Today’s review is about THE STARVING SAINTS by Caitlin Starling. It’s a medieval horror fever dream in which three women try to free their keep from the thrall of seemingly benevolent saints.
Author: Caitlin Starling
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: May 20, 2025
Print Length: 352
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The Starving Saints Synopsis
Synopsis
From the nationally bestselling author of The Luminous Dead and The Death of Jane Lawrence, a transfixing fever dream of medieval horror following three women in a besieged castle that descends ravenously into madness under the spell of mysterious, godlike visitors.
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.Â
The Starving Saints Review
I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.
It’s not often I’m left flabbergasted about a book and THE STARVING SAINTS takes the cake for that. As the official blurb touts, this reads like a medieval horror fever dream. Aymar Castle is over capacity and has just two weeks’ worth of food left. But no one can leave because Etribia set up camp outside their doors and threatens to lay siege. Phosyne, a nun-turned-sorceress, has been tasked with finding a miracle to solve their hunger crisis. As the last day of food approaches, mysterious guests appear, transfixing the castle’s residents and drawing them into ravenous madness.
THE STARVING SAINTS unfolds via three points of view. Phosyne is a former nun who decided to leave her order and instead follow her desire to do magical experiments. Ser Voyne is a female knight, loyal to her mentor and the king, but frustrated because she cannot solve any of their problems. And Treila is a servant girl nursing a grudge and seeking vengeance against Ser Voyne. Each of these POVs are distinct. Phosyne is disorganized and frantic because she doesn’t know how she can pull another miracle and solve their hunger. Ser Voyne is restless and internally battles her feelings of loyalty to and frustration with her liege as well as her place in a castle who has no other choice but inaction. Treila is clever, resourceful, and observant, and I liked her POV the best.
It’s difficult to review this book without giving away everything. The first third of the book sets the stage and introduces the reader to the main characters and their conflicts. At this point the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints arrive and it starts to get interesting. The progressions seems to slow a bit in the middle and the farther one reads the less clear things become, which fits the bill of a “fever dream.” The writing style also lends itself to this feeling of neither heads or tails. Sentences are shorter, which makes for easy reading. The author provides enough detail for the reader to get a sense of things, but not enough to fully explain everything. For those who get squeamish, definitely check the content warnings. I didn’t feel as if that graphic aspect of the book was gratuitous, but it is taboo and described in some detail at times.
I think I would’ve better appreciated THE STARVING SAINTS if I knew more about religious symbolism. Undoubtedly I missed some religious commentary and symbolism. But I’m aware enough to recognize some themes, most of which are challenging to mention without spoilers. Suffice it to say, an important theme is the intermingling of love/devotion and revenge/retribution. One can overshadow the other but also cause internal battle about which one should win out. This is particularly true for Treila’s and Ser Voyne’s dynamic. There’s also the question of how devotion (and desperation) may figuratively blind someone to logic and reality. One of the main characters proves more susceptible to this than the others.
Cleanliness is a metaphor for godliness and the state of one’s mind, spirit, and soul. When Phosyne left the nuns and became the resident “madwoman” practicing sorcery, she let herself and her abode become filthy. In contrast, the nuns are fastidious about neatness and order and align themselves with the godly Constant Lady. Perhaps the biggest religious theme (or blasphemy) is turning John 6:53-58 into a very literal interpretation. To quote the Bible verse here is super spoiler-y. But this is where the gore comes in and the roles of worshipper and god flip, in a way.
And with that said, I’ll stop there. Someone who wants to read something quite unique and who appreciates horror should pick up THE STARVING SAINTS. Bonus points if you have knowledge of religious themes to supplement one’s experience of the fever dream.
Rating: 3.5
Content warnings: blood, gore, death, starvation, cannibalism
Reading format: Kindle e-book
If you liked this book, you may also enjoy THE BLACK HUNGER by Nicholas Pullen.
I’d read this if I had more time, I think it would work for me. Although I’ve struggled with Starling in the past so now I always hesitate when she writes a new book.
Since you’re a horror fan, I do think you’d find this interesting. It’s pretty easy to read, I thought.
A great review and I can imagine how hard it must have been to write a good review without giving away too much. I definitely think that I will give this one a miss though as the horror and gore side of things puts me off.
Thanks! I definitely had a more difficult time writing this review. It’s hard to try and talk about the metaphors without spoiling the plot!
This has so many things I like in stories, female knights, nuns, medieval setting, themes of blasphemy…I think I would really enjoy this one. Great review! 🙂
Thanks! Sounds like it might be a good fit for you, then! Just check the content warnings. 🙂
Definitely curious about this one! I’m not sure I’ll make it all the way through, but after reading your thoughts, I still want to give it a try.
Good thing is if you get it from the library & end up not liking it, no money lost, haha! It’s certainly unique!
I want to read this one but I keep doubting myself too. I’m not sure how I’ll find the bacchanalian madness element of it. I guess it depends on exactly how it travels that road. Although I looked up the bible quote you referenced and that sounds grim. I’m probably going to try another novel by the author first – it comes with gothic vibes- but that has a lowish rating so I’m nervous there too 😂