I was utterly captivated by The Starving Saints from the very first time I heard about it, and as soon as I read the first page I was entirely entranced.

Content warnings include: starvation, death, amputation, cannibalism, assault, mutilation. Mentions of: treason, beheading.

I have read all of Caitlin Starling's other books, and they all excell in atmosphere, and The Starving Saints is no different. It's oppressive from the entire beginning, both in setting and feel. It takes place in the besieged castle Aymar, food stores empty, and no sign of help arriving. Starvation is imminent, and things have gotten dire. Additionally, it's the height of summer with a sweltering heat plaguing the already starving inhabitants of the castle.
It's a stifling atmosphere, and the book makes you feel it.

The book centers around three of the women in the castle. Scattered Phosyne, the castle keeper's madwoman, tasked with creating another miracle to save everyone from starvation. Bold Ser Voyne, a battle hero frustrated by the tight leash her king keeps her on. And cunning Treila, a maid with a dark past who keeps to the shadows and who would do anything to escape the castle walls.
The three women become entangled, both by their pasts and presents.

Despite the starving, it's a delicious read. It's both a horrifying crawl and a sensual dance, of the three protagonist as well as their interactions with the Saints that miraculously arrive and offer food and pleasure, despite arriving with empty hands. Something is very wrong, and no-one seems to notice.

I loved following all three protagonists, and the tangled complexities of the respective relationships with each other, and then later how they each deal with the Saints, all dynamics that are constantly in flux. The book is not a romance, but there are some definite sensual elements, though I found them to be more driven by dangerous obsession and a need to consume, than by romantic feelings.

I also particular enjoyed how all protagonists have respective moments of absolute power and realized agency, but also deep lows and vulnerability, which are often brutally exploited - but things are never as they seem.

Consumption, bargains and careful wording are definitely big themes in general. As with almost all of the author's books, the big questions of how and why are answered, but very convoluted and not really straightfoward, and I always find it hard to put my fingers on the answers and put them into words. Rather than frustrating, in The Starving Saints I found this fit the atmosphere very well, and I got just enough answers to be satisfying.

Overall an absolutely stunning novel, though not for the faint of heart. It's brutal and raw, and does not pull any punched with its themes, it's gory, but not overly graphic, though I does not shy away from evil.

I received an ARC an reviewed honestly & voluntarily.