Rites of the Starling: Characters, spice level, review & triggers
Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry is a fantasy romance adventure and the sequel to Shield of Sparrows.
Rites of the Starling has a beautiful, layered story and we get introduced to new faces, places and even some brand new monsters. I’ve written a Rites of the Starling book review including my thoughts on the overall reading experience including what worked, what didn’t and why it may or may not work for you too. Even though I experienced similar issues that I had in book one, I’m seeing so many people loving it and absolutely destroyed by it so chances are you’ll fall in love too.
As usual, I’ve included a Rites of the Starling character guide. Not to mention trigger warnings, tropes and a monster guide.
I know that a lot of you guys always seek information on the spice levels and spicy chapters. So scroll down to the FAQs and spoilers section of this post if that’s what you’re after.
Otherwise, let’s get back to the world of Calandra - I’ve popped the map of it down below somewhere too.
Happy reading!
Rites of the Starling synopsis.
RITES OF THE STARLING is the epic, heart-pounding sequel to Devney Perry’s #1 New York Times-bestselling SHIELD OF SPARROWS. A princess journeys across a cursed realm to find the truth about her family, only to discover her quest intertwines with the fate of a lost warrior. Love, danger and magic collide in a captivating romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros.
Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.
I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian.
Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.
Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?
What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?
For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make.
It’s time to discover the monster within.
Rites of the Starling characters.
Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry is narrated from a first person point of view, from three perspectives:
Odessa
Caspia
Ransom
Character art shared by author @devneyperry & artist @sereneillustrations via Instagram.
Main characters.
Odessa Cross, Random Wolfe, Caspia and Andreas are our four main characters in Rites of the Starling.
Princess Odessa Cross.
Inquisitive and determined Odessa Cross is not the same person she was in book one. She’s on a quest to reunite with her beloved and discover more about the mysterious contents in the journals, while having to babysit Evie.
Prince Zavier Ransom Wolfe, aka, Ransom.
He’s not even there for half the book, but when he comes back on page, it’s good times, no doubt.
Caspia.
Caspia is a new point of view introduced in Rites of the Starling. Who is she? I think it’s best for you to read the book to discover that and why her story matters. And if you’re really curious, scroll down to the FAQ spoiler section below to spoil yourself.
Andreas.
Andreas is the main male character in Caspia’s point of view of narration in Rites of the Starling. He saves her from certain death after a series of unfortunate events.
Supporting characters.
Here’s a list of all the characters who appear in Rites of the Starling apart from our main ones, from majorly supporting roles to minor characters.
Evangeline, aka, “Evie”
Xandra
Thora
Jodhi
Mae
Queen Margot
Kos
Titus
Vale
Faxon
Gable
Nathalia, aka, “Hali”
Mathias
General Hawksley (Taven)
Aunt Oleana
Graciella
Saskia
Damon
Sally
Cap
Wells
Sryker
Edda
Zavier
Seth Hay (a relative to Samuel Hay? What are we thinking here fam?)
Samuel Hay
Jonas
Geezala
Brother Dime
Brother Skore / Nold
Cathlin
Mariette
Sparrow Wolfe
Tanis Oak
The high priest
Arthalayus / Arthy
Brother Hain
Healer Alore
Golding
Mose
Dair
Arick
Geoff
Brix
Queen Malynn
Chapman Leek
Animal characters (including mentioned names).
One of the MVPs is Faze, the Tarkin, just sayin’. Here’s all the fantasy animal characters with names in Rites of the Starling.
Faze (Tarkin)
Aurinda (Ransom’s horse)
Freya (Odessa’s horse)
Hop
Bisten (swift)
Gods and goddesses mentioned in Rites of the Starling.
Ama - the Mother
Oda - the Father
The Divine
Izzac - God of Death
Carine - Goddess of Peace
Arabella - Goddess of Love
Mack - God of War
Other names mentioned in Rites of the Starling
Emery
Max
Aunt Ophelia
Hara
Magnus Cross
The five kings of Calandra
Luella
Banner
Brielle
Jocelyn
King Ramsey
Rites of the Starling: Monsters.
Here's a quick list of the monsters you’ll meet in Rites of the Starling, from the ones we have already encountered in Shield of Sparrows, plus some new monstrous additions + some incredible art shared kindly by author, @devneyperry and artist, @whiskeygingergoods via Instagram.
Tarkin
Marroweel
Grizzur
Lionwick
Crux
Bariwolf
Alligask*
Fenek*
Chiroptus*
Kaverine*
*New monsters introduced that we didn’t come across in the previous book.
Shield of Sparrows / Rites of the Starling: Map of Calandra.
Devney Perry posted the updates to the map found in Shield of Sparrows recently on her Instagram and here it is in all its glory! Remember to click the arrow to see more of the world.
Review: Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry.
View my review and follow me on GoodReads here.
Spice level: 🌶🌶 .5
2.5/5, slow-burn, open-door spice, but it doesn’t overshadow the plot or storytelling.
If you don’t mind babysitting a six year old child... on horseback... whilst fleeing fantasy monsters in your epic adventure quest, you will almost certainly have a much better time with the first 50% than I did and I love that for you! However, it was a bit of a buzzkill for me.
While I can appreciate what the story was trying to do with that dynamic, I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed it. I am not the audience and that’s okay.
Otherwise, Rites of the Starling could’ve been five stars because I actually really loved the second half.
Everything else to me was beautifully done. I really enjoyed the additional POV. I suspected where it was heading early on, yet watching it click into place was very satisfying and was executed with so many emotional layers upon layers.
Odessa’s internal monologue and dialogue is still a bit heavy on the questioning and not all of it moves the plot forward. But in my opinion, it felt less counterproductive than the first book or maybe I managed my expectations, who can say.
I’ve landed somewhere in the 3.5 star range. Yes I am in a confusing glass case of emotion. The first half didn’t do it for me, but the second half transcended everything I had hoped for and broke and healed my heart and sets everything up for the final book nicely.
Thrilled for all my book friends who found it five star worthy, I see you and wish I could have joined you!
View my review and follow me on GoodReads here. I chat about books a lot.
Rites of the Starling FAQs.
SPOILER ALERT:
Some answers may spoil the book if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution.
When is book three coming out?
Book three of the Shield of Sparrows series has been announced for the 9th of March 2027, on Devney Perry’s Instagram page.
What are the content and trigger warnings?
Fantasy animal cruelty and death
Murder
Misogyny
Classism
Terminal/chronic illness
Blood
Death
Death of parent
Injury and injury details
Explicit sexual content
Violence
Murder
Gore
Grief
Cursing
Confinement
Fantasy drugs
Addiction
Genocide
Dismemberment
What is the age rating for Rites of the Starling?
Shield of Sparrows is classified as adult, so ages 18+, due to adult themes and sexual content. Please also see the trigger and content warnings listed above.
Is Rites of the Starling spicy?
Yes, Rites of the Starling is spicy and romantic. Spicier than the previous book!
What is the Rites of the Starling spice level?
Character art shared by author @devneyperry & artist @margana_mgn via Instagram.
Spice level: 🌶🌶
2.5/5, open door detailed spice in several chapters, although scenes are fairly short and don’t take up many pages.
What are the Rites of the Starling spicy chapters?
Capsicums are mild and chillies are hot. Here’s your Rites of the Starling spicy chapters map and chilli rating.
Chapter 21: 🫑 Fade to black
Chapter 23: Open door non explicit
Chapter 30: Open door that gets interrupted before anything happens
Chapter 33: 🌶🌶
Chapter 34: 🌶🌶
Chapter 49: 🌶🌶🌶
What are the tropes?
Adventure quest
Political intrigue
Magical monsters
Cute animal companion
Destiny
Found family
Who is Caspia?
Caspia is an additional perspective introduced in Rites of the Starling. It is confirmed much later in the book that Caspia is narrating from an alternate timeline and is Princess Odessa’s mother… and Andreas is revealed to be Odessa’s father, King Cross. Their romance is the ultimate star-crossed tragedy that gives background and depth to Odessa and the relationship Odessa has with her father, King Cross.
Enjoyed reading Rites of the Starling? You may also enjoy reading:
Fourth Wing | Iron Flame | Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
The Second Death of Locke by V. L. Bovalino
A Fate Inked in Blood | A Curse Carved in Bone by Danielle L. Jensen
