The Starving Saints
Caitlin Starling

4.25 / 5

Cannibalism, cults, and mind control. Oh my!

Sapphic, medieval horror.
This tale is told in a very stylistically intriguing way.
Blending elements of dark fantasy and humor among the depravity and debauchery .

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I don't think it'll be for everyone, but it was certainly for me.

4.25 / 5

I would like to start off this review by thanking Avon and Harper Voyager and the author, Caitlin Starling, for allowing me to read this book, The Starving Saints, via #netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

The story centers around Phosyne, a woman who sought refuge in a strange and crumbling castle. When it is apparent that water and food are in scarcity, and she is found to practice the occult, she is kicked out of the convent she is in. However. She is tasked to use her powers to make clean water. When, even to her own surprise, she is found to be successful, she is imprisomed until she can also find a way to produce food. While she is trying, she finds herself caught in a web of occult rituals, ancient power, and the ever-present presence of the saints that the people worship. When the saints come in the flesh to save the people, their true motives become unclear, and their influence dangerous.

Alongside Phosyne are two other main characters: Ser Voyne, a knight who swore loyalty to their king and is tasked with watching over Phosyne but whose actual intentions are often ambiguous, and Treila, a companion whose loyalty is tested in ways that challenge their bonds. As Phosyne navigates her growing understanding of the castle and the saints, she must also reckon with her evolving relationships with Ser Voyne and Treila, both of whom have their own dark secrets and desires that may either help or hinder her survival. The ultimate questions become: who can be trusted, and where should power lie, and at what cost?

To be honest, I struggled with this book. I found it grotesque at some points and honestly just too dark for me. However, I must concede that parts were very interesting, and the book definitely caused me to think and reflect. Ultimately, I gave the book ⭐️⭐️⭐️. For readers who enjoy Gothic horror, I would suggest this book--even it wasn't my personal taste. Be sure to look for this one in May 2025!

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Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Caitlin Starling for the opportunity to review an arc of The Starving Saints.

This premise of this is right up my alley - sapphic medieval horror, cannibal “saints” within a cult-like religion, and pure chaos. The set up for this story is phenomenal. The eerie feeling that something isn’t right when the “saints” arrive to absolve the kingdom of their starvation is so tangible and truly scary. The religion is also really well developed and interesting in itself. All in all, I was so excited for this book and it captured me within the first few chapters.

As the story progressed, the pacing threw me off a bit. It would be really slow, not a lot happening, then something unhinged and graphic would suck me back in. I think ultimately, I just wanted more from the story. More chaos, more gore, more everything. It felt like the characters spent more time reflecting than actually being IN the action itself. In the end, the story sadly fell a bit flat for me.

If you’re into weird girl literary horror, this might be a good one for you! I’m not sure if I would necessarily recommend it for seasoned horror readers, but it would be a great intro to horror for those wanting to try the genre.

if you have to ask me about this book is unhinged because the characters are cannibal? well, yes! but did i also have a good time while reading this? also yes!

the beginning got me struggling at the start because we get to know the characters at the first 3 chapters. but when i reach the 40% mark, things got exciting to continue.

her writing is so beautiful and deep that sometimes i have to read it again. i also love the dark setting for this; i imagined it as nosferatu vibes, minus the vampires.

Unfortunately, I DNF’d at 20%. I was doing fine until I got to a very vivid description of a character venturing deep into an underground tunnel in a way that can only be described as spelunking. I absolutely hate anything having to do with caves and being underground and with the way that specific part was written… (it was perhaps written a bit too well) I had to skip about half of that section. I also got the impression the character would have to do that again later on in the book… and I am just not strong enough to make that journey with her a second time.

But if you enjoy books with sapphics, religious themes, cannibalism, medieval castles under siege, and what happens when humans are pushed to the absolute brink and descend into debauchery I think you’d enjoy this! I wasn’t loving it so far since it felt a little slow to start and I don’t think it’s for me, but it might be for you!

Debauchery. Bacchanalian. GAYS. All words that describe The Starving Saints, and all words that had me hooked from the moment I was introduced to Phosyne (and Ser Voyne).

This was a gruesome, stinky, and depraved gothic horror full of faerie-like saints. A twisted fever dream you can never fully grasp and could not predict. I really enjoyed this and the descriptive writing.

The sapphites have truly won the lady knight lottery in 2025. As you might expect, everyone was horny for our knight Voyne; as you might not expect, I was not. Everyone’s minds were lost and the lack of hygiene just made me think, if I were in the situation, even the idea of fucking someone would give me a yeast infection.

This title was honestly right up my alley, I love queer historical fantasy and horror and this was right in the sweet spot of my personal tastes.

The characters are so clear in their individual desires and convictions in a way that made them feel very real. I didn't think any of the characters were particularly likeable, but I think that's why I liked them. They all had such distinct personalities and perspectives and each chapter was incredibly engaging, no matter which point of view it was from. Though, I must say, I am very biased towards madwomen, so Phosyne was a clear favorite for me, from beginning to end.

I also enjoyed most of the relationship dynamics between the women, though I will admit that some aspects of certain dynamics kind of pissed me off. I won't say more about that because I don't want to spoil anything, but I'm pretty sure I will be an outlier in my feelings on this, and I will be interested to see where other people land on it. I am open to having my mind changed about it, and perhaps upon a reread I will change my opinion, but that remains to be seen.

What I really loved though, was how much each of the main characters changed and grew (for better AND for worse) throughout the story. I support women's wrongs, and, believe me, these three women committed many wrongs, against themselves, each other, and their community as a whole. The growth they all went through individually and as a group was so satisfying, even when they -sometimes knowingly, sometimes not- made some truly terrible decisions. The consequences of their decisions and actions felt justified and the stakes were clear and urgent in a way that drove the plot very organically. Nothing felt forced or contrived to me.

Likewise, the horror felt justified and not gratuitous or simply to shock the reader; the world the author put her characters in necessitated the atrocities and it was... well, usually I would describe it as delicious, but in this situation, I think I will refrain from doing so. Suffice to say, I loved the horror aspect immensely.

I would also like to highlight the way religion was used in this story. The wielding of religion and specifically religious imagery and iconography as a weapon against faithful and almost hopelessly desperate believers was very very interesting to me. I always like when a story constructs its own religion to pick apart and utilize as a tool. I also enjoyed that whether the characters in this story were followers of the religion or not, the stakes were the same for all of them: eat or be eaten.

I won't say too much more, as I would hate to spoil anything for perspective readers. What I will say is this: this story was a delight to read! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am very much looking forward to its release so that I can get my hands on a physical copy of it. This book is not a great fit for the readers in my library's community (it's a rather conservative area), but, rest assured, I will be recommending it to many people outside of my library position. I can't wait to reread it myself.

Oh! I almost forgot! I am IN LOVE with this cover! It was what initially drew me to the book and it represents the story so well!

Thank you to Harper Collins and netgalley for the arc!

I love the idea of this book. The horror combined with medieval times aspect is so interesting and unique. I like the premise and the fact that there aren't a million characters with strange names to remember.

Unfortunately, I didn't connect with this one. I didn't quite always understand what I was reading. I think the "medieval speak" wasn't vibing with me and that is my fault. It felt like a fever dream almost? 

I'm just getting into fantasy or trying to.

Trigger warnings: Mutilation, cannibalism and gore. But the gore is not overdone at all.

Three woman from different backgrounds trapped in a castle under siege and starving to death with the rest. Phosyne- an ex nun who no faith. Ser Voyne- dedicated knight. Treila- a young servant. All seemingly, gradually and subtle declining into a state of madness. Each woman has a dark past and all three characters are written very well. I was fascinated and invested in each ones story line and point of view. Then the Saints show up. The Saints, what can I say about them without giving too much away. Not much. But they are not as they seem.

The story line it’s self is intriguing and unique. It’s dark, macabre and utterly captivating. Theres killer bees and cannibals everywhere! You really do not know who your eating. Who could not be fascinated! And do not get me started about that cover! Amazing. In some places the story line does get shaky and I was questioning characters choices and actions but it all comes together for the most part in the end.

I dove into The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling with high expectations, drawn by its blend of sapphic medieval horror and body horror. The premise was captivating: Aymar Castle under siege, where desperation leads to cannibalism and divine figures offer miraculous feasts, turning the castle into a hedonistic cult. The setup was intense, reminiscent of being trapped and desperate for sustenance.

The three main characters—Ser Voyne, Phosyne, and Treila—initially hooked me with their complex dynamics. However, the plot became convoluted, and the body horror, while intriguing, didn’t quite deliver the visceral punch I was hoping for. The atmosphere was immersive, with a creepy, oppressive castle setting and compelling character interactions. Despite some frustrations, I appreciate Starling’s skill in crafting tension and atmosphere, even if the plot and horror elements didn’t fully resonate with me.

Aymar castle has been under siege for the last six months. Help should have been on its way by now, instead the inhabitants within the castle’s walls are suffering the consequences of siege, i.e., starvation and plague. The castle only has fifteen days’ worth of food left to spread between roughly 900 people. The people need a miracle, they need salvation, but are they willing to pay the price?
The horror genre is always best when it is unpredictable. This one is worth the read.

#ThxNetGalley #CaitlinStarling #TheStarvingSaints

- A crazed mad-scientist nun who purified the water
"She has sacrificed her body on the alter of knowledge"

- The loyal knight who only knows servitude
"Even gentleness is pain for you"

- The lost child, made feral by those who swore to protect her
"...it is eat or be eaten. But I promise I'll make it good"

A castle is besieged, the inhabitants are on the brink of starvation when suddenly... their Sainted Lady arrives with empty palms and promises a feast. What follows in the sweltering summer is raving bacchanal and the castle is lost to madness and sweet honey. But where is the food coming from?

This book has absolutely cemented Caitlin Starling as my favorite horror author. From her visceral word play, to the sense of space and timing it's all incredible. Once I was able to muck through the middle ages names and language and get past how many times hands were put in hair, I was off and running. It's absolutely great. Starling has a signature that I'm obsessed with. It's wlw all the way down with minimal men.

"Service is never easy, not when done right"


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

(since this is from an ARC, all my quotes are from the uncorrected proof. Once the book comes out, I will make sure they are all correct!)

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a deeply fascinating and, at times, delightfully confusing read. If you’re looking for beautiful gore, sapphic frustrations and yearning, and medieval horror then please read this book! Caitlin Starling has created something so unique and strange that I couldn’t look away even when things took disgusting and brutal turns. My only critique was that certain characters could have been expanded upon more, most particularly Treila who I felt only pushed the plot along strongly near the end of the book. Nevertheless, a fantastic read that I would recommend highly.

A fever dream of a book! Was a cool ride, for sure go into it blind with an open mind. I love books that are strange, where you don’t know where it’s going to end up. I like to enjoy the ride. This was perfect for that kind of mindset.

Started strong and got trippy. I don’t think this story was really for me. I might give it another chance in a different format. Maybe it’s better in audio. I would say give it a chance and see what you think!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!!

sapphics, gore and religious iconography set in a dirty medieval castle????? i think this book was made for me.

overall i adored this book. i wish i could give it five stars, i just feel like the prose was a bit confusing at times? there were certain moments where i had to go back a reread the last few pages because i wasn’t sure what was actually happening. BUT maybe that’s a me issue idk. i still highly recommend this book.

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

What is madness if everyone is mad? What is depravity if everyone is depraved? What is power if no one is in control? This book makes you think about all of this, and more, while making you come into direct contact with some of the worst conditions humans can endure while trapped in a finite space - and whether or not anyone even deserves to be saved.

In all honesty, you need to go into this book with an open mind and an empty stomach, and just allow yourself to be engrossed in it. I went into this book entirely blind and I personally think that was the best decision I could have made. The second you think you understand where this book is going you will be hit with another round of madness just around the corner making you realize you don’t understand anything at all. Enter of your own free will and enjoy the ride, because you’ll be taken on one whether you want to be or not.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this e-ARC.

4 stars--I really liked it. (5 stars for the cover--wow!)

This book starts out strong: a medieval horror/dark fantasy, with great characters, an interesting religious system, and some truly spooky monsters. I love the sense of claustrophobia and ever-tightening fear that gives way to utter madness and bloody hedonism. The "monsters" (fae? spirits of the air? elementals?) above and below ground are gorgeous and sinister, and overall this is a truly unique foundation.

The plot gets a bet shaky toward the middle/end, with characters seeming to (literally) flee from scene to scene with no motivation. Character choices are sometimes puzzling, and I'm not sure I understood all the knife symbolism.

Still, a fabulous novel that I'm glad I read.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!