Actual Rating 3.5

This was such a weird read, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It's pretty disjointed near the beginning (for about the first 20 to 30 percent), which made it difficult to become immersed in the story or the characters. But it soon found its rhythm as the POVs merged more, making it much more enjoyable. The last 40 percent of the work was much better and flowed more smoothly/felt more cohesive overall.

The writing style and genre mashup of this one contributes to its oddness. It feels somewhere between literary fiction, magical realism/light fantasy, and light horror. I don't have much to say about the characters. I didn't really like them or dislike them, and it was hard to say if they were written well and just got somewhat lost beneath everything else going on.

I can't say much due to spoilers, but I LOVED what the author chose to do with the Lady and the Saints. As soon as we got more information about them, my rating jumped up a whole star, and the more we saw of them, the more I enjoyed the work. The lore included with them was excellent (though the author didn't tell all, which left plenty of room for imagination) as well as the way they were written and their personalities. It was honestly perfection, and I would love to see more fantasy authors go this route.

If you're looking for a weird fantasy horror that feels like a fever dream more often than not, then this is a must read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper and Avon Voyager for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Captivating and dizzying, The Starving Saints is a gorgeous, enveloping medieval horror story that is clever and cheeky while practicing dark magic and blind faith. And although clearly a religious horror novel, it is also a sapphic dark fantasy story about loyalty and love.

The three FMC are each characters strong enough to carry a story alone. Phosyne is a mad, disgraced nun, crushed under the weight of her king’s request to use her magic to save his people. Ser Voyne, is a warrior knight trapped in the embattled keep with no way to fight their worst enemy, starvation. And Treila, an ex-noblewoman who is reduced to a rat-hunting servant. Each has a compelling backstory, is wounded and flawed yet strong in their own unique ways.

And then three gods enter the keep and promise feasts. But at what cost?

This is an emotional and violent fantasy novel, harrowing and bloody, full of secrets and jealousies and deep crisis of faith. Glorious.

Barrie Kreinick does a wonderfully subtle narration. She allows the story to propel her storytelling, with suppressed passion and a clear musical voice.

3.5

A queer fantasy with cannibalism? Sign me up! I enjoyed the multi-lead narration and I think it was done really well. At times it was a little confusing whose part we were on but I think it added to showing how connected the characters were. The descriptions in this are amazing. I felt so icky during certain scenes, it was like I was there. It did take a while for the book to really get going and even when it did it just lost me at parts. Felt extremely slow overall. I can’t help but feel this could have been shorter.

Grotesque, Haunting, and Utterly Unforgettable

The Starving Saints is a fever dream of horror, desire, and divine dread. Caitlin Starling masterfully traps you inside Aymar Castle, where salvation arrives in the most sinister form. The twisted miracles, the psychological unraveling, and the raw power struggles between the three central women make for a chilling, immersive read. Disturbing in the best way possible, this is medieval horror at its most unhinged—and compelling.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#TheStarvingSaints #NetGalley #CaitlinStarling #MedievalHorror

If you’re looking for a queer cannibalistic fantasy this book is for you. This book was part horror part fantasy part complete mind f*ck. All three characters were well written. Normally I’m not a huge have of multiple leads but this was done perfectly. The narration wss middle of the road. I think I would’ve preferred to read this one. But it was still a great listen.


I definitely highly recommend this book.

I went into this book with very little knowledge of what was coming and I was immediately pulled in. The characters grabbed my attention with distinct and equally captivating narrative voices. The relationships all weave together so well and added a lot of complexities to the story that made something so horrifying feel rooted in reality.

This is some absolutely stellar writing, the prose is perfect for the tone and setting for the story and the unravelling of the darkness and madness that ensues felt like watching a master at work. I was deeply impressed by the craft work and couldn't stop listening. The atmosphere, the imagery, and depth of character make this an outstanding novel. I'm very glad I got to listen to this one, as the audio experience was also exceptional and kicked my enjoyment of the story up that much more to make this an instant favourite.

This book has so many elements that I really loved. It is weird and dark and gross in the best ways. It features complex female characters and surreal fantasy and medieval horror. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric. The pacing felt a bit off for me but it is definitely worth the read in my opinion! The audiobook narration is fantastic and helped me feel more immersed in the story.

The Starving Saints is darkly atmospheric and intense! We follow three women in a castle that has been under siege and in a desperate situation as the food supply is nearing its end. Phosyne is an ex-nun who miraculously was able to purify their tainted water supply; now they want her to perform another miracle, creating food from nothing. Ser Voyne is a loyal knight, cast aside by her king, who has been assigned to protect and oversee Phosyne’s progress. Then there’s Treila, once a noble woman now she works within the walls of the castle, and she’s out for revenge against Ser Voyne. 

Now, this setup alone would make for an interesting story, but things really kick off when the “saints” worshipped by the people in the castle suddenly show up offering sustenance in return for adoration. But these saints are super sus, and Phosyne, Voyne, and Treila are the only ones who seem to see past their enthrallment even as it threatens to overtake them as well.

This is a dark and atmospheric cannibalistic descent into madness and I loved every moment of it. I loved our three protagonists and their changing circumstances and how these changes impacted them. The character growth, emotional depth, and shifting relationships among the three women were incredibly well done, I was fully invested in their journey. The saints and other mysterious entities we encounter were both fascinating and terrifying, I was captivated by the mystery of what they were and how they came to be in the castle walls. Then there was the imagery and unsettling atmosphere which left a haunting impression. Whether it was voices whispering salvation from the walls, or the chilling image of someone planting fingernails in garden soil, I was completely enthralled.

I listened to the audio book and found the narrator’s voice quite nice to listen to. The only small thing was sometimes when switching character pov it would take me a few seconds to realize the transition.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved reading The Starving Saints but listening to the audio took the experience to a whole other level. This is one of my favorite audiobooks for 2025

5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for an arc, all opinions are my own.

Amazing narration! Barrie Kreinik perfectly captures the hazy fever dream vibes. I could genuinely listen to this on loop for weeks and never get tired of it.

My feelings towards the story are very similar to my first readthrough, though I did enjoy it a bit more the second time around!

This book was so eerie and well written it made me feel horrible but in the best way. The writing was so pungent and sticky i could feel so many of the scenes. I think the narrator did an amazing job portraying this book.

Having had the immense pleasure of reading THE STARVING SAINTS as an ARC, I was completely honored to have the ALC. Upon the first strums of the the medieval like lute, I KNEW this would paint the already wonderful creepy world into a knew layer of obsession. The narrator's voice, tone, and enunciation was perfection and fit the three women perfectly.

Part medieval horror, part dark fantasy, this story follows three women—Phoysyne, the madwoman; Treila, fallen nobility; and Voyne, a hardened warrior—bound by a violent past and trapped within the starving walls of Aymar. As famine tightens its grip, three enigmatic Saints arrive, along with the chilling figure known as the Constant Lady. Their gifts promise salvation—but at a terrible price.

The pacing mirrors the slow descent into desperation, punctuated by brutal, unforgettable scenes. The characters are richly drawn, with tangled histories of magic, vengeance, love, and betrayal. Fans of Between Two Fires will feel right at home in this haunting, visceral tale.

I really wanted to like this book, as I've liked a couple of this author's previous books and this concept is geared towards my interests. But something about it just didn't work for me. There was too much going on in a way that was convoluted rather than intriguing. I almost DNFed it several times, and pushed through in the hopes that it drew me in to care, it didn't.

Caitlin Starling’s The Starving Saints is a grim, gothic tale of faith, vengeance, and transformation set within the claustrophobic walls of a besieged castle full of hungry, desperate people. Then a group of beautiful strangers miraculously appears, offering salvation — and food! But at what cost?
Through the eyes of three compelling yet flawed women — an exiled nun who works forbidden magic, a battle-worn knight, and a servant girl burning with vengeance — Starling explores how devotion can twist into something monstrous. The novel is steeped in body horror and Starling’s prose pulses with yearning as her characters seek salvation, justice, and freedom.
The Starving Saints is haunting and feverish in the best ways possible.

4.5 Stars

In The Starving Saints, we follow three very different women as they deal with the horrors of a never ending siege with rapidly dwindling supplies. And just when it seems like the situation cannot possibly worsen, the Lady and her Saints arrive to save them all. Or have they?

There were moments that had me nearly crawling out of my skin, and while the text itself was gorgeously written, I truly feel the audio only heightened the overall experience. Barrie Kreinik does an absolutely fantastic job with their narration!

Each character felt wholly their own, with dreams and fears and aspirations and grudges. Even characters that I did not love, I felt I deeply understood. Voyne falls into naivety in her righteous valor, and Phosyne struggles to keep a hold on herself as the madness rages on around them. While both exceptionally written, Treila holds a special place in my heart. I have soft spot for clever, vicious women.

Cannot recommend enough, and will definitely have to start going through Starling’s other novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the audiobook arc.

This was a reread for me, and I think I enjoyed the audiobook much more. Barrie Kreinik was a perfect fit for narrator and truly brought each character to life.

A creative, unusual, and very entertaining novel. The story centers on three characters in Aymar Castle: a nun, a knight , and a servant. The castle is at war, and Phosyne must perform a miracle to feed the entire castle. The story captivates you from the first chapter. It's a very peculiar novel, with characters I loved. Little by little, we learn about their pasts and the bond that unites them. This is an explosive story, with a good pace, escalating toward an outcome that I wish had been more explosive but overall, the experience was unique. Its mix of medieval fantasy and cannibalism is undoubtedly its strong point.

Medieval horror, and especially ones centered on female characters, is woefully short in supply, but this one sure did deliver. Gritty, terrifying, and hard to look away, this is a historical horror lover's dream.

Thank you for this audio copy, I had so much fun listening to this book. I liked the narrator and felt that even with multiple pov's each felt distinct. Because there was so much going on in the book, story-wise, I did lose track of what was happening and had to go back. That might've just been my adhd though and not the narrator/book's fault.

I really liked this story and enjoyed the setting immensely, the dark medieval vibes paired with stone castle was described exactly as if I were experiencing it myself. I liked all of the character's explored and their unique variance in story. I particularly enjoyed all the twists in the story and was often surprised by where certain lines were going. It felt different from a lot of the horror I normally read and I will be purchasing a physical copy in the future.