i actually ended up dnfing this book 67% in try as i might it simply didn’t click with me nor live up to my expectations sadly. i wasn’t a fan of the long build up to the saints arriving, the romance felt slow and uninteresting, and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. i can absolutely see this being a book someone would love and i expected to love it too but sadly i don’t. 2 stars though because i truly think this book had so much potential to be a favorite for me.

This was UNIQUE. Definitely check trigger warnings because there's cannibalism, eating disorders, body horror, graphic imagery, etc. But if you can stomach it, this is definitely worth the read.

The Starving Saints was unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The story was filled with beautiful imagery, horrific scenes of malice and gore and rich with a lore that left much to the imagination. (which i quite enjoy) i found myself greatly engaged with the quick pacing and i read massive chunks of the book at a time. I talked about it non-stop to friends and coworkers and i’ve very excited to purchase a physical copy next year. one of my only critiques of the book was finding certain passages confusing and getting my characters / dialogue mixed up. at the beginning i was a bit lost with the vague and often cryptic descriptions or dialogues of some characters and the cryptic descriptions of action sequences but once i kinda got used to it i found it to be very enjoyable. all in all i absolutely loved it.

I honestly don’t know how to start this review, or what to say about the book itself, but it is most certainly a book worth reading. If, of course, you don’t mind all the cannibalism, body horror, gore and imagery. This is not a book for people sensitive to eating disorders, to bloody violence or religious horror. The characters in this book starve, glut themselves, feel guilt and shame and horror at the acts and both suffer and serve up death and violence. And it’s a wonderful book.

It reminds me a lot of Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett, with the imagery, with the delightful violence and elegance of the Saints, with the three strong women — each with their own strengths in action, emotion, endurance and rage. The writing is good, the pacing is smooth and flawless and the claustrophobic world within the castle walls is vivid and horrifying. I loved every bit of it.

Personally this is more of a 4.5 than a 5 — but I’m rounding up because I enjoyed this book so much; I sat down to read a chapter after lunch and didn’t stop reading until dinner time — because, for all the nightmarish chaos going on, it felt too dreamlike; too insubstantial and too diffuse. The three characters have distinct actions and stories, but their voices overlapped and I didn’t feel strongly enough about any one of them to really want a happy ending for any one of them.

That’s just me, though. Other readers will, of course, have their own opinions. For what it’s worth, I do strongly recommend this book and will come back to this one for a re-read next October. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this book!

these starving saints is unique in every single way- truly one of a kind. this book was also built for a certain niche, a niche of ethel cain lovers mixed with horror devotionists, and while that niche won’t be for everyone, I believe this is a wide appealing story.

while I was a little slow to pick this up, the story sucks you in immediately, and when the saints arrive ~25% mark, you can already feel like something sinister is going on.

this was written well, it had a good plot, good characters (the weakest one was still fairly decent too), and a truly sublime atmosphere.

this was the arc I was praying for and I’m so glad I got it. amazing book!!

Antenora: Dante’s ninth circle of hell reserved for traitors to their country.

What really happened to Nora Willet? The religious community of Bethel, Alabama can’t agree on the truth. They always said she was trouble. Later, they said she was possessed. Maybe she lost her mind, killing three people and injuring many others.

In a part confessional, part plea for Nora to come home, Nora’s childhood friend Abigail Barnes tells of another girl’s gruesome eighteenth birthday, of the time Nora may have fully revived a snake, of the intimacy of their private encounters at the lakeside, of Nora’s deliverance ceremony. Where, Abigail wonders, is Nora now?

In this tender and horrific debut, religious dogmatism sniffs out two girls whose innocent affections threaten an entire town and way of life, making one a traitor to a homeland in which only Abigail and Nora know the bittersweet truth. A homeland in which Nora can only say, “There’s a snake speaking to me, Abby-girl.”

perfect for anyone into weirdieval core (meee)!!!!
-religous in a disturbing way
-beautifully captures the brutality and grotesqueness of the time period
-weirdly and deliciously sapphic yumm!!
this book could be the love child of christopher buehlman and otessa moshfegh (my faves) and is definitely everything i’ve ever wanted in a book!! definitely recommending this for my book club! thank you so much for the earc netgalley! i loved it so much i can’t wait to add a physical copy to my collection!!!

What. a. ride. This is a queer medieval fever nightmare full of gore, magic, and heart. I loved the lush writing style and characterization of our three FMCs. In sum: very fucking metal.

Shout out Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is set to release May 20, 2025. i’m

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 — I was hooked as soon as I seen the book cover! Religion, Nuns, Horror, and Medieval times, COUNT ME IN. Definitely recommend if you are looking for something culty with a little bit of sapphic energy and horror mixed. The magic confused me a bit but other than that it was a fun time. Thanks NetGalley & Harper Voyager for the ARC in return for my honest review!

Fantastic, claustrophobic, terrible, and above all, thoroughly engrossing, The Starving Saints has the noteworthy distinction of being one of the few books I've ever read that I seriously couldn't put down. I would engage in other hobbies, go about my daily routine, go to work, and through it all, I was doing it with a pull to come back to this book and find out where it's all going.

It won't be much of a spoiler to state at the outset that cannibalism, starvation, and general disturbing imagery hangs over this whole novel like a warm, weird-smelling and unappealing blanket, so if that's a deal-breaker for you, I don't know why you even clicked on this review - the synopsis/marketing should have pushed you away easily. BUT I will say that I was surprised at how... "tasteful" doesn't seem like the right word (nor do I wish to invite any further puns), but... let us say "ungratuitous" those unsavory aspects (dammit, looks like I'm doing it anyway) really are. Do not be confused: people eat people in this, and there are more than a few other upsetting instances, but in my opinion the author, Starling, never goes further than is needed to convey the horror of the scenario. It would have been easy to indulge and relish in the monstrosity of acts committed with elaborate descriptions, but Starling allows the situation and character-driven pathos speak for itself.

And this is where Starving Saints truly shines: its characters. Three distinct voices, each with their own well-established histories, desires and fears delivered piecemeal over the course of the novel as necessary that explain why they do what they do and what it is that drives them in 340 pages. The only small criticism I would have is that Ser Voyne's narrative can get a bit bogged down in melodrama that felt overwrought - yes - even in this story about a siege devolving into cannibalism. Aside from that, I found all three protagonists to be at turns relatable, unlikable, deeply sympathetic, and in a word: compelling. I kept waiting for them to get locked arm in arm and skip down the yellow-brick road to the conclusion of the story, but that's not who the characters are: they have conflicting motivations and desires and criss-crossing backstories, that makes it all the more interesting when they are forced to work together and when they fail to see how much they need each other in equal measure.

Finally, there are supernatural elements, and I have to say they are an absolutely chef's kiss. This is horror, not fantasy, and to that end, the supernatural elements of the story are just specific enough to have real weight and lend an air of understanding to how things are unfolding, while being just vague enough to invite a genuine sense of wonder and fear of the unknown. I do think that Starling perhaps over-indulges a bit near the end and threatens to take the story to a cheesy place, but it largely sticks the landing. Add to that at least one instance I can recall (I shall not spoil it here) that didn't feel properly foreshadowed or "earned" and I can't say that the implementation was uniformly perfect throughout, but the ambience it creates, the rules it establishes, and its place in the story are used incredibly skillfully to produce a truly fascinating living world.

Despite its grisly synopsis and subject matter, The Starving Saints never feels gratuitous or gross for gross's sake. Its characters steal the show, its antagonists are compelling and more nuanced than might at first be apparent, and by the end of it all you're left with a sort of chill: an almost Lovecraftian sense that the world is so much more than you can know and that not knowing is nearly as terrible as knowing. Unless you are excessively squeamish, I recommend this very highly, and even if you are squeamish, I suggest you at least pick it up and see if Starling can't win you over anyway.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for advanced access to this ebook. Expected date of publication is May 20, 2025.

This was a bit of a slow burn, a bit confusing and a bit strange. It read like a fever dream, a horrifying nightmare. Macabre magic in a medieval setting, do I have any idea what the heck happened? No. Not even a little. But, was I invested and entertained? Absolutely.

Three, very different, fmcs come together in a whirlwind of blood, loyalty, magic and revenge. I enjoyed the sapphic edge this had. The theme of finding one’s weakness and power, and how tightly wound the two can be, was captivating and grotesque. This was a weird and wild ride, I really enjoyed it.

No spoiler review:
Darkly delicious! If you're looking for problematic lesbians and medieval themed horror then you've found the right book. As per Starling's style this book is tense, taking you down long twisting hallways and you'll never know where you'll end up, with complex characters and lots of mystery. I was enthralled the entire time and couldn't wait to see what horrors would happen next, I felt like I was stuck witnessing a terrible calamity and loving every moment of it. I found the story intriguing, the mysteries and plot twist were great, I liked the complexity of the characters and their flaws. This book touches all the scents, you can taste the horror on your tongue. 10/10 5-5 stars

Spoiler review:
I'm a big fan of Starling's work and writing style, so I was of course absolutely enchained by this book! I love the complexity of Starling's characters, they are both terrible and good people at the same time, going beyond a "black and white" thinking of morals, and this book is no exception. My favorite was Ser Von, loyal and fiercely brave (I was so scared when she died and didn't think she'd come back). All three women learn to take their own power, in which way works best for them, and embrace the terribleness of being a powerful force (the scene of Treila taking down the Loving Saint was so satisfying!). Also the very mysterious Saints, you can't help but want to know more about them. The horror is of course fantastic, watching the slow decent into madness, being unable to look away as things get worse and worse. There so much that happens and it keeps going, I felt like I had been reading for a long time and read a lot then realized I was barely a fourth of the way through. But it keeps a good pace, it doesn't feel to fast or to bogged down. I love the theme of bees, honey and religion, the metaphors were so fun.
There is one small downside. I found a few parts confusing, mostly near the end, I wasn't sure who was who or what exactly was going on. I had to reread a few sections for it to really sink in, it's not the worst thing ever but this book is definitely complex and dense. Absolutely worth a reread though. I was left with many questions and wondering about things that didn't get answered, but that's a theme in Starling's writing. Not explaining everything and leaving some things a mystery, not everything needs an answer but it didn't take away my enjoyment and I'm okay with still having questions leftover.
All in all I loved this book and will be reading it again several times.

3 POVs, cannibals, lesbians and medievalish time? Sign me up! This book and the plot is extremely captivating and the cover really sells it. In a world where the people in the kingdom have run out of food and are looking for some kind of hope. And hope arrives but at what cost.
This was a lot of world building a lot of back and forth between POVS which took a lot of focus. I found that the characters I wasn’t really drawn to all of them but Phosyne and Von. Once the world was established it was easier to follow along in some parts of the plot. I wish it was a little bit more simple. There were really juicy ideas in here that would have been so good if we got to focus on them more. I feel like the lead up to the saints was a bit drawn out.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

5 STARS!!! the yearning, the longing, the absolute rotting atmosphere veiled with tension and depravity. this is my perfect book

If someone were to ask me what the most ORIGINAL story I have read this year was, a million percent—The Starving Saints. There is nothing else like it.

Aymar Castle is under siege. The occupants? Starving. One by one, people fall to hunger. Sooner or later, they’ll need to start consuming the fallen if they are to survive.

Then the Saints arrive. Great, bountiful feasts for the people of Aymar to gorge themselves on. But, of course, things are not always as they seem.

Throughout this book, we get to follow 3 amazing female characters. Experience their downfalls and their triumphs as they try to save the castle and themselves.

I laughed. I cried. I wheezed. I gasped. I told people off for interrupting me whilst in the middle of a chapter. I absolutely cannot wait for this book to release in May of next year. Everyone needs to experience this twisted, magical adventure!

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.*

Phew, this was a crazy book!! It really feels like a fever dream - the writing was great, if convoluted and confusing at times - but it added to the atmosphere. It definitely takes a while to understand what’s going on, and I never fully understood it, but I was still intrigued reading it. I’m rarely a horror/thriller reader, and this book is primarily bodily horror rather than spooky horror. A good fall read!

🌈Queer rep: Bi female main character, queer female main characters. FF main relationships. Brief mention of a MMM pairing.

Wonderfully written, wildly imaginative, and stunningly grotesque. This book doesn’t shy away from ugliness and it’s all the better for it, because despite being set in an unfamiliar and fantastical world, it rings with such harsh realism. Starling understands that a good character is not necessarily a good person. They can be selfish, vengeful, or blinded by ambition. They can commit unholy atrocities and engage in cannibalism. They can run afoul of our own moral philosophies and we will still love to read about them because they are nuanced and compelling. Add onto that a setting that drips with anxiety and a truly unique plot and you’ve got one helluva book. If you’re a fan of horror, do yourself a favor and read this immediately.

If you think nothing could be worse than starving to death, trapped in a castle thats been under seige for six months, you'd be wrong.
Im trying to find the words to accurately describe this book and I'm struggling. It was a nightmare, both weird and terrible... There was never a moment when I could have guessed what would happen next and the multiple pov kept me on the edge of my seat. I feel like this is a book I will want to reread over and over and each time I do I'll find something new that I didn't see before.
If you like disturbing, weird horror with knights, and magic, and sapphic lust (because romance is definitely not the right word).. then read this book!

A bloody, sapphic fever dream set during a medieval siege where praying for a miracle, brings forth something far more dangerous.

For 6 months, Aymar has been under siege, and now food has nearly run out. When the divines figure of the Constant Lady, and her Saints arrived, it would seem they are saved. Except.

Except, they bring no stores but can feed the people.
Except, their feast sends people into a fervor that blinds them.
Except, their hunger goes deeper than the King or his people could ever imagine.

A wild feast begins and the wild madness of it soon infects almost everyone left within the walls. Only 3 women are able to fight against the deceptive call of the Constant Lady, and they are not immune to her charms...or each others.

3.5 rounded up!

A castle under siege, absolutely too many mouths to feed, a king looking for a miracle, an ex-nun locked in her tower, and deities coming to visit- what could go wrong? Many things, as it happens. If you decide to pick up this book (you should) you'll find that its full of despair, depravities, and delicious tension between all characters involved.

It reminded me a lot of The Green Knight, if the Green Knight was a lesbian in armor! You'll definitely want to be on the lookout for this one!