“Sadness, like birch bark, had all the appearance of frailty. And yet… The tree prevailed.”

Novel Itself - A magical tale of tragedy and hope, The Knight and the Moth follows a young woman searching for her fellow Diviners. Friendship, humor, and suspense grace the pages. The ending was so gripping that I read/listened to the last 20 percent in one sitting.

Narration- The narration is crisp, clean, and precise. Different characters are easily distinguishable from one another. The audio version of this novel is easy to follow.

Rachel Gillig has done it again and honestly, I don’t know how she keeps outdoing herself. The Knight and the Moth is a masterclass in gothic fantasy: lush, lyrical, and so atmospheric you can practically smell the damp stone and candle smoke. If One Dark Window wrapped itself around your soul and Two Twisted Crowns haunted your dreams, this one will possess you entirely.

Let’s talk about Sybil, stoneworker, dream-diver, and walking embodiment of quiet strength. She’s a woman made from muscle and grit, shaped by years of hard labor and harder truths. Her journey is not one of transformation, but of revelation, of learning she’s already enough, already powerful, and doesn’t need to shrink herself for anyone. Not even for a broody knight with three gold hoops in his ear and a martyr complex so intense it could be medically diagnosed.

Speaking of…enter, Rory Myndacious. Yes, that’s really his name, and yes, he lives up to it. He’s everything you want in a morally gray love interest: sharp-tongued, dramatic, emotionally constipated—and absolutely feral for Sybil in the quietest, most repressed way possible. Their dynamic is electric. Tension? Off the charts. Banter? Whip-smart. The kind of slow-burn that leaves you gasping when things finally, FINALLY ignite.

But. Let’s be clear. Bartholomew the Gargoyle. Stole. The. Show!!

This charming, deadpan, delightfully over-it chunk of carved stone had me laughing so hard I had to pause the audiobook. He’s got the existential dread of a philosophy major, the comedic timing of a seasoned stand-up, and the emotional wisdom of a retired therapist. He delivers punchlines with the gravity of an ancient prophet and makes you feel things in the same breath. His commentary is half snark, half soul. Truly, a scene-stealing icon.

“No one actually beats dead horses, gargoyle. It’s an expression.”
“Really? How morbid.”
Tell me that’s not Oscar-worthy. I had to pause to tell my husband and was annoyed when he didn’t find it as humorous as I.

Beyond the characters, the world of Traum is a triumph. Haunting cathedrals, whispers of gods, a kingdom teetering on ruin—it’s all painted in prose so rich and eerie, you almost forget it’s fiction. The magic system, woven through dreams and relics, feels both ancient and alive, pulsing with mystery.

And while the romantic subplot had me kicking my feet, the book’s heart lies in its relationships: Sybil’s painful reckoning with those in power, the found families that form in unlikely corners, and the bittersweet ache of love reborn in impossible circumstances.

This isn’t just a fantasy novel. It’s a gothic fever dream stitched with hope, grief, desire, and a stone gargoyle who deserves his own spin-off series. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to crawl inside the book and live there forever.

Rachel Gillig has solidified her place on my auto-buy list. And if she doesn’t give Bartholomew a monologue in the next book, I will be filing complaints.

Loved this audiobook! Loved the narrators as well as the story… the gothic setting was also perfection!

The audiobook for The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig was such a fantastic listen. It was entertaining and well done. I was able to follow along with the story and was thoroughly entertained. The narrator was a perfect pick for this book and I cannot wait to listen to the second book in this duology whenever it's available!

This narrator does a wonderful job of transporting you into an Arturian legend kind of feel, even though it isn't really. I really enjoyed Gillig's Shepherd King series and this new series does not disappoint. It did take a bit to really get into the world and characters but once you do, it really starts to take off. THe gargoyle is easily the best character.

This was the perfect nostalgic, dark fairy tale type fantasy I've been looking for! The romance was tension-filled, the magic system was complex and bountiful. and the underlying mystery drove the plot at a perfect pace. The side-kick character in this was one of my favorite side characters I've ever seen. Movies, TV, books, you name it. He was delightful and I want 14 more of him right now. Thanks.

The love interest was mysterious and absolutely besotted with our girl. I loved their interactions from start to finish. And the tension?! Divine! Loved every second of it.

The audio book narration was dreamy and perfect for the book. The narrator caught Rachel's humor perfectly and I loved every second of it!

This year I fell in love with Rachel Gilligs duology, The Shepherd King, so I was very excited to receive the audiobook for her new book, The Knight and The Moth.

This book is book one of The Stonewater Kingdom. I quickly got sucked into the book and the interesting world building. Sybil Delling has been a diviner for the last nine years, serving out her ten years before she can go and experience life. She and five others were stripped of their names and their life before them as foundlings. Being a diviner allows her to see visions of the six Omens of the lands. She is able to predict one's fate before it happens, but each time she must drown in the Aisling Spring in order to do so.

But when the boy king comes to town to get his future revealed, and then her five fellow diviners go missing.. Her world is thrown upside down. She knows she needs to find the truth, even if it means going with the king and his rude knight. But she might not like what she finds.

This book was THICK in the world building, as most fantasy books are. It was a very unique concept, which I would expect nothing less from Rachel Gillig. The audio felt a little challenging to keep up with all of the information that was being thrown at me, so I switched to the physical format instead and that seemed to help. It started out strong and I was super invested, but when we got to the middle, I was losing steam. The chemistry was good but something was still lacking in that middle portion for me. But the end… the end is what really brought it back together. I think if I had done all of it as a physical book, it could have been different for me. When I re-read it before book two, I will do that for sure.

One of the issues I did struggle with was that the impression of the "boy king" made him sound old, when he was in fact very young.

One thing I LOVED was the gargoyle... who always called everyone Bartholomew. He had me smiling every time he spoke.

5 ⭐️

Got an ARC of the audiobook and I’m still emotionally recovering… Rachel Gillig writes like she’s casting spells—gorgeous, haunting, and just a little bit painful (in the best way)!! The vibes? Immaculate.. The romance? Unhinged and devastating… The prose? So good I threw my phone. (A few times) No spoilers in this review I might update after the book comes out, but if you like gothic fantasy, slow-burn yearniIng, and books that feel like being haunted by your own heart—this one’s for you.

emotional damage 10/10

🎵tomorrow waits by Klergy, Mindy jones
🎶 no rest for the wicked by lykke li

This brand-new fantasy improves on an already impressive formula for dark fantasy and takes Gillig's writing to the next level. An utterly bewitching Gothic ronantasy where the two protagonists begin as enemies and slowly come to understand one another. The vibes are vibing you guys, so if you've loved One Dark Window and Twi twisted crowns, look no further.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. This book is fantastic. I loved it so, so, so much. There’s literally nothing more I can say except it was amazing.

This book is so utterly perfect, I cannot even begin to laud it.
Rachel Gillig has outdone herself. The atmospheric, misty vibes of this novel are so exact, so transportive, you can't help but be swept away. The slow burn romance between Sybill and Rory is full of yearning and tension, and so satisfactory. The narrator also had the perfect voice and tone for this book. All factors adding up to one perfect story.

My first Rachel Gillig book and it certainly did not disappoint!

I ate this book up from beginning to end. I was hooked by the first sentence and I was in it. I normally dislike fantasy romances because they often don’t read as fantasy and lead towards modernization, but The Knight and the Moth does not!

This book is atmospheric and gothic, with the writing being the highlight for me. Gillig’s writing is sharp, whimsical and vivid.

The romance is another highlight! I loved Sybil and Rory, and I can’t wait to read more because that cliffhanger broke my heart.

I listened to this book via audiobook, and I found the audiobook to be a part as to why this was an enjoyable reading experience. The narrator did an extraordinary job!

Like almost every other person on the planet (at least it seems to me) I adored Rachel Gillig's duology and was so excited for the opportunity to read her newest work, The Knight and the Moth. She picks right back up where she left off, delivering a concise, exciting story with easy to follow world building and an original magic system. Clever, funny, and perfectly paced, The Knight and the Moth was so terrific that I am devastated I'll have to wait for the next installment.

The audio production was fantastic. I loved her other work on audio so I figured this one would be a good fit as well but I think this is even better produced. The narration is spot on and very compelling.

4.5 Stars Rounded Down

Call me a fool for not double-checking, but I was genuinely hoping this would be a standalone. So after enduring a rather slow start only to realize at 86% that there were too many unresolved threads, I had to round down.

THAT BEING SAID:

The Knight and the Moth is my first Rachel Gillig book, and while I'm not immediately running to read her One Dark Window duology I can safely say I'm a fan now. This book had the lush, gothic fantasy that Gillig can practically trademark, a cast that I fell in love with, and some truly unique fantasy elements that drew me in.

The plot and journey itself isn't terribly innovative: Six, our protagonist, goes on a journey beyond her physical and metaphorical sheltered upbringing to look for her fellow Diviners, who mysteriously disappeared. Along the way she discovers plenty about the world, herself, and the role she has been playing for the past ten years. She falls in love, gets a training montage, and of course experiences betrayal and grief. Most of it was fairly predictable, though certain aspects were pleasant surprises.

I feel like Gillig could have made this a standalone with some plot changes and an extra hundred pages, but hey, get your publishing bag Queen 👑 I just hope the next book justifies being an entire sequel. Bonus shout out to the narrator Samantha Hydeson for her wonderful voice work! Her Bartholomew was impeccable.

I couldn't put this book down! I practically listened to it in one go, that's how immersed in the plot I was. I can't wait for the next book.

This one isn't for me. The lushness of the writing takes away any sense of urgency in the story, and our characters fall flat in comparison.

Gillig is a skilled writer, but somehow the more detail she shoves in the more vague the entire thing feels. There are readers who will love this book, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to those who love this kind of atmospheric setting.

I have been DYING to read this upcoming release from Rachel Gillig, and actually got denied for the digital copy (womp womp) so when the audio version got posted, I requested even though audio isn't my preferred genre. It's giving desperate and I accept that 😌 I really enjoyed Samantha Hydeson, a new-to-me narrator! Narrators can very much make or break the listening experience, so I was pleased that the way that Samantha delineated between characters was enjoyable and didn't feel over the top.

The story itself was good! I think with duologies especially, both pieces are super necessary to judge the story fairly. The pacing at times felt a little bit like okay, where are we going here? Eventually it all came together (!!!!!!!) and all of the pieces made sense, and I finished being super invested in getting the next part of the story.

I do think this is a book that for me, personally, I would've benefitted from reading it pretty much straight through or at least without interspersing other books – it was hard to dive back into this world fully after being out of it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC!
5⭐️
Rachel Gillig delivers another atmospheric triumph with this fresh new gothic romantasy. Perfect for fans of her Shepherd King duology, this book blends eerie magic, slow-burn romance, and a tightly plotted mystery in a richly imagined world.

We follow Sybil, a diviner with no memory of her past, forced into magical service at a cathedral where she’s drowned daily to access her visions. When a skeptical new king’s advisor arrives seeking answers, Sybil is drawn into a thrilling quest across the kingdom. The sisterhood between the diviners is touching, and the characters—especially Rory, Maude, and my favourite character (who stole the show) the gargoyle—bring heart, humour, and emotional depth to the story.

The banter sparkles, the worldbuilding is immersive, and the magic system is as mysterious as it is compelling. With divine beings, cursed artifacts, and political intrigue, this is the kind of book that hooks you from page one and doesn’t let go.

Though there are a few small info-dumpy moments and slightly abrupt transitions, the overall experience is breathtaking. A stellar pick for readers who love gothic fantasy with strong characters, rich lore, and slow-burn tension. I’m already counting down the days to the sequel.

This book had absolutely beautiful world building, but unfortunately some parts were dragging and pacing was a little slow.

The Knight and the Moth, by Rachel Gillig, is a mysterious and wonderous story that had me hooked right from the start. I love how unique the concept of the story is, from the mystical powers of the spring water, to the true nature of the Omens. This book was beautifully written, and I loved how the characters we portrayed, especially the Gargoyle. Samantha Hydeson did a wonderful job narrating this book, I really liked how she portrayed and gave life to all of the characters. Overall, the production of this book was expertly done, and I honestly couldn't stop listening! I'm very excited for book two!!