Dark, haunting, unsettling, this book will slowly work its way under your skin like a damp rot until nothing but dread remains. The best way to describe this book is a sapphic medieval horror fantasy, but if you were having a fever dream. I am a lover of horror, but this book is a different breed; there is nothing that Starling does not throw at us, and it makes for the most enticing concoction. The story follows three compelling characters: Phosyne, an experimental alchemist; Treila, a fallen noble out for revenge; and Ser Voyne, a loyal knight bound to her king. Aymar Castle is under siege, its people starving as war looms on the horizon. Phosyne is tasked with performing a miracle when three mysterious Saints and The Constant Lady appear, promising salvation in the form of food. But as the characters grapple with the promises of these mysterious figures, they must ask themselves: What is the price of salvation? And how much will they have to sacrifice to escape the horror surrounding them? My only complaint and reason for giving 4 stars rather than 5 is the first half of the book was slow, almost too slow. But I will say, when I finally reached the second half, everything fell into place. I am so happy that I stuck it out because this is one I will be talking about for ages. If you are a fan of the horror genre, please read this! I akin this to books like The Unworthy, Bunny, with a sprinkle of Tender is the Flesh. This is one novel I cannot stress enough to check the trigger warning and do your research if you are in any way squeamish. Thank you, Harper Voyager and Harper Collins, for the opportunity to read and review this arc. This is one that will forever haunt me in the best ways.

A deeply fascinating book about desperation, power, loyalty... and cannibalism.

First, thank you to Caitlin Starling, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an e-ARC for this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Let me get this out of the way: this is an immensely confusing book if you aren't paying attention all the way through. The latter half fits a lot of content within it, and whilst the pace is good, it is quite daunting to read, especially also considering the topics discussed in this novel. I was super confused for at least half the book.

But that didn't matter. This dark fantasy is so incredibly atmospheric with vividly horrifying descriptions. I'm in awe of Starling's ability to describe everything so viscerally. The novel is messy, chaotic, horrible, and so incredibly good. The three main characters of this book are also all so fascinating, fitting into the novel in their own way and quite insanely adding to the lore of the novel. I'm genuinely so startled by them and their complex, desperate, relationship. Phosyne, Ser Voyne, and Treila all have their own motives and reasonings and it's done quite well through the novel.

I would recommend this for fans of Plain Bad Heroines and Gideon the Ninth-- and people who enjoy deeply concerning horror, fantasy, and cannibalism as a literary device.