The Starving Saints is a deeply unsettling novel that melds a medieval setting, gothic horror, psychological suspense and cannibalism. It is a world of bacchanalian madness and decadence. Needless to say, it was on my most highly anticipated list for 2025. We, the readers, are transported to an ever increasingly claustrophobic, musty castle full of dark magic, shapeshifting saints, freaky creatures and a dash of lesbian yearning. Oh, and bees, lots of bees. One of this story’s major themes is hunger, in all it’s forms. Physical, spiritual, emotional, displaying what people will endure to fill voids left by isolation, loss, demands of institutional faith and also, literal starvation. So, when food is offered, they eat it … let’s talk about it.
Aymar Castle houses a reclusive religious group who worship The Constant Lady, revered for her sacrifices and ecstatic suffering. Her body is a symbol of purity and connection to the divine. Starling’s prose confronts the topic of ritualized agony and how devotion can be a tool for control and manipulation. Destroying oneself becomes a holy act. The Starving Saints begins with Aymar Castle having been under siege for six months. What the menacing army encamped around the castle walls wants from Aymar is not clear, but this story is not about these exterior influences. The Starving Saints focuses on the events inside the castle itself and how the people who live there fall into hedonism and indulgence once these Saints arrive. These Saints have food and the people of Aymar are hungry … so hungry. No one even stops to wonder, where is this food coming from? How did these Saints even get into the castle? What do they want in return for saving everyone? Starling answers all these questions and much more.
During the course of the novel, we follow three points of view. Phosyne is an nun on the brink of excommunication. Through her knowledge of alchemy, she is able to secure herself a relatively safe spot in the castle and hierarchy. The king offers her his protection in exchange for what she can do. Her next task is to conjure food from nothing. With her life at stake, she sets out to do just that. But then, the Saints arrive and her world quickly becomes a fever dream. Ser Voyne is one of the king’s most trusted knights. She has been at the service of the kingdom for years and has proved herself trustworthy and useful. The king asks Ser Voyne to watch over Phosyne and ensure she is working her magic diligently so she can feed the inhabitants of Aymar Castle. Our third point of view comes from Treila, a servant girl who is quick with her wit and incredibly ingenious. She also harbors a deeply dark secret. These three women’s paths very soon intertwine as the events in the castle reach a fever pitch. Watching these three’s complex and layered relationships unfold truly shone and is a real ode to Starling’s skill. It is very hard to divulge more than this about the protagonists without spoilers. It is a “must read for yourself” situation.
The Starving Saints horror aspect does not rely on jump scares or overly extreme imagery. It builds slowly, in an insidious way, showcasing how obedience and faith are twisted into a mechanism for control. Starling creates an atmosphere of festering dread, smoldering and waiting to erupt. There is a pervasive sense of impending doom due to extreme hunger and gruesome, explosive scenes. This book is a slow burn, but of the very best kind. However, make no mistake, as this novel is truly dark, unnerving and devastating. I was very invested. I cared about the characters. I absolutely loved it.
The Starving Saints has left me in a thought provoked state. It made me think: how desperate would a person need to be to succumb to the depravity that is in this book? Blindly grabbing and gnashing at whatever is handed to you out of sheer anguish and misery? And, how about you, dear reader? If you love books in the style of Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, then you absolutely need to read this novel. Thank you so much to Harper Voyager Harper Voyager for sending me a finished copy. This book drops May 20, 2025 so do not miss it!
Caitlyn Starling is the nationally bestselling author of The Death of Jane Lawrence, the Bram Stoker-nominated The Luminous Dead, and Last To Leave The Room. Her upcoming novels include The Starving Saints and The Graceview Patient. Her bibliography spans besieged castles, alien caves, and haunted hospitals. Her short fiction has been published by GrimDark Magazine and Neon Hemlock, and her nonfiction has appeared in Nightmare, Uncanny, and Nightfire.
Photo courtesy of the publisher
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