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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
The plot didn't feel like it was getting anywhere.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The majority of this book was perfect to me, though it felt a bit rushed and messy at the end. This is a perfect mix of fantasy and horror, with confusing and complex queer relationships as the cherry on top. The imagery was strong without being too over the top and I could barely put this book down.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted to love this; the premise is awesome. And that cover!! (A great reminder that many great books have mid covers, and many mid books have great covers.)
Anyway, while some scenes were satisfyingly creepy, overall it felt meandering.
Anyway, while some scenes were satisfyingly creepy, overall it felt meandering.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“‘if you stay’, he says, eyes shining in the evening light, ‘it is eat or be eaten. but i promise i’ll make it good’” pg. 154
a medieval horror fever dream. one of the most intense and disturbing fantasy reads i’ve ever read. you’re plopped right in the middle of a siege, the people of aymar are starving. and one day, the saints come and the castle descends into a bacchanalian madness. the only hope falls to the hands of a knight, a maid, and a witch.
i was struck by the relationships between to mfcs. this was beautifully written, some dark shit goes down in these pages but it’s exciting and intriguing.
a medieval horror fever dream. one of the most intense and disturbing fantasy reads i’ve ever read. you’re plopped right in the middle of a siege, the people of aymar are starving. and one day, the saints come and the castle descends into a bacchanalian madness. the only hope falls to the hands of a knight, a maid, and a witch.
i was struck by the relationships between to mfcs. this was beautifully written, some dark shit goes down in these pages but it’s exciting and intriguing.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The medieval cloistered atmosphere created was en pointe, the desperation was practically dripping from the page, and in general I enjoyed my time being spooked by this novel.
Some minor qualms that I have is that I kind of wish it went further. Below in spoilers I will briefly address it:
The religious idolatry could have been more developed, though our main character Phosyne was cast out so I understand the lack of on page presence. The hunger was present from page one with the hoarding of meagre supplies, the scavenging, but it almost felt like the saints came too soon and I couldn't help but think of the secreted storage of dried food two of our three POVs had. The "magic" that Phone devised was primarily about relatability as far as I could discern and I kind of wish there was more explanation since it seems like the saints were based on fae: eating their food means they own you, making trickily worded bargains, hurt by iron, etc.
If I have more thoughts I will add them later.
Some minor qualms that I have is that I kind of wish it went further. Below in spoilers I will briefly address it:
If I have more thoughts I will add them later.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Cannibalism
Moderate: Violence, War
Minor: Sexual content
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
5 stars for yet another fantastic cannibalism book! How did this become my main genre? Who knows, but give me medieval horror, survivalism, bacchanalian madness, and toxic sapphic relationships, and I simply must read the book. Plus, make it written by Caitlin Starling, and I know it's going to be perfect.
The writing? Perfection. 5/5
Caitlin Starling is the queen of unease, using lyrical writing to create a most enchanting and horrific scene. Bewitchment is a main theme in this book, and I swear I found myself bewitched along with every starving body within the walls of Aymar Castle. I felt the drying summer, and the cragged keep walls, and the stench of fear and awe that tastes like bloody honey. I squirmed in my seat while reading, deeply uncomfortable, my eyes glued to the page. One scene stressed me out so bad I had to physically stand up and stretch! (Are you claustrophobic? I might be after this book.) But there is so much beauty in Starling's writing; her gore is colorful, emboldened with waiting shadows, edged in flashes of radiant gold.
The Characters? (Always so morally gray, always so burdened. I am obsessed.) 5/5
Extra deeply unhinged. A gruff lady knight with subservience issues, a mad heretic nun with an unquenchable hunger for knowledge, and a rat-catching psychopath with a vengeful plan get stuck in a siege tower for months and months...I loved each of them. Some of them scared me, and those ones I loved best.
The Plot? Absolute madness. 5/5
I loved a good gorefest, and extra points if there is a feast. This book had several! Which is really strange when you consider that it's about a bunch of people who are slowly starving while under siege. But that is perhaps my favorite element of this book: the sense of wrongness in the plot is so acute, so confirmed. There is no descent into madness here, only instant bewitchment and an immediate fight for control.
When The Lady and Her Saints arrive at the dying keep of Aymar, it is clear that something is wrong. Feasts appear, but they bore no wagons of food with them when they simply arrived. Great powers clash within the keep as these intruders take control, and our protagonists are forced to survive. After all, it's eat or be eaten.
Fast-paced, filled with strange Merlin-esque magic, and completely tangled in a toxic sapphic knot (so good), this is a 5-star book in every manner. The ultimate high summer reading for anyone who likes Horror.
The writing? Perfection. 5/5
Caitlin Starling is the queen of unease, using lyrical writing to create a most enchanting and horrific scene. Bewitchment is a main theme in this book, and I swear I found myself bewitched along with every starving body within the walls of Aymar Castle. I felt the drying summer, and the cragged keep walls, and the stench of fear and awe that tastes like bloody honey. I squirmed in my seat while reading, deeply uncomfortable, my eyes glued to the page. One scene stressed me out so bad I had to physically stand up and stretch! (Are you claustrophobic? I might be after this book.) But there is so much beauty in Starling's writing; her gore is colorful, emboldened with waiting shadows, edged in flashes of radiant gold.
The Characters? (Always so morally gray, always so burdened. I am obsessed.) 5/5
Extra deeply unhinged. A gruff lady knight with subservience issues, a mad heretic nun with an unquenchable hunger for knowledge, and a rat-catching psychopath with a vengeful plan get stuck in a siege tower for months and months...I loved each of them. Some of them scared me, and those ones I loved best.
The Plot? Absolute madness. 5/5
I loved a good gorefest, and extra points if there is a feast. This book had several! Which is really strange when you consider that it's about a bunch of people who are slowly starving while under siege. But that is perhaps my favorite element of this book: the sense of wrongness in the plot is so acute, so confirmed. There is no descent into madness here, only instant bewitchment and an immediate fight for control.
When The Lady and Her Saints arrive at the dying keep of Aymar, it is clear that something is wrong. Feasts appear, but they bore no wagons of food with them when they simply arrived. Great powers clash within the keep as these intruders take control, and our protagonists are forced to survive. After all, it's eat or be eaten.
Fast-paced, filled with strange Merlin-esque magic, and completely tangled in a toxic sapphic knot (so good), this is a 5-star book in every manner. The ultimate high summer reading for anyone who likes Horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, Murder