Customer Reviews
I didn't have a lot of expectations for this book, and they weren't met either. A period piece with bees and cannibalism pretty much sums it up.
Im on my medieval book nonsense.
This one is definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like your horror unsettling, your heroines complicated, and your feasts grotesque in the worst best way, this will absolutely get under your skin.Set in a besieged medieval castle slowly unraveling into madness, The Starving Saints is a fever drenched descent that balances hedonism and horror with eerie, mesmerizing precision. The plot takes its time at first, and while the pacing isn’t always smooth with definite start stops and moments where the narrative meanders a bit, it eventually finds its rhythm. And once it does, it charges straight into the abyss.What I appreciated most was the way Caitlin Starling centers the story around three women, all distinctly drawn, deeply flawed, and wildly human. Their shifting motives, vulnerabilities, and connections create a tangled web of suspicion and survival. No one here is easily likable and that’s kind of the point. There’s something deliciously feral in watching these characters navigate devotion, vengeance, desire, and dread all within the crumbling, grotesquely blessed walls of Aymar Castle.Yes, there’s gore. And yes, some of it is truly horrific. If you’re squeamish, this probably isn’t for you. But if you’re into haunting religious overtones, cannibalistic dread, and a touch of the unholy in your high concept horror, then you’re in for a twisted treat.Special shout out to the narrative voice, which somehow manages to echo the eerie formality of a Victorian psychodrama while still feeling fresh and urgent. It adds this looming sense of dread and detachment that works so well with the story’s overall descent into madness.Was it perfect? No. But was I completely transfixed? Oh, absolutely.Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ARC.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Caitlin Starling for this eArc!The Starving Saints is one of the most startling, macabre, atmospheric, and devastating books I have ever read. With every word, I was transported and stuck in Aymar Castle along with all the people and creatures that lurk within.Set inside a keep under siege with fifteen days of food left before absolute starvation, The Starving Saints follows an unhinged witch, a confused lady knight, and a feral girl all faced with impending doom. While their loyalties, pasts, and goals could not be more different, they must deal with a fate worse than starvation after mysterious and intoxicating beings appear within the impenetrable walls of the castle. With elements of religion, magic, abuse of power, and yearning (in all definitions of the word), the aforementioned witch, knight, and girl work with and against each other in the hell that is now their reality.Starling has managed to create a world that I enjoyed exploring, but never want to enter with characters that I equally loathe and love. In addition to the writing being beautiful and lyrical, the pacing of the book effectively created a psychedelic atmosphere, and a messy, sapphic tone underscored everything that happened, tying the plot together. I cannot recommend this book enough. (4.75 stars rounded up to 5)
The Starving Saints is an enthralling and horrific fever dream of a novel, with a focus upon three unique and very different women as they attempt to survive within the besieged Aymar Castle. Sickness and starvation flourish, until four beings who bear a remarkable resemblance to holy figures of worship suddenly appear with a promise of food and succor.But nothing comes without a price.The beginning of the Starving Saints takes some time to build momentum and while the focus upon the main characters is great, I wish there had been slightly more time spent upon the world-building surrounding the initial conflict. The religious aspect is also very intriguing: with nuns serving in roles of influence and intelligence, as opposed to solely focusing upon matters of faith.All three of the main characters are complicated and imperfect: Ser Voyne, the dedicated knight bound to the selfish king, Treila, a resilient former-nobel forced to serve and Phosyne, a former-nun with the ability to perform “miracles” cast into the role of the King’s madwoman and the castle’s would-be savior.Each woman has their own motivations and imperfections and their complicated relationships with one another-obsession, hatred and need-while enduring utter horrors, are fascinating to behold.The antagonists of The Starving Saints are otherworldly, yet very enticing and the foreshadowing regarding their true natures is excellent. I was delighted once I realized what was actually happening and even more so when the characters themselves echoed some of my assumptions.Different forms of hunger-for food, for knowledge, for purpose and for vengeance play a large role in The Starving Saints. The contrast between the desiccated subjects, listless and famished, to the revelry displayed at a feast, with garish descriptions of succulent meats and ravenous gorging is a stark one. Once the actual nature of the feast is revealed however, it renders further depictions of food more than slightly unpleasant.Gory and yet beautiful, The Starving Saints is quite the unique novel and while its darker subject matter may not suit all readers, it will definitely remain in my mind for quite a while.Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
