I’ll be honest—when I first picked up The Knight and the Moth, I thought it might be overhyped. You know that feeling when everyone in your feed is raving about the same book and you start to wonder if it can really live up to it?
Well, a few chapters in, I was completely hooked. The eerie world-building, the delightfully snarky gargoyle, the slow-burn romance, the lore, the tension—this book had me flipping pages late into the night. And once I turned that last page, all I wanted was more.
The second book cannot come fast enough!
Summary:
In The Knight and the Moth, we follow Sybil—known as Six—a diviner bound to an ancient ritual. Every day, she is drowned beneath the temple waters to summon visions of omens for paying patrons seeking favor from fickle gods. Her life is one of forced servitude, isolation, and mystery—until an unexpected visitor cracks her tightly controlled world wide open.
Enter Rodrick, a brooding, “blasphemous” knight with secrets of his own. His appearance sparks not only forbidden questions in Sybil’s mind about what lies beyond her walled existence, but also an undeniable attraction that complicates everything.
When her visions begin to take a dark turn and danger creeps closer, Sybil and Rodrick find themselves on a treacherous quest. What begins as a desperate search for truth soon spirals into an epic adventure filled with ravenous gods, twisted myths, power-hungry nobles, hungry sprites, and long-buried deceptions.
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Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Dark Fantasy | Quest Adventure | Romance | Gorgeous Worldbuilding
I’ll be honest—when I picked this one up, I fully expected it to be overhyped. The buzz around The Knight and the Moth had been relentless, and sometimes that sets a book up for disappointment. But within a few chapters? I was completely hooked.
This is one of those rare fantasies that pulls you in with lush atmosphere and inventive magic, then surprises you with rich humor, heart, and edge-of-your-seat pacing.
World building & Atmosphere:
The underwater rituals, eerie omens, fully developed history...so good! Gillig’s world is utterly immersive. The lore around the gods and their starving need for devotion is both unsettling and fascinating, and Gillig balances this creepiness with moments of light and wonder. You feel every stone, every flickering wing of the moths that haunt Sybil’s dreams.
Main Characters:
- Sybil "Six" Delling: I loved her arc. A strong, grounded heroine who still carries an undercurrent of vulnerability and longing. The brief mention of her bisexuality adds an effortless layer of representation without overwhelming the narrative.
- Rodrick “Rory” Myndacious: Peak broody knightly perfection. He’s a man of layers—scarred by his own past he is the picture of duty and determined, but also unexpectedly tender. Their banter and simmering tension? 10/10, no notes!
- Bartholomew: THE SCENE-STEALER. I did not expect to fall head-over-heels for a grumpy, bat-eared gargoyle—but here we are. His dry humor and unwavering loyalty gave this story so much heart. I wanted to adopt him by the end!
- Benedict "Benji" Castor III: the newly crowned "boy king" with something to prove.
- Maude Bauer: Knight, mentor, and almost maternal figure to Six, Rory, and Benji.
Pacing & Action:
Flawless. The pacing is perfectly balanced between quieter, tension-building moments and adrenaline-fueled action. I never felt lost in the quest details or bored in the slower scenes. Gillig knows exactly when to pull the reader along and when to let the emotion settle in.
Romance:
This is the kind of enemies-to-allies-to-lovers arc that simmers. The longing glances, the stolen moments, the mutual respect that builds alongside the attraction—it’s so well done. The chemistry had me grinning like an idiot and audibly gasping more than once.
Final Thoughts:
The Knight and the Moth completely exceeded my expectations. It’s a richly imagined, darkly whimsical fantasy with one of the most compelling heroines I’ve read in a while and a truly swoony romance that will leave you breathless.
If you love:
- Unique magic systems
- Grumpy broody knights + strong heroines
- Gargoyle sidekicks who steal the show
- Atmospheric fantasy with heart
... then you need this book on your shelf!
It’s already one of my favorite fantasy reads this year. And yes, I will be shouting about Bartholomew until further notice.
Books to Read If You Loved The Knight and the Moth
- One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
A gothic fantasy with dark magic, eerie atmosphere, a strong female lead, and a romance that smolders—perfect if you loved The Knight and the Moth's tension and creepiness.
- Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
In this breathtaking sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must confront the weight of her actions as she and Ravyn journey through a perilous, mist-cloaked forest in a desperate bid to save the kingdom. Brimming with atmospheric dread, forbidden magic, and deepening romance—perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson’s The Year of the Witching.
- For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
As the first Second Daughter in centuries, Red must be sacrificed to the Wolf of the Wilderwood to save her world. But when she enters the forest, she learns the legends have lied—the Wolf is a man, and her magic is key to saving them all. Dark, romantic, and steeped in lush, folkloric magic—an absolute must for lovers of haunting fantasy.
If you love gorgeously written fantasy with dark magic, slow-burn romance, and unforgettable side characters—The Knight and the Moth is a MUST read!
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