Review - Feast

Title:  Feast

Author:  Catherine Kurtz   

Publisher:   Berkley

Genre:   Fantasy; 

  Historical Fiction;  

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   336

Date of Publication:   June 9, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

'I can taste anything. Everything. Every ingredient in a recipe. The earth in which the potatoes were grown. The tree on which the fruits were ripened. I can taste it all.'

In the soot-streaked alleys of 19th-century London, Minha is a girl unlike any other - born with an extraordinary an overwhelming, all-consuming sense of taste. Desperate to escape a life of poverty, she crosses the sea to France, chasing the shimmer of a better future.

At Château de Bellefalaise, a grand estate with fairytale turrets perched above a sleepy village, Minha's talent is discovered when she detects poison in a dish about to be served to the château's master, Duc Nicolas. For the first time in her life, her strange ability becomes her salvation - and her curse. Appointed the Duc's personal poison-taster, she is confined to her tasting room and forced to live in the chateau's shadows. With each dish, she enters a world of glittering porcelain and gilded secrets, where danger simmers beneath every course...

But when she loses her miraculous gift and suspicion coils through the corridors, Minha must confront a terrifying without her gift, who is she - and what remains of the life she's fought so hard to build?

Feast is a sumptuous historical novel brimming with intrigue and sensory wonder - a dark fairytale for readers who love Jessie Burton, Elizabeth Macneal and Bridget Collins.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

In the year 1899, amidst the bustling streets of London, young Minha, a mixed-race girl, discovers a remarkable gift - an extraordinary heightened sense of taste. Born into poverty, she yearns to escape her circumstances, particularly after the passing of her grandfather. Driven by determination, Minha takes a leap of faith and ventures across the English Channel, embarking on a new journey in the enchanting land of France.

At her new place of employment, the Château de Bellefalaise, Minha’s unusual gift saves Duc Nicolas from being poisoned. She is subsequently appointed as the Duc’s official poison taster, a critical role because someone at the château is determined to kill him.

Minha’s new job is not easy, particularly because she is not readily accepted by the household staff, mainly due to the color of her skin. Still, she manages to stay one step ahead of the poisoning attempts and works to keep the Duc alive. But Minha’s life begins to change, especially when it comes to her extraordinary gift. Slowly, her heightened senses begin to fade, forcing her to confront questions about her identity and, ultimately, her future.

What an intriguing story! Feast is an exceptional novel that delves into profound themes such as identity, survival, love, and resilience, especially when it comes to how Minha’s life changes.The atmosphere is meticulously crafted, creating a captivating reading experience. Beyond introducing danger and intrigue into Minha’s life, the story possesses an almost fairytale quality, especially as the later chapters unfold, making that element particularly enchanting.

An entertaining blend of historical fiction, mystery, and fairytale-like storytelling, Feast is a story that feels both timeless and wonderfully unique.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Catherine Kurtz was born in Cambridge, was brought up in London and now lives in Kent. She completed an art foundation at Wimbledon School of Art before studying fine art at Chelsea School of Art. Upon graduating, Kurtz was made artist-in-residence at the Royal Ballet School. She is a painter represented by The Redfern Gallery, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, and grand jury member of the International Chocolate Awards. Her journalism has been published in a variety of publications including the Spectator’s Scoff, ckbk and Celebrated Living. In her fiction she explores the female experience, her mixed-race heritage and the power of creativity. She has an MA in creative writing from West Dean College and is currently working on her next exhibition and her next novel.