read for everyone on May 20th. I loved this book and will be recommending it every chance I get. I cant wait to see what she writes next.

This was such an inventive, unique premise and it was explored beautifully. This is a dark, bloody, intensely atmospheric gothic medieval horror. The multiple points of view were a great way to put readers into every angle of this wild story as it unfolds. The book started a bit slow but once we entered the unravelling, bacchanalian phase the story really picked up and grew in that sense of unease, driving the story to an intense and thought-provoking end.

Prepare your souls, fellow horror fans, for Caitlin Starling’s new novel The Starving Saints (Harper Voyager, May 20, 2025)—a blood-drenched medieval horror story of monsters and magic.

In this tale, a castle under siege becomes home to a new kind of nightmare when four deities suddenly appear amongst the starving masses. From the King and his liege lords to the peasants and farmers, the castle’s inhabitants are ready to rejoice when these saints produce a boundless feast out of thin air. But not everyone is convinced. Among the skeptics are a heretical nun, an honor-bound knight, and a serving girl with a secret who can all see there is something sinister to this divine intervention. As the indulgences increase, it’s up to the three women to unravel the mystery and save themselves from hell.

With The Starving Saints, Starling has composed such a unique piece of horror fiction it truly must be read to be believed. The plot writhes and twists in unpredictable directions that will keep readers leaning toward the page, even as Starling’s prose makes every scene a benediction to the poetry of horror. (“It’s eat or be eaten, she tells herself, and she cannot eat darkness. But it can eat her.”) This is a story, and a writer, that pulls no punches when it comes to describing pain, violence, and suffering, and genre fans will be pleased to know there is much of all three to be chronicled here.

But it’s the characters that will capture the reader's hearts in The Starving Saints. All three of Starling’s protagonists are compelling, dimensional people whose characterization still satisfies the genre’s need for archetypes. Phosyne’s erratic magic and Ser Voyne’s commitment to duty quickly expand beyond the expected, while Terlia’s mysterious past provides much more motivation than one might expect.

There will inevitably be comparisons to Christopher Buehlman’s 2012 Between Two Fires, and it’s undeniable the two novels strike complementary chords. However, what Starling is doing here is utterly unique and will quickly be cited as a standard in the sub genre. The Starving Saints is medieval horror transubstantiated into something fresh, fearless, and not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Starving Saints is a story bursting with hunger, cannibalism, and the power of bargaining (with a heaping side of girl kissing). This was just such a delight to read. However, if you are someone who likes all of your mysteries to get wrapped up nicely, this is probably not the book for you. Almost none of the mysteries get answers at all, and the ones that do are very vague. I am personally quite fond of weird, open ended horror books, so I ate this right up.

Update: After a month of sitting on this story, I've realized it truly is a 5 star read and am amending my rating as such. I think that says a lot about the book, just getting better with time.

Madness, alchemy, magic, cannibalism, Lesbians, knights, and monsters. What did this book NOT have?! This medieval sapphic horror was atmospheric and insane, literally. These people are under siege and when saviors finally come they are oozing wrongness. I really enjoyed this story!! The way the characters are confused and enchanted, the writing style made me as the reader feel the same way. I really loved our three main characters, all bad ass women who carried this story.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

<b>3.50🍯🩸</b>

<b><i>’She should be frightened. She should be terrified, now that she’s played her hand, but instead she’s leaning closer, as if to kiss him. She wonders if he’ll let her.’</b></i>

<i>Uh okay then😃</i>

Alright! This took me way too long to get into and finish <b>BUT</b>..

I found the dynamics between Phosyne, Treila and Ser Voyne to be very interesting. I found them to be written quite well and the depth of them to be clear and understandable. Though I wish we got more of them as individuals so I could connect with them even <i>more</i>than how I eventually did, we are only given glimpses and other than that we are just following along with them in the now.

I was confused <b>a lot</b>in this book (feared I was becoming illiterate at times), the beginning and chapter 29/30 for example really threw me around. The writing I didn’t too much enjoy as it caused a lot of my confusion throughout ), along with random chapters being only a page or two when I felt needed more (yet there was times the writing really flowed in perfect clarity that contributed to my quickness of being put on track).

<i>Yet,</i> I realized though a bit hungry and confused, I still ended up finding myself enjoying my read once I reached the end. I may need to reread this at a later time!

<b>**SPOILER**</b>
Also poor prioress like dang I wanted more from her character— Alive ALIVE— lol.
<b>**</b>

<b><i>‘Voyne closes her eyes and lets her head fall back against the throne with a sigh. One of her hands curls into Phosyne’s hair. The other lifts to touch Treila’s arm.’</b></i>

<i>Felt both relieved and flustered in don’t know quite why😭 maybe I turned into Phosyne and Treila by the end loll</i>

<b><u>Departing Thoughts</b</u>

- To end off, I oh so wish we got at least a time skip chapter of what happened on the outside. How their dynamic withholds and the people of Aymar!

- I think something or a <i>few</i> things is really missing from this book, and or should’ve been about differently. And that is contributing on why, yes I eventually found joy in the read, but still feel starved after so.

<b>Thank you so much HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!</b>

medieval horror? trapped in a castle where food is running scarce? the common people thirsty for a miracle and getting more than they bargained for? don’t threaten me with a good time!

we enter Almar castle as they are rapidly running out of food and soon learn how our three main characters are dealing with this (hint not well)

what follows is a delicious gothic medieval unraveling of the story that takes its time in some places but don’t let the slow(er) pace fool you, the story picks up and you won’t be able to put it down

I think my favorite character was Treila, but I liked all the POVs we got

if you want more medieval horror in your life definitely pick this one up!

Time (and food) is running out! Fans of medieval horror such as "Between Two Fires" will enjoy this one, that follows three different women as they attempt to survive a siege in different ways: one's a miracle worker, one's a knight, and one's a canny waif with a secret. This one takes a while to build, so patience is required, but by the time it gets in the thick of things you'll be engrossed. One of Starling's better efforts.

I was intrigued by the cover of this book, and the story was good. I did not expect there to be so many POVs and that always takes something away for me. I believe that this is more dark fantasy than it is horror. That’s okay, just not what I was expecting.

Incredible book. Medieval horror at its best. Slow, eerie, claustrophobic — I felt this book in my bones.

I choose this book because I was intrigued by the cover.. I find it annoying when a story is told in more than 2 POV but the story is very easy to follow and really interesting. There are a few trigger warnings that should be considered for some readers but overall it is a good book and good storyline.

This novel unfortunately was not for me. I was under the impression it was horror, not dark fantasy. This author tried really hard to make this sound elevated in to fit fantasy narrative but in just felt short. The cohesiveness was not there and half of the time I couldn’t not tell what was happening in the story.

✨This is another ARC to favorite! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC of The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling.

“…three starving women who struggled for mastery of themselves in the face of a spiraling world.

Three women saving their world from murderous creatures masquerading as religious icons… and they’re queer! What more could you ask for? Ser Voyne, the dashing knight with her honor and grace. Phosyne, the nun turned alchemist who uses her strong mind to overcome temptation. And Trelia, the resourceful and quick rat catcher who, I think, really saved the people with her fearlessness.

This book is full of gore, body horror, cannibalism, and mind control. I loved every moment of it, it was so fun and action packed! The characters were so vivid. This is going on my list of auto recommendations!

Do you revel in the decent into maddness and horror? Does medieval cannibalism and revalry intruige you? Then this is deffinitely the book for you. Caitlin Starling drew me in with the idea of a nun-turned-sorceress, and unhinged saints all trapped within a castle rife with famine and disease, but I was plesantly suprised by the budding romance and enticing charachter development of the three women. Sir Voyne, Phoysne, and Trelia scattered within different parts of the castle, wrestling with various horrors are perfectly interwoven into this sinister fever dream.


*Blurb from the back of the book below*

From the nationally bestselling author of The Luminous Dead and The Death of Jane Lawrence, a transfixing, intensely atmospheric fever dream of medieval horror.

Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months. Food is running low and there has been no sign of rescue. But just as the survivors consider deliberately thinning their number, the castle stores are replenished. The sick are healed. And the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints have arrived, despite the barricaded gates, offering succor in return for adoration.

Soon, the entire castle is under the sway of their saviors, partaking in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin. The war hero Ser Voyne gives her allegiance to the Constant Lady. Phosyne, a disorganized, paranoid nun-turned-sorceress, races to unravel the mystery of these new visitors and exonerate her experiments as their source. And in the bowels of the castle, a serving girl, Treila, is torn between her thirst for a secret vengeance against Voyne and the desperate need to escape from the horrors that are unfolding within Aymar’s walls.

As the castle descends into bacchanalian madness—forgetting the massed army beyond its walls in favor of hedonistic ecstasy—these three women are the only ones to still see their situation for what it is. But they are not immune from the temptations of the castle’s new masters… or each other; and their shifting alliances and entangled pasts bring violence to the surface. To save the castle, and themselves, will take a reimagining of who they are, and a reorganization of the very world itself.

Aymar is a castle under siege--with one wall facing a cliff and the other surrounded by enemy soldiers, those within its walls have resorted to eating leather and waiting for the priory's bees, the only beings that can leave Aymar, to make enough honey to keep them from starving. Phosyne, a heretical ex-nun, is frantically working on a miracle to save her people, but her lack of success has her working under the watchful eye of the stern knight Ser Voyne. Meanwhile, a disgraced noblewoman whose father was executed by Ser Voyne wanders the halls of Aymar Castle, hunting rats in an effort to keep everyone fed. Their paths collide when four saints worshipped by the people of Aymar arrive past its gate, bringing more than enough fresh food to keep everyone fed and happy. Having their own reasons to be suspicious of these newcomers in holy clothes, the three women become unlikely companions in unraveling the mystery of how they arrived, and how they can free their people.

'The Starving Saints' is not an easy book to get into. It's a bleak fantasy, with writing that feels as oppressive and hopeless as the situation in which our cast finds themselves. Once the saints show up around seventy pages in, the pace quickens to an intoxicating frenzy, and the pieces that are meticulously set up in the beginning fall into place. It gets weird, it gets violent, and it gets confusing--all in a way that is lavishly described by Caitlin Starling's vivid prose. A lot of things in the story follow fairytale logic, though not in a way that feels disappointing or hollow. Phosyne's miracle working is guided by intuition and lucky guesses, with some of her feats confusing even her, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of hard magic system.

While I always appreciate a queer love story, I'll admit that this one felt a little out of place. Perhaps it was the bleakness of the setting, or perhaps it's just because I'm a bit too tender-hearted to be into throat-grabbing, but it felt more like filler in an already long book than an exciting new cast dynamic. I don't think Starling intends for it to be romantic as much as it's their weird and unhealthy fixations on each other, but if you're looking for a sapphic love story then you should look elsewhere.

'The Starving Saints' is weird and confusing and is probably a bit longer than it needs to be, but overall I enjoyed my time with it. This was my first time reading Caitlin Starling's work, but I'd definitely like to read more in the future.

Toxic women? Cannibalism? The Starving Saints was a highly anticipated ARC for me and it not only did not disappoint, it blew my expectations out of the water. What can I say except I love religious themes and cannibal metaphors.