Title: The Knight and the Moth
Author: Rachel Gillig
Publication Date: May 20, 2025 by Orbit
Genres: Romantasy| Gothic
Representation: N/A
"To tell a story is in some part to tell a lie, isn't it?" That simple line, so enigmatic and suggestive, opens The Knight and the Moth with questions already in our minds . . . but the depth of its meaning does not become apparent until deep into the book. Rachel Gillig does an amazing job of quietly following that lie, setting up a twist (and a twist within a twist) that hits as hard as it should without feeling like a cheat.
But that is getting way ahead of myself. As the story opens, we are presented with a sumptuous fantasy that's laden with gothic themes and imagery. The cathedral, its gargoyles, the gossamer-clad maidens, and the act of drowning accompanying their prophecies - it's beautiful, mysterious, and yet deeply unsettling. There's humor to it as well, sometimes dark, sometimes odd . . . and, sometimes, as we only find out near the end, downright tragic.
This is a book that shifts on you more than once, knocking you down, picking you up, and leading you in a new direction. I found the first such knockdown so disconcerting that I (admittedly) allowed my interest to wane for a while, but when it knocked me down again, and I began to appreciate the questions and the lies, I was more invested in this than ever.
I would describe The Knight and the Moth as a fantasy first and a romantasy second, but that's not to say both elements aren't entirely satisfying. The romantic tension between Six and Rodrick is so very well done, and it make sense in the context of the story that it takes so long for either of them to move on it. When they do, it's not just satisfying, but swoon-worthy in so many ways. I loved their dynamic, their verbal sparring, and the way cracks of humanity appear in their armor.
As for the fantasy, for all that this is a story of magic, monsters, and more, it's predominantly a story of faith, humanity, and why we choose to believe. I don't mean that in a heavy-handed religious sense, but more in peeling back the layers of myth. I was not expecting that kind of depth, and when it all comes together . . . when we're knocked down for the last time . . . it's as powerful as it is heartbreaking. There are characters here you'll love or hate so strongly, but don't expect all those emotions to survive through the end.
There's so much more I wish I could say about this, but they would all open the door to spoilers, and this is a book that needs to be experienced. Gillig has written something beautiful and meaningful, familiar in so many ways, and yet unexpected in so many others. Just a stunning work of fantasy - and I'm intensely curious to see where the second book takes it.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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