I’ll admit it—I sometimes judge books by their covers, and The Starving Saints immediately grabbed my attention. (Seriously, that cover? I had to find out exactly what that was.) What I discovered was a sapphic, cannibalistic descent into unholy medieval madness. In short: nightmare fuel, and I devoured every moment of it.

The story centers on three women—Ser Voyne, Phosyne, and Treila—trapped within the walls of Aymar Castle, which has been under siege for months. Food is dwindling, and the prospect of consuming the last remaining source of meat—themselves—looms heavy… until a mysterious, divine group of visitors arrives. Suddenly, the sick are healed, food stores are replenished, and the castle’s residents fall under an intoxicating spell.

Ser Voyne becomes entangled with one of these strange visitors, the enigmatic Constant Lady. Phosyne, a fledgling sorceress and former nun, senses something deeply wrong and is determined to uncover the truth. And Treila, a sharp-witted servant, must choose between vengeance and escape as the castle descends further into chaos.

Starling crafts a true bacchanalian nightmare—haunting, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling. These women are not just witnesses to the horror, they are shaped and scarred by it. Their desires, traumas, and hunger—both literal and metaphorical—drive them in ways that are as heartbreaking as they are horrifying.

This book has scenes that will crawl under your skin and stay there. One creature in particular, lurking beneath the castle, is destined to haunt my dreams. And let’s just say… I’ll never look at honey the same way again.

The audiobook, narrated by the incredible Barrie Kreinik, is an absolute standout. Her narration adds a layer of immersion and dread to an already chilling tale. I’ve enjoyed her narration before, and once again, she delivers a captivating and unforgettable performance.

The Starving Saints is one of those books that keeps you listening long into the night—whether you want to or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling was a disconnect from me. I didn’t understand what was happening. I couldn’t understand which character was speaking. Unsure if it’s the prose or the narration or if the fault lies within myself but this medieval horror didn’t resonate with me. ALC was provided by HarperAudio Adult via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars. The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling is a gripping and atmospheric novel that masterfully blends horror with psychological depth. The setting was creepy and medieval. Starling crafts a haunting tale of faith, hunger, and obsession, driven by richly drawn characters and a creeping sense of dread. Her prose is sharp and evocative, pulling readers into a world where belief becomes both salvation and curse. It's a dark, compelling read that lingers long after the final page. Starling is one of the best horror writers working.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this digital e-arc.*

This book was absolutely a fever dream! The people of Aymar Castle are under siege and food is running extremely low. Then, the Constant Lady and her Saints arrive offering the people of the castle food in exchange for their adoration. Three women, a war hero Ser Voyne, Phosyne, a nun-turned-sorceress, and a serving girl, Treila are the only ones who see what is actually happening. While the people are delirious with stupor and feeding on...well, food? The women try to save the castle from the Lady and her Saints. This was absolutely a wild ride, filled with magic, cannibalism, bees, and strange beings. It was a fun read and well-paced.

Look, six months trapped in a castle with no food sounds horrific… until salvation arrives in the form of mysterious divine figures who waltz in past the barricades and start handing out miracles like party favors. Sick? Healed. Starving? Here, have a feast. Skeptical? Well, don’t be rude—just drink the wine and enjoy the vibes.

Except maybe don’t, because something is deeply wrong.

This book is dark, twisted, and absolutely intoxicating—kind of like whatever’s in those banquet chalices. You’ve got a paranoid nun-turned-sorceress trying to science her way out of disaster, a war hero falling under the spell of some very suspect saints, and a serving girl with a vendetta, all trapped in a castle slipping into hedonistic, flesh-eating madness. It’s gothic horror at its finest—rich, unsettling, and impossible to look away from.

If you like your horror with a side of theological terror, unhinged feasts, and deeply questionable divine intervention, The Starving Saints is your next obsession. Just… maybe don’t read it on an empty stomach. Or right after a big meal. Trust me.

I think it was ok? It was definitely a slow pace when I really just wanted it to move along and get to the gross parts

Did I pick this book solely because of its creepy cover? Absolutely.

Did I try to enjoy a cozy lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese while listening to the audiobook, only to immediately lose my appetite? Also yes.

Pro tip: do not eat while reading this one.

The Starving Saints is set in the besieged Aymar Castle and follows three women—Ser Voyne, a war hero; Phosyne, a paranoid nun-turned-sorceress; and Treila, a vengeful serving girl—as they face godlike visitors offering salvation at a terrible cost.

I wanted to love this. I was craving something dark, medieval, and haunting. By the end, I wasn’t totally sure what had happened—only that it felt like a fever dream.

This book is definitely a vibe and it’s getting glowing reviews, but I’m a little torn on it, to be honest.

Big thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for the ALC!

The Starving Saints has been described as an intensely atmospheric fever dream of medieval horror, and man, did it live up to that! If you love weird girl, sapphic horror lit-fic, this will be the book for you! Think Ottessa Moshfegh’s
Lapvona, but without all of the fecal matter. It is bloody and sticky and bizarre, and for the longest time, you really aren’t sure what exactly is going on. I love a wild ride when I’m reading a book, and this definitely was one.

The narrators are an excommunicated nun (possible witch?), a Brienne of Tarth-type knight, and a girl playing the long game of revenge for her father’s death. They are all inside a castle that has been under siege for quite some time, and the food has run out. Phosyne (our nun-turned-magic woman) has managed to pull off one magical stunt, and everyone is expecting her to pull food out of thin air. After several failed attempts, it doesn’t matter because the Constant Lady and her Saints (Icons aka Heavenly beings??) show up out of nowhere with a bounty of refreshments. What could possibly go wrong? This book is a wild ride. It is very gory, has a lot of cannibalism, a lot of body horror, and a lot of creepy creatures. You will be grossed out, you will change your opinions about the main characters multiple times, and you will wonder if the ending is happy or not. This is my first book by Caitlin Starling, but I am looking forward to reading more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyage for this advanced copy of The Starving Saints.

I had the pleasure of reading this book last year- but really wanted to revisit it once I saw the audiobook was available. Barrie Kreinik did a fantastic job narrating. This is not my first audiobook by her- and it sure won’t be my last either! Thank you to Harper Audio for letting me also get a chance to listen to the audiobook version of this book- it was equally creepy and weird and I loved every minute of it!

I think Caitlin Starling keeps growing as a writer! I really appreciate her imagination, and I’m so impressed with the way she comes up with some new weird thing for every book. They are contained, small-scale stories that feel full without infodumps.

Where she suffers is in pacing, and that continues here. To my eye it’s getting better, but still an issue. I found The Luminous Dead very repetitive, but this one was more a feeling of aimlessness at times or a constantly shifting goal. But the tension and weirdness escalated well and new elements were introduced as the story progressed. Overall pretty good.

This story is from three POVs: a heretic nun, a knight, and a rando 😂. They are starving after a long time in a siege when some guests appear promising a feast. A horrific fever dream ensues. It’s dark fantasy, horror, fairy tale, surreal. I really loved the world and magic (such as there is in a small story like this).

Loved the tension of the situation, the alchemy and magic, the horror and awful imagery.

My complaint is just that at times it felt like we were spinning in circles. Deciding one thing then flipping then flipping again. I think it’d have been a stronger story if it was shorter.

Really refreshing ideas, and I think I’ll always give Starling’s work a try!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Inhabitants of a medieval castle under siege are starving and desperate for a miracle. Phosyne, a "sorceress" (read: scientist) has performed one "miracle", purifying the castle's water supply, and the king has demanded she perform another: create food from nothing. Amidst the pressure and despair, mysterious figures make their way into the castle -- yet no one witnessed them entering through the closed gates. They bring a feast and promises of salvation. Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

The gritty/grimy details of life in a castle under siege stand out as being as, if not more, horrific than the demands of the new mysterious new masters. The smells, living with constant rot & disease will make readers squirm...and we haven't even gotten to the gruesome details yet.

I always gravitate toward historical horror set in really dark/gritty times (I think horror westerns), where the setting is as much the big-bad as the action, and Starving Saints fits this category perfectly.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this book in exchange for my review.

I was excited for this one from the description, but it didn't work for me. I like the idea and how the author put the book together, explaining the world the book takes place in. But the pacing was off for me. I had a tough time connecting to the characters. Other books recommended with this book like The Eyes Are The Best Part, What Moves The Dead, The Vegetarian, and Pen Pal are all on my TBR, so I'm hoping those will be enjoyable.

3 stars - liked it, but it wasn't for me.

This is a mix of medieval fantasy and cannibalistic horror with some sapphic romance mixed in. The narration was beautiful and the pacing was great. The imagery and descriptions were gory and dark and I was a fan.

I wish this was called Girl Dinner lol

A moment for the sick cover too.

I thought this was an intriguing premise for a book. A very real problem in medieval times with a gloriously satirical solution? Yes, please. This is definitely not a fast paced story and kind of wafts around in the atmosphere for quite a while. If that isn’t your cup of tea, this may not be for you. Definitely more character forward than plot forward but I had a great time with it.

The audiobook narrator does a great job with that creepy gothic vibe, would definitely recommend on audio.

Thank you to NetGally and Harper Audio adult for an audiobook arc of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I grew up on horror of the 70s and 80s.

I could not get enough of the slow build horror stories done by storytellers who knew how to build tension in their storytelling in a way that made it feel like the walls were closing in and you were going mad.

Caitlin Starling is one of those storytellers.

As the besieged inhabitants of Aymar Castle are slowly starving to death, they're all hoping the "Mad Woman" can come up with a miracle to keep the people alive and fed.

Starling's writing communicates the growing madness and wild emotions and tempers of those stuck in the castle. You can feel the frayed nerves, the loss of control, and the desperation of the starving citizens.

It's done so well and in such an uncomfortable way, with prose that was just plain beautiful.

If you can, I highly recommend the audio book here. Barrie Kreinik, the narrator, delivers a stunning recitation of this, bringing unique tone and delivery of the book.

This was just so intense and I loved every minute of it.

This book was really slow. I felt like I was trudging through molasses trying to get through this. Its a shame because the actual story and characters were really good. It felt like the same story could have been told in a novella and it would have been much better. I think is Starling had put this through one more round of editing and trimming this could have been perfect. Unfortunately because of all the pacing I just couldn't get into this so I didn't really get into it.

Pub date: 20 May 2025

Thanks for Netgalley and HarperAudio for an audio-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Saying I’m sad this didn’t work for me is an understatement. I wanted to love this—gothic horror, a castle setting, sapphic leads—it sounded like everything I’d enjoy. But the execution just didn’t deliver. The plot dragged for far too long and didn’t pick up until well into the book. By then, I was too checked out to care.

I’ve seen a lot of people say this would’ve worked better as a novella, and I agree. Even trimming 50–70 pages and tightening the pacing/plot could’ve made a huge difference.

If you like gothic novels then definitely give this a shot. If you are sensitive to what you read definitely read content warnings!

This book started slow—and stayed slow. While the premise is rich with potential, the pacing made it difficult to stay fully engaged. The atmosphere leans heavily into the surreal, which some readers will love, especially those drawn to “weird girl” lit and stories that feel like a fever dream. But if you’re looking for action or momentum, you won’t find much until the very end.

That said, the setting and strange, shifting dynamics among the characters were intriguing enough to keep me curious. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy layered allegory, unsettling imagery, and a heavy dose of the bizarre over plot-driven narratives.

Thank you Harper Audio & NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm familiar with Starling's work from The Luminous Dead; like in the previous book she does a good job of depicting people in desperate situations trying to do whatever they can to survive. The atmosphere was immersive and oppressive and suitably unsettling. I did feel like the book might have been a bit longer than it needed to be but overall I enjoyed it.

The Starving Saints by Caitlyn Starling 4⭐️! A medieval cannibalism horror story with sapphic romance and lots of bees lol A castle filled with refugees trapped behind the walls to stay alive from their enemy’s attacks are running out of food. The Constant Lady and her Saints show up and mysteriously bring food but at a price. The story gives the perspective of 3 women; a warrior, a nun and a servant seeking revenge. Their stories are all interconnected as the book goes on. It took me half the book to figure out which women’s perspective I was in because of their names. I don’t know if it was just me, but even with each one being unique I kept mixing up who was who. The audiobook narrator did an amazing job! The story felt dreamlike and strange. It was very unique but there were some slow parts which made me take longer to get through it. It’s pretty graphic and gross with the cannibalism and you definitely feel dread for the characters!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ARC! All opinions expressed are my own.

Okay this book is weird, and very slow to get started. But it's ultimately a pretty twisted queer horror novel that's doing something clever I've not seen before in quite this way. The Starving Saints is set in a medieval castle under siege. The people are starving and we follow the perspectives of three women including a miracle worker/nun and a knight. The nun has found a way to magically purify the water, but there isn't food. Until a group of beautiful and powerful saints appear and things devolve into a fever dream of the "bacchanalian feasting" mentioned in the description.

Yes, it does involve cannibalism. And yes, it includes sapphic characters, but living in a time where they don't necessarily understand that? I will say, when I figured out what the author was doing with this novel I thought it was really cool. Not going to be to everyone's taste, but I liked it. The audio narration is pretty good, though I wish it was more clear when we had a perspective change. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.