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The Stonewater Kingdom #1
The Knight and the Moth
Not yet published
Expected 20 May 25From BookTok sensation and NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig, comes the next big romantasy phenomenon: a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a prophetess who is forced beyond the safety of her cloister on an impossible quest to defeat the gods with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight.
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum's windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.
Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil's visions. But when Sybil's fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral's cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she'd rather avoid Rodrick's dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum's windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.
Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil's visions. But when Sybil's fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral's cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she'd rather avoid Rodrick's dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 20, 2025
132k people want to read
About the author
Rachel Gillig
5听books15.8k听followersRachel Gillig was born and raised on the California coast. She is a writer, with a B.A. in Literary Theory and Criticism from UC Davis. If she is not ensconced in blankets dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is in her garden or walking with her husband, son, and their poodle, Wally.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
Want to read
January 21, 2024After the Shepherd King duology, I鈥檒l read anything Rachel Gillig writes. First book on 2025 shelf, so excited!!
Also, MOTH IS IN THE TITLE so yeah I鈥檒l be anticipating this until it releases!
Also, MOTH IS IN THE TITLE so yeah I鈥檒l be anticipating this until it releases!
Want to read
March 31, 2024MOTHER IS FINALLY FEEDING US!!!
Want to read
January 6, 2025Besties I鈥檓 gonna cry 馃槶 I got the ARC for one of my most anticipated releases ever!! Thank you edelweiss 馃ス
鈥� 鈥� 鈥�
I physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually need this!!!
鈥� 鈥� 鈥�
I physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually need this!!!
March 26, 2025
maybe the real bartholomew was the friends we made along the way
that the act of saying someone鈥檚 name can be holy, can be its own form of devotion?? sickening!!
BARTHOLOMEW (see: crying over stone gargoyle鈥檚 tragic past)
the fact that the love interest is directly inspired by tamino?? bark bark bark
thank you orbit for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
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that the act of saying someone鈥檚 name can be holy, can be its own form of devotion?? sickening!!
BARTHOLOMEW (see: crying over stone gargoyle鈥檚 tragic past)
the fact that the love interest is directly inspired by tamino?? bark bark bark
thank you orbit for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
|
Want to read
March 15, 2025I HAVE A PHYSICAL ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK IN MY POSSESSION馃槴馃構 going to fully lock my doors and windows馃檪鈥嶁啎锔�
March 8, 2025
I loved it. I loved it so, so much. The wait for the sequel is going to kill me.
February 7, 2025
Yaaassssss!!!! I have been long awaiting another series from Rachel, I鈥檓 so EXCITED for this! I devoured her first two books and immediately wished there were more!!!!!
To be released May 2025.
I devoured this book in two days鈥f my kid wasn鈥檛 sick and I didn鈥檛 have responsibilities, it would have been one. It was time well spent and it is going to be complete agony waiting for the next book in this series. I have a new set of characters I am now totally invested in!
Full review to be posted closer to release date, I can鈥檛 wait! Just put this book on your list! If you love fantasy and a dash of romance filled with dark secrets and righteous endeavors, this one will punch your ticket.
Do yourself a favor and read The Shepherd King series while you wait!
Many thanks to the author and Orbit publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
To be released May 2025.
I devoured this book in two days鈥f my kid wasn鈥檛 sick and I didn鈥檛 have responsibilities, it would have been one. It was time well spent and it is going to be complete agony waiting for the next book in this series. I have a new set of characters I am now totally invested in!
Full review to be posted closer to release date, I can鈥檛 wait! Just put this book on your list! If you love fantasy and a dash of romance filled with dark secrets and righteous endeavors, this one will punch your ticket.
Do yourself a favor and read The Shepherd King series while you wait!
Many thanks to the author and Orbit publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 1, 2025
EVEN BETTER THAN ONE DARK WINDOW.
Gothic, dark, mysterious, rakish.
Sybil is a Diviner, drowning to receive dreams from godly figures known as the Omens. When her five other sister Diviners start vanishing, she seeks help from someone completely frustrating, heretical, and rude. She joins Rodrick, the young King鈥檚 best knight, to venture outside the cathedral to face a world she knows nothing about.
Rory is a 鈥榖ad knight鈥� (rakish, unruly). Sybil is a good girl. Rory is an unbeliever. Sybil believes she is worth nothing.
We have tension. Push and pull. Delicious yearning and longing. Learning to accept yourself and be brave. A talking gargoyle who spouts the most bizarre things who NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
Rory came toward me until our noses were flush, speaking within an inch of my mouth. "You know what I think?" he mur-mured. "I think you like that I'm a bad knight. It's why you feel so righteous, flaying me with your tongue鈥攚hy you enjoy throwing me down and grinding your heel into my pride. It does something to you." He wet his bottom lip. "I'd bet my oath your whole body is awake right now, aching and eager at the thought of putting me in my place."
This was spicier than her previous duology, but I wouldn鈥檛 say it鈥檚 a lot. The build up and teasing was worth more to me.
This could have easily been a very satisfying standalone and yet the ending throws a spanner in the works so to say. I am not sure how to feel about this and I am curious to see what I think of the next instalment.
"It is all the same, then. Contentedness.
Truth and honesty and virtue. Omens. They are all stories, and we" 鈥攈e gestured to the Seacht's climbing walls- "tread the pages within them."
Limited proof arc gifted by Orbit. Thank you!!
Gothic, dark, mysterious, rakish.
Sybil is a Diviner, drowning to receive dreams from godly figures known as the Omens. When her five other sister Diviners start vanishing, she seeks help from someone completely frustrating, heretical, and rude. She joins Rodrick, the young King鈥檚 best knight, to venture outside the cathedral to face a world she knows nothing about.
Rory is a 鈥榖ad knight鈥� (rakish, unruly). Sybil is a good girl. Rory is an unbeliever. Sybil believes she is worth nothing.
We have tension. Push and pull. Delicious yearning and longing. Learning to accept yourself and be brave. A talking gargoyle who spouts the most bizarre things who NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
Rory came toward me until our noses were flush, speaking within an inch of my mouth. "You know what I think?" he mur-mured. "I think you like that I'm a bad knight. It's why you feel so righteous, flaying me with your tongue鈥攚hy you enjoy throwing me down and grinding your heel into my pride. It does something to you." He wet his bottom lip. "I'd bet my oath your whole body is awake right now, aching and eager at the thought of putting me in my place."
This was spicier than her previous duology, but I wouldn鈥檛 say it鈥檚 a lot. The build up and teasing was worth more to me.
This could have easily been a very satisfying standalone and yet the ending throws a spanner in the works so to say. I am not sure how to feel about this and I am curious to see what I think of the next instalment.
"It is all the same, then. Contentedness.
Truth and honesty and virtue. Omens. They are all stories, and we" 鈥攈e gestured to the Seacht's climbing walls- "tread the pages within them."
Limited proof arc gifted by Orbit. Thank you!!
March 17, 2025
5猸愶笍触 | |
Oh. My. Gawd. Perfect. No notes.
I loved The Shepard King Duology and The Knight and the Moth is just as phenomenal! Rachel Gillig is an exceptional writer!
Some of my favorite things about this book鈥�
- The gargoyle is so perfect
- surprisingly funny
- A+++ banter and tension
- wildly romantic
- Strong, sturdy, tall, and powerful FMC (who is also bisexual, although it鈥檚 only mentioned briefly!)
- broody MMC
- atmospheric setting
- unique magic system
- detailed world
- flawless pacing
- edge of your seat action
- POWERFUL ENDING!
I could honestly go on, and on, and on, this book was absolutely spectacular and one you will NOT want to miss.
A note for the cover haters, look - I didn鈥檛 love it at first either, but AFTER reading the book? THIS COVER IS F-ING EVERYTHING! When you start reading you鈥檒l understand - it perfectly encapsulates the story!
Thank you Orbit for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Oh. My. Gawd. Perfect. No notes.
I loved The Shepard King Duology and The Knight and the Moth is just as phenomenal! Rachel Gillig is an exceptional writer!
Some of my favorite things about this book鈥�
- The gargoyle is so perfect
- surprisingly funny
- A+++ banter and tension
- wildly romantic
- Strong, sturdy, tall, and powerful FMC (who is also bisexual, although it鈥檚 only mentioned briefly!)
- broody MMC
- atmospheric setting
- unique magic system
- detailed world
- flawless pacing
- edge of your seat action
- POWERFUL ENDING!
I could honestly go on, and on, and on, this book was absolutely spectacular and one you will NOT want to miss.
A note for the cover haters, look - I didn鈥檛 love it at first either, but AFTER reading the book? THIS COVER IS F-ING EVERYTHING! When you start reading you鈥檒l understand - it perfectly encapsulates the story!
Thank you Orbit for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
February 20, 2025
RACHEL GILLIG HAS DONE IT AGAIN, ANOTHER GOTHIC ROMANTASY BANGER.
This book was absolutely incredible. It had a lot of elements I enjoyed in The Shepherd King duology (gothic atmosphere, solid mystery that kept me guessing, compelling and endearing characters, beautiful prose) but still felt entirely fresh in a lot of ways.
The story follows Sybil, a diviner. She remembers nothing about her past before she was whisked away for 10 years of service at a cathedral, where she's routinely submerged into magical water (read: drowned) so she can see visions and predict the future for people. She's not allowed to leave the grounds, and has to wear a translucent gossamer over her eyes 24/7, because diviners eyes are magical and must be protected!!!! Thankfully she's not alone in her misery, there are 5 other diviners (each referred to as a number, Sybil is Six). The diviners and their sisterhood was one of my favourite parts of the story and what initially hooked me. They felt like sisters and were so supportive of each other, their bond was wonderful to see.
One day, the new king shows up to the cathedral with a bunch of knights and asks for a reading. Sybil draws the short straw and has to do it. One of the knights in particular, Rory is extremely skeptical and scoffs at the whole idea of diviners and their visions. Naturally, him and Sybil have a bit of a mutual dislike but attraction to each other. Their banter is absolute perfection and had me genuinely giggling out loud. Rory tries his best to make Sybil see how messed up her circumstances and situation are, and eventually their hostility grows into an alliance when the other diviners start going missing. Sybil takes a leap of faith and leaves with Rory and adventure and mystery ensues.
Along with Rory, Sybil, and Benji (the aloof, somewhat enigmatic king) Maude and the batlike gargoyle also join the adventure. Maude is a fellow knight who's sort of a maternal, older sister figure for the other characters and I absolutely loved her and how supportive she was of Sybil. Don't get me started on the gargoyle because I can go on for days, he was the BEST CHARACTER. Stole the show. He's a hilarious, sassy, but emotional and adorable sidekick that calls every single person Bartholomew. He's fiercely loyal and protective of Sybil and is deeply relatable with his little quirks and being sleepy all the time lol.
Along with looking for the diviners, the crew is also on the hunt for a series of magical objects. I won't give too much away, but as far as the people in Traum (yeah, that's what the kingdom is called) are concerned, there are these divine beings called Omens - and each of them possess a magical object. The royalty and the folks at the cathedral have slightly differing views on their significance, you'll find out why.
Overall, this was incredibly well paced. From start to end, I was hooked. The writing was SO atmospheric and descriptive, truly felt like I was there. The romance, the characters, the mystery, the worldbuilding, the magic system, everything was beautiful but left just enough uncovered that I'm truly excited for a sequel! It almost seemed like it could have been a standalone, but the end took quite a turn!
Now this is absolutely a 5 star read and I'm standing by my rating but why is it not "OMG BEST BOOK EVER 6 STARS"? A few reasons, namely:
- A few instances that felt "info dumpy". Often the lore was explained in the form of a character telling a story, and at times it took me a few re-reads to follow what was going on because there were just walls of detailed text
- At times it felt like some transitions were missing, there are sections of the book that all felt solid, but sometimes the transitions from one to the next felt abrupt
- Some predictable elements. I don't think anything really shocked me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Despite seeing the "twists" coming, they were still well executed!
Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada/Orbit Books for the ARC!! <3
This book was absolutely incredible. It had a lot of elements I enjoyed in The Shepherd King duology (gothic atmosphere, solid mystery that kept me guessing, compelling and endearing characters, beautiful prose) but still felt entirely fresh in a lot of ways.
The story follows Sybil, a diviner. She remembers nothing about her past before she was whisked away for 10 years of service at a cathedral, where she's routinely submerged into magical water (read: drowned) so she can see visions and predict the future for people. She's not allowed to leave the grounds, and has to wear a translucent gossamer over her eyes 24/7, because diviners eyes are magical and must be protected!!!! Thankfully she's not alone in her misery, there are 5 other diviners (each referred to as a number, Sybil is Six). The diviners and their sisterhood was one of my favourite parts of the story and what initially hooked me. They felt like sisters and were so supportive of each other, their bond was wonderful to see.
One day, the new king shows up to the cathedral with a bunch of knights and asks for a reading. Sybil draws the short straw and has to do it. One of the knights in particular, Rory is extremely skeptical and scoffs at the whole idea of diviners and their visions. Naturally, him and Sybil have a bit of a mutual dislike but attraction to each other. Their banter is absolute perfection and had me genuinely giggling out loud. Rory tries his best to make Sybil see how messed up her circumstances and situation are, and eventually their hostility grows into an alliance when the other diviners start going missing. Sybil takes a leap of faith and leaves with Rory and adventure and mystery ensues.
Along with Rory, Sybil, and Benji (the aloof, somewhat enigmatic king) Maude and the batlike gargoyle also join the adventure. Maude is a fellow knight who's sort of a maternal, older sister figure for the other characters and I absolutely loved her and how supportive she was of Sybil. Don't get me started on the gargoyle because I can go on for days, he was the BEST CHARACTER. Stole the show. He's a hilarious, sassy, but emotional and adorable sidekick that calls every single person Bartholomew. He's fiercely loyal and protective of Sybil and is deeply relatable with his little quirks and being sleepy all the time lol.
Along with looking for the diviners, the crew is also on the hunt for a series of magical objects. I won't give too much away, but as far as the people in Traum (yeah, that's what the kingdom is called) are concerned, there are these divine beings called Omens - and each of them possess a magical object. The royalty and the folks at the cathedral have slightly differing views on their significance, you'll find out why.
Overall, this was incredibly well paced. From start to end, I was hooked. The writing was SO atmospheric and descriptive, truly felt like I was there. The romance, the characters, the mystery, the worldbuilding, the magic system, everything was beautiful but left just enough uncovered that I'm truly excited for a sequel! It almost seemed like it could have been a standalone, but the end took quite a turn!
Now this is absolutely a 5 star read and I'm standing by my rating but why is it not "OMG BEST BOOK EVER 6 STARS"? A few reasons, namely:
- A few instances that felt "info dumpy". Often the lore was explained in the form of a character telling a story, and at times it took me a few re-reads to follow what was going on because there were just walls of detailed text
- At times it felt like some transitions were missing, there are sections of the book that all felt solid, but sometimes the transitions from one to the next felt abrupt
- Some predictable elements. I don't think anything really shocked me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Despite seeing the "twists" coming, they were still well executed!
Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada/Orbit Books for the ARC!! <3
Want to read
October 16, 2024like i said, i will read everything rachel writes
update oct 16: COVER REVEAL OMG
update oct 16: COVER REVEAL OMG
December 29, 2024
You best believe this is a 5 star read everything is perfect I yearn for rachel gillig and how she writes men full review to come closer to publication
February 17, 2025
oh you guys are not ready, definitely not ready for this!! gillig upped her game so hard on this one guys. the world is whimsical, fantastical, dangerous, dark, and just extraordinarily done.
the knight and the moth felt very medieval pan鈥檚 labyrinth if that makes for an apt description. i think its strengths are flawless pacing (she has never wronged me here), and a tremendous commitment to the lore. it makes for the most immersive experience and i am so attached to everyone in this series my heart is bursting with love (and fear) for them. the tension was absolutely exquisite - you鈥檙e going to have to wait a bit but oh, was it ever worth it. everything i loved about one dark window came back to play in a new, bold way - and it makes me so excited for how the story will end, and for whatever else rachel gillig has in store for us as her beautiful career continues. if this becomes the romantasy (though it is so much more than this) darling of the spring/summer, you will not see a single eye roll from me. you will see me screaming and tossing copies of it at you, more fury behind each throw, begging me to stop, to cease the violence - and i simply will not.
the only minor, nitpicky, highly specific to me things that kept it from being a five star in absolutely no way detracted from my enjoyment and excitement. i also need to add - this was crazy funny. the monster provided some comedic relief for sure on odw, but it had nothing on my sensitive, hysterical, distinctly michael scott-esque gargoyle. i was full out cackling.
the biggest and most heartwarming thank you to hachette/orbit for the arc - it made my entire month and delivered on every promise.
also, just, the END????????? i will say no more. but for everyone i鈥檝e seen screaming about it, i hear and understand you. this one鈥檚 not even out, so looking forward to suffering and waiting for book two with the masses when this releases in the spring.
as always - preorder, preorder, preorder! (please)
edit: no I can鈥檛 stop thinking about it, I love this book so much I need book two now - rating upped to five stars AS IT DESERVES
the knight and the moth felt very medieval pan鈥檚 labyrinth if that makes for an apt description. i think its strengths are flawless pacing (she has never wronged me here), and a tremendous commitment to the lore. it makes for the most immersive experience and i am so attached to everyone in this series my heart is bursting with love (and fear) for them. the tension was absolutely exquisite - you鈥檙e going to have to wait a bit but oh, was it ever worth it. everything i loved about one dark window came back to play in a new, bold way - and it makes me so excited for how the story will end, and for whatever else rachel gillig has in store for us as her beautiful career continues. if this becomes the romantasy (though it is so much more than this) darling of the spring/summer, you will not see a single eye roll from me. you will see me screaming and tossing copies of it at you, more fury behind each throw, begging me to stop, to cease the violence - and i simply will not.
the only minor, nitpicky, highly specific to me things that kept it from being a five star in absolutely no way detracted from my enjoyment and excitement. i also need to add - this was crazy funny. the monster provided some comedic relief for sure on odw, but it had nothing on my sensitive, hysterical, distinctly michael scott-esque gargoyle. i was full out cackling.
the biggest and most heartwarming thank you to hachette/orbit for the arc - it made my entire month and delivered on every promise.
also, just, the END????????? i will say no more. but for everyone i鈥檝e seen screaming about it, i hear and understand you. this one鈥檚 not even out, so looking forward to suffering and waiting for book two with the masses when this releases in the spring.
as always - preorder, preorder, preorder! (please)
edit: no I can鈥檛 stop thinking about it, I love this book so much I need book two now - rating upped to five stars AS IT DESERVES
Want to read
October 16, 2024this cover 馃馃徏
"only a heretic can defeat a god" i need this EXPEDITIOUSLY
"only a heretic can defeat a god" i need this EXPEDITIOUSLY
February 15, 2025
about to process how unbelievable this was for the next 5 business days鈥�
Want to read
October 17, 2024the cover is growing on me but it鈥檚 also sending me into sensory overload at the same time 馃槄
鈥斺赌�-
this is my most anticipated release of 2025 and that鈥檚 saying something because Emily Henry has a new release in 2025 as well 馃ぉ Rachel don鈥檛 do me dirty girl
鈥斺赌�-
this is my most anticipated release of 2025 and that鈥檚 saying something because Emily Henry has a new release in 2025 as well 馃ぉ Rachel don鈥檛 do me dirty girl
Want to read
February 15, 2024Rachel can just write "hi" and i'll still rate it 5 stars
March 4, 2025
This had me hooked from the beginning. I鈥檇 have honestly read this in 1 day if I had the time and if I didn鈥檛 want it to end. This has restored my faith in romantasy, it鈥檚 unique, feels quite gothic and personally for me had a good balance with romance and plot. I enjoyed the plot so much, it鈥檚 a quest, there鈥檚 lots of secrets and themes of religion/the divine which is explored throughout.
There鈥檚 a good team of characters which I loved, all being something very different and the characters are all well-rounded, they鈥檙e not perfect by any means. The women are strong but not in a 鈥榗lassic badass FMC鈥� kind of way, they鈥檙e capable in their own right and full of life. Age is beautiful, imperfection is beautiful and I love that.
The pace is pretty much perfect and the way the story unfolds is extremely compelling. The prose is haunting, beautiful and lyrical while still being straightforward and great and pushing the story forward. It鈥檚 my favourite type of writing I would say.
The romance is the most delicious tension - the way the quote 鈥楬e pressed his teeth into his bottom lip鈥�had me screaming as a 32 year old woman needs to be studied. I love the MMC and FMC. New favourite book couple I think. And the ending. THE ENDING.This is a duology with enough plot to be a standalone and I鈥檓 already gagging for the next one. Absolutely captivating.
Thank you Little Brown for the ARC - feel so grateful to have read this.
There鈥檚 a good team of characters which I loved, all being something very different and the characters are all well-rounded, they鈥檙e not perfect by any means. The women are strong but not in a 鈥榗lassic badass FMC鈥� kind of way, they鈥檙e capable in their own right and full of life. Age is beautiful, imperfection is beautiful and I love that.
The pace is pretty much perfect and the way the story unfolds is extremely compelling. The prose is haunting, beautiful and lyrical while still being straightforward and great and pushing the story forward. It鈥檚 my favourite type of writing I would say.
The romance is the most delicious tension - the way the quote 鈥楬e pressed his teeth into his bottom lip鈥�had me screaming as a 32 year old woman needs to be studied. I love the MMC and FMC. New favourite book couple I think. And the ending. THE ENDING.This is a duology with enough plot to be a standalone and I鈥檓 already gagging for the next one. Absolutely captivating.
Thank you Little Brown for the ARC - feel so grateful to have read this.
January 6, 2025
I received an ARC of this book as a bookseller through Edelweiss - and I could not be more thankful for it. The Shepherd King duology is a bestseller in the bookstore I manage, and I鈥檝e now read it 3 times. I knew going into this book that I love Rachel Gillig鈥檚 writing style, and so I had high expectations. And boy, did she truly knock it out of the park.
The Knight and the Moth is distinctly different than One Dark Window/Two Twisted Crowns. That said, Gillig鈥檚 lyrical prose is still a defining feature, and I could not get enough of it. What truly made this story for me was the characters - Six, Rory, the gargoyle, Maude, Benji. There鈥檚 such a wonderful balance of heartwarming and heartbreaking.
I鈥檇 liken this to T. Kingfisher鈥檚 Nettle and Bone in tone - you鈥檝e got noble (or not-so-noble) knights, strange old gods, and a talking gargoyle that cuts the tension at just the right moments. Given that the book doesn鈥檛 release for a few more months, I won鈥檛 go into details of plot and such, but this was the first book in awhile that I absolutely devoured and felt absolutely giddy reading. The romance is steamier than One Dark Window, but I鈥檇 still classify this as a fantasy forward story with a romance subplot.
And there鈥檚 a lovely nod to Legolas and Gimli鈥檚 鈥渢oss me鈥� moment from The Two Towers. Truly, chefs kiss. Or as I鈥檓 sure the gargoyle would say, 鈥渃hef鈥檚 kids.鈥�
The Knight and the Moth is distinctly different than One Dark Window/Two Twisted Crowns. That said, Gillig鈥檚 lyrical prose is still a defining feature, and I could not get enough of it. What truly made this story for me was the characters - Six, Rory, the gargoyle, Maude, Benji. There鈥檚 such a wonderful balance of heartwarming and heartbreaking.
I鈥檇 liken this to T. Kingfisher鈥檚 Nettle and Bone in tone - you鈥檝e got noble (or not-so-noble) knights, strange old gods, and a talking gargoyle that cuts the tension at just the right moments. Given that the book doesn鈥檛 release for a few more months, I won鈥檛 go into details of plot and such, but this was the first book in awhile that I absolutely devoured and felt absolutely giddy reading. The romance is steamier than One Dark Window, but I鈥檇 still classify this as a fantasy forward story with a romance subplot.
And there鈥檚 a lovely nod to Legolas and Gimli鈥檚 鈥渢oss me鈥� moment from The Two Towers. Truly, chefs kiss. Or as I鈥檓 sure the gargoyle would say, 鈥渃hef鈥檚 kids.鈥�
April 5, 2025
5/5
Ponownie Rachel zabra艂a mnie do krainy pe艂nej magii, oferuj膮c przygod臋 r贸wnie senn膮 co straszliw膮. Tym razem jednak w膮tek romantyczny idzie wyra藕niej rami臋 w rami臋 z fabu艂膮 ni偶 w dylogii kr贸la Shaperda. Uwielbiam Sybil i rycerza, kocham gargulca, podziwiam ten 艣wiat i system magii oraz ca艂膮 fabu艂臋.
Absolutny masterpiece.
Ponownie Rachel zabra艂a mnie do krainy pe艂nej magii, oferuj膮c przygod臋 r贸wnie senn膮 co straszliw膮. Tym razem jednak w膮tek romantyczny idzie wyra藕niej rami臋 w rami臋 z fabu艂膮 ni偶 w dylogii kr贸la Shaperda. Uwielbiam Sybil i rycerza, kocham gargulca, podziwiam ten 艣wiat i system magii oraz ca艂膮 fabu艂臋.
Absolutny masterpiece.
March 28, 2025
4.75
Okay yes, I ate this up!!! I adored ODW and TTC (and sobbed at the ending) and knew that Rachel Gillig was an auto-read author for me. The cover to this book is beautiful and I knew the story would be fabulous. This is no doubt another amazing book by her and I am so intrigued by anything she has to write.
The first thing that hooked me in this book was the setting. In a cathedral with five other sisters, Diviners, under the wing of the abbess (I promise this is not a religious book); the setting was divine. It was dark, murky, gothic, and Gillig does such a beautiful and lyrical job at describing it all. There was such a haunting melody in the atmosphere of the book that was so entrancing. The magic and 鈥渇antasy lore鈥� of the story was unique to me (though I loved seeing some sprinkles of LOTR inspiration) and was different from The Shepherd King books enough so it doesn鈥檛 feel like you鈥檙e reading the same story even while there are similar elements. (Though I will say, I dont really understand the magic system or the lore but I genuinely never do for fantasy books, I鈥檓 afraid). The flow of this was so great.
I loved loved loved the side characters. The gargoyles were odd to me at first but they had such caustic and humorous energy that was welcomed in the times of peril. Like the nightmare, there were just moments of levity that the characters offered that if it had been said by any other character wouldn鈥檛 have worked. There鈥檚 such a light repertoire between Sybil and her gargoyle, too, that I loved. I also loved the Diviner sisters, and I wished they hadn鈥檛 all died 馃槶 that was truly devastating. But I adored the found family aspect so wonderful for Sybil. The story with the gargoyle was SO SAD and I loved his place in the story so much馃ズ
The romance between Sybil and Rory was just absolutely romantic and beautiful. The banter between them was so good and fun and I loved their connection. Seeing those moments where we can see how he is obviously obsessed with her, and truly cares for her wellbeing despite some previous comments ;) was deliciousss. I will always be down for a nighttime swim in a spring (while naked) (while he 鈥渘eeds a minute鈥� before he gets out of it) (AHEM). Reading parts of this book felt like looking into the sunset on the beach. There were just whole, tender moments of trust and care and yearning and also for Sybil, so much self-discovery. Sybil is forced to wear a shroud to cover her eyes (because they are stone) and through the budding relationship with Rory, Sybil also is forced into finding herself, shedding the shroud, and letting go of the lies she was told. The way Rory would never push her or try to slight her by taking off her shroud before she was ready鈥攚hen he IS UNTYING THE KNOT BEHIND HER HEAD BECAUSE SHE WANTS HIM TO BE THE FIRST TO SEE HER AND THE ONLY ONE TO SEE HER!!!! I AM NOT OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE WAY HE WATCHED HER TAKING IN THE VIEWS!!!!!!!!! The way he beat down her walls and was completely her safe space for her was so so beautiful. 鈥淲ake up, sweetheart. Wake up鈥� IM DECEASEDDD. And I loved how he was just there with her every step of the way. When she told him her name??? Stop
The one thing that鈥檚 holding me back from rating this a whole 5 whopping stars is I feel like the reveal towards the end was a little anticlimactic, and I sort of figured who the 鈥渧illain鈥� was due to a certain scene beforehand. However, it ended in an IrisRoman way that Im devastated and immediately need book 2 because there is no way I can wait this long!!!! I WILL ALWAYS LOVE WHEN THE WOMAN STAYS TO SACRIFICE HERSELF FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE LOVE OF HER LIFE!!!!!!!! IT WILL ALWAYS DESTROY ME 馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶
Okay yes, I ate this up!!! I adored ODW and TTC (and sobbed at the ending) and knew that Rachel Gillig was an auto-read author for me. The cover to this book is beautiful and I knew the story would be fabulous. This is no doubt another amazing book by her and I am so intrigued by anything she has to write.
The first thing that hooked me in this book was the setting. In a cathedral with five other sisters, Diviners, under the wing of the abbess (I promise this is not a religious book); the setting was divine. It was dark, murky, gothic, and Gillig does such a beautiful and lyrical job at describing it all. There was such a haunting melody in the atmosphere of the book that was so entrancing. The magic and 鈥渇antasy lore鈥� of the story was unique to me (though I loved seeing some sprinkles of LOTR inspiration) and was different from The Shepherd King books enough so it doesn鈥檛 feel like you鈥檙e reading the same story even while there are similar elements. (Though I will say, I dont really understand the magic system or the lore but I genuinely never do for fantasy books, I鈥檓 afraid). The flow of this was so great.
I loved loved loved the side characters. The gargoyles were odd to me at first but they had such caustic and humorous energy that was welcomed in the times of peril. Like the nightmare, there were just moments of levity that the characters offered that if it had been said by any other character wouldn鈥檛 have worked. There鈥檚 such a light repertoire between Sybil and her gargoyle, too, that I loved. I also loved the Diviner sisters, and I wished they hadn鈥檛 all died 馃槶 that was truly devastating. But I adored the found family aspect so wonderful for Sybil. The story with the gargoyle was SO SAD and I loved his place in the story so much馃ズ
The romance between Sybil and Rory was just absolutely romantic and beautiful. The banter between them was so good and fun and I loved their connection. Seeing those moments where we can see how he is obviously obsessed with her, and truly cares for her wellbeing despite some previous comments ;) was deliciousss. I will always be down for a nighttime swim in a spring (while naked) (while he 鈥渘eeds a minute鈥� before he gets out of it) (AHEM). Reading parts of this book felt like looking into the sunset on the beach. There were just whole, tender moments of trust and care and yearning and also for Sybil, so much self-discovery. Sybil is forced to wear a shroud to cover her eyes (because they are stone) and through the budding relationship with Rory, Sybil also is forced into finding herself, shedding the shroud, and letting go of the lies she was told. The way Rory would never push her or try to slight her by taking off her shroud before she was ready鈥攚hen he IS UNTYING THE KNOT BEHIND HER HEAD BECAUSE SHE WANTS HIM TO BE THE FIRST TO SEE HER AND THE ONLY ONE TO SEE HER!!!! I AM NOT OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE WAY HE WATCHED HER TAKING IN THE VIEWS!!!!!!!!! The way he beat down her walls and was completely her safe space for her was so so beautiful. 鈥淲ake up, sweetheart. Wake up鈥� IM DECEASEDDD. And I loved how he was just there with her every step of the way. When she told him her name??? Stop
The one thing that鈥檚 holding me back from rating this a whole 5 whopping stars is I feel like the reveal towards the end was a little anticlimactic, and I sort of figured who the 鈥渧illain鈥� was due to a certain scene beforehand. However, it ended in an IrisRoman way that Im devastated and immediately need book 2 because there is no way I can wait this long!!!! I WILL ALWAYS LOVE WHEN THE WOMAN STAYS TO SACRIFICE HERSELF FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE LOVE OF HER LIFE!!!!!!!! IT WILL ALWAYS DESTROY ME 馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶馃槶
March 8, 2025
Rachel Gillig鈥檚 mind and how she creates these deeply unique magic systems and worlds is amazing. I wish this book was 150-200 pages longer because I need more. I cannot wait for the next book.
Want to read
January 2, 2025Someone just told me this was their most anticipated read of the year but I find this cover so off putting鈥�
There鈥檚 so much going on, and why the combover? 馃槄
There鈥檚 so much going on, and why the combover? 馃槄
Want to read
December 5, 2024How am I just now hearing ab this WTF
January 1, 2025
Totally different than anything I鈥檝e ever read and I loved it!
Want to read
January 17, 2025CANNOT WAIT.
March 19, 2025
I haven鈥檛 had complex feelings like this about gargoyles since the 90s.
March 14, 2025
haunting!!!! beautiful!!!!! sacrilegous speechlessness!!!!!!
full review coming soon but tldr pre-order this right now oh my god
full review coming soon but tldr pre-order this right now oh my god
February 12, 2025
Rachel Gillig is unreal.
This book is a work of art, the world, the story, the characters, all 10/10!
The bat-like gargoyle has my stone heart forever, I love him 馃ス
This book is a work of art, the world, the story, the characters, all 10/10!
The bat-like gargoyle has my stone heart forever, I love him 馃ス
Currently reading
March 16, 2025Just got a surprise physical ARC from B&N Festival and met the queen herself馃槶鉂わ笍shaking, crying fr
鈥斺赌�
Im already sitting at the bookstore even though the staff just told me this doesn鈥檛 come out until 2025. I need this book like I need air
鈥斺赌�
Im already sitting at the bookstore even though the staff just told me this doesn鈥檛 come out until 2025. I need this book like I need air
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