⭐ The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling: A 3-Star Fever Dream of Cannibalism and Confusion ⭐
Content Warning: Let's get the heavy stuff out of the way. This book is a lot. We're talking graphic violence, cannibalism, animal death, gore, body horror, illness, and some seriously disturbing magical shenanigans. If you're squeamish, this ain't the book for you. 🚫
What in the Medieval Madness Did I Just Read? 🤔
Let me start by saying: I am a fan of weird books. I enjoy the bizarre, the unsettling, and the "what the heck did I just read" feeling. But Caitlin Starling's The Starving Saints took that feeling and dialed it up to eleven, then tossed it into a blender with some questionable meat. 🥩
This is my honest review of a book that left me feeling like I'd just emerged from a fever dream - confused, slightly hungry (okay, maybe not), and not entirely sure what was real. Let's dive into this chaotic medieval mess, shall we?
The Plot Summary: Spoiler Alert! Everything is Going to Get Weird. 🏰
The Starving Saints (2025) by Caitlin Starling is a historical fantasy from the award-winning author of The Luminous Dead and The Death of Jane Lawrence. Starling is known for her atmospheric and psychologically tense books, and she's won Locus and Bram Stoker Awards for previous works. This one... well, it's definitely something.
The story takes place in Aymar Castle, which has been under siege for six months by the neighboring nation of Etrebia. Nearly 1,000 people are trapped inside, and starvation is becoming a very real, very gruesome possibility. The castle's residents include King Cardimir, his military commander Ser Leodegardis, the Prioress Jacynde (head of a religious order), and our three heroines.
Meet the Players:
Ser Voyne - A female knight and former war hero, now head of the king's guard. She's loyal, duty-bound, and really needs a nap.
Phosyne - A former nun turned heretic alchemist/witch who was branded a "madwoman." She's tasked with magically creating food because, you know, no pressure.
Treila - A former noblewoman seeking revenge against Voyne for executing her father. She's working as a servant and plotting her vengeance while trying not to starve.
Here's where things get weird (weirder?). Four strangers mysteriously appear inside the castle despite the barricaded gates, resembling the Constant Lady and her three saints (the Loving Saint, Warding Saint, and Absolving Saint). Magical food starts appearing, and many inhabitants (including Voyne) fall under their thrall.
Meanwhile, Phosyne and Treila are suspicious. Cannibalism is happening everywhere, but people are so enchanted they barely notice. Voyne mutilates Prioress Jacynde under the Lady's compulsion, and things go from bad to "oh no."
The Great Escape Plan: Phosyne discovers that purified water briefly breaks the enchantment on Voyne. Treila finds a secret tunnel leading to a grotto. They try to escape, but Voyne can't fit through the tunnel. Phosyne stays behind, and Treila escapes alone - only to discover the siege is over. She decides to go back and help.
The Big Finale: The Lady and her saints are repelled by iron (hence why they showed up when everyone used their iron for weapons). Treila returns, thinks Voyne might be a shapeshifting saint, and kills her with an iron knife. Plot twist: Treila pulls the knife from Voyne's throat, and she's resurrected.
More chaos ensues. The Lady offers Phosyne power, but it's a trap. Phosyne eventually kills the Lady in boiling water (yep) but becomes terrified of her own power. Voyne makes her swear fealty, creating a balance of power between the three women. The Absolving Saint trades the iron knife for freedom and wipes everyone's memories of the horrors they committed. The three heroines walk free.
My Struggles: Names, Confusion, and Why I'm Still Not Sure If I Liked This 😅
Okay, let's be honest. I struggled with this book. Like, really struggled.
The Names: Why do the names have to be so confusing? Phosyne, Treila, Voyne, Cardimir, Jacynde... I spent half the book trying to figure out who was who. If you're like me and get tripped up by weird character names, prepare for some serious mental gymnastics. 🤸♀️
The Confusion: This book is deliberately disorienting. Some people love that fever-dream quality, but I found myself going, "Wait, what's happening now?" multiple times. The enchantment and confusion that the characters experience is so effective that you start feeling confused too. Mission accomplished, I guess?
The Circular Plot: Just when you think they're making progress, they fall for the same tricks again. It's like watching someone walk into a room, forget why they're there, and walk out again. Over and over.
What I Actually Liked: The Cannibalism and Body Horror! 🍖
Here's where things get contradictory. I really enjoyed all the body horror and cannibalism. Yes, I know that sounds unhinged, but hear me out!
The Gory Details: This book doesn't shy away from the gruesome reality of starvation and survival. The descriptions are visceral and horrifying in the best way.
The Body Horror: When the Lady's magical creatures show up and start feeding on the enchanted inhabitants, it's genuinely unsettling. The mutilation of Prioress Jacynde? Horrifying, but also... compelling?
The Atmosphere: Starling is a master at creating tension and dread. You can almost feel the hunger, the desperation, and the madness creeping in. The claustrophobic setting of the castle makes everything feel more intense and immediate.
The praise from other authors says it all: Ava Reid called it "as brilliant as it is bizarre" and "the unhinged cannibal book of my dreams." That's actually a pretty accurate description!
The Verdict: 3 Out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐
So where does that leave us? I'm giving The Starving Saints three stars. It's not bad, but it's not quite good either. It's just... weird. And while I usually appreciate weird, this one left me feeling more confused than satisfied.
What I Liked:
✅ The atmospheric, tense writing
✅ The body horror and cannibalism (don't judge me!)
✅ The sapphic tension and dynamics between the three women
✅ The creative premise and worldbuilding
What Didn't Work For Me:
❌ Confusing character names
❌ Disorienting fever-dream plot
❌ Circular storytelling that felt repetitive
If You Liked This, Try These Books! 📚
If you're into weird, unsettling fiction with sapphic undertones and generous helpings of body horror, check these out:
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling - If you want more of this author's atmospheric tension and psychological horror (minus the cannibalism, mostly).
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling - Another Starling novel about a woman trapped in a crumbling estate with dark secrets.
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn - A sapphic reimagining of Carmilla with Gothic vibes and disturbing appetites.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman - Dark medieval horror with religious themes. Buehlman praised this book, so you know there's a connection.
Final Thoughts: The Starving Saints is like that strange dream you have after eating a heavy meal right before bed - confusing, slightly disturbing, and you're not sure if you enjoyed it or want to forget it. It's a cannibalistic fever dream that will either captivate you or leave you scratching your head.
Have you read this one? What did you think? Am I being too harsh, or did you also find yourself confused by the names and the plot? Let me know in the comments! 👇
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