The Knight and The Moth by Rachel Gillig

4.5/5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

"No honor among theives, and even less among gods."

Rachel Gillig might be the reigning queen of writing new and unique stories. Don't get me wrong, I'll read the exact same romantasy story over and over with different characters and settings, but it's always fun when a story takes you by surprise and actually feels different than the rest.

This was so different, and I would love to spend just one day in Rachel Gillig's mind to see how she comes up with such insane stories. I think the way she combines these somewhat gothic, almost medieval settings with characters that joke around with each other like my siblings and I do, creates this funny juxtaposition of old-timey and modern. The joking relationship between the Diviners and Benji, Rory, and Maude and everything about the gargoyle's character gave so much lightness and relatability to the story. I was devestated when the Diviner's really did turn out to be dead, but I'm glad that Rachel left them dead and didn't bring them back in some miracle that makes everything feel all happily-ever-after, becaus that isn't the vibe of her books.

“You dolt.” Maude reached behind Rory and smacked King Castor’s back until he stopped hacking. “Diviners can drink and smoke and fuck just like anyone else.”

“Hey,” Four bit back, “don’t get sweet. You remember our pact? Knights are strictly for fun. Give ’em nothing—especially generosity. We swore it under the sacred smoke of idleweed!”

The entire storyline of hunting down magical artifacts isn't entirely unique, but the way that it was done and the way that the understanding of the spring and the limestone all played out made it feel fresher and engaging.

I'll start with everyone's favorite character - the gargoyle, Bartholemew. In my head did he look more like one of the gargoyles from the animated Hercules movie? Absolutely. I loved him so much. This giant, imposing guardian of the tor and Aisling Cathedral, who bursts into tears at the slightest insinuation of hurt feelings and always has a quippy little comeback, while being unintentionally hilarious, completely stole my heart. And then learning about his backstory, that same heart shattered. I knew there had to be more to his story, and there had to be some reason he called everyone Bartholomew, but I didn't expect that he would have been the abbesses first Diviner. What an absolutely devestating backstory this sweet little boy had. To die and be reborn, just to be wiped of your memories and used as a pawn in one person's scheme to create a religion that they could rule, only to be cast aside and turned to stone when you start to stray and want more of your life... I want to hug him. Below are a few of my favorite moments of his, and yes, I swear I shortened this list significantly.

"There were twenty-three gargoyles at Aisling Cathedral, and no two alike. Composed of limestone, they bore an unsettling combination of human and animal qualities, most fitted with wings and the gift of flight. This one had a protruding brow, fangs, claws, and wings like a bat carved behind his back, though I’d never seen him fly because, apparently, the skies are feckless, and it would be an insult beyond recovery to be mistaken for a bird."

“She wouldn’t run off,” I said for the hundredth time. “Not without saying something.” “Perhaps she did,” the gargoyle pondered. “‘Something’ is a fairly common word, after all.”

“I say, what on earth is the racket?” The knife I didn’t know Rory carried was soaring. It hit the batlike gargoyle between his stone eyes, then dropped brusquely onto grass. The gargoyle remained cross-eyed a second, then slowly turned his gaze to me. “Did he just try to smite me, Bartholomew?”

“What kind of fowl-like sprite is that?” There was a loud crash. The gargoyle landed upon grass. Sneezed, then toppled. “Did that man just call me foul, Bartholomew?” “He mistook you for a bird.” “An even greater slander!” The gargoyle wagged a stone finger at the scribe’s stall. “I shall destroy his little house.”

“Have you been stealing, gargoyle?” “Yes,” he said with delight. “I’m rather good at it. I was caught only twice."

"The gargoyle batted his eyes. “Oh, Bartholomew. He’s dreamy.”

“For the sake of my sanity—” A dandelion seed flew up the gargoyle’s nose. He leaned back. Cried out. Sneezed in Rory’s face. I barked a laugh, and Rory shut his eyes. “That’s why you called me over? To sneeze on me?” “A thousand apologies. What was I saying? Ah, yes.” The gargoyle put a stone hand on my shoulder. “For the sake of my sanity, put Bartholomew out of her misery. Tell her you’re in love with her.”

“What makes you say that?” “I don’t know why I say the things I do.”

“And yes. I’m afraid he’s known to bite.” “Slanderous imp, I am not.” The gargoyle smiled at the girl, his fangs on full display."

“And I thought flying was unsavory. But crawling in the earth like an insect—ugh, Bartholomew, look! A worm!”

Rory... yeah I loved him. Rachel Gillig definitely has a type, because Rory and Raven are two sides of the exact same coin (get it... coin...). I love a hard on the outside but secretly a softie on the inside character. His background being raised by the brigand was interesting. Just a poor little foundling boy who carved his way into becoming a knight. We love him. I also love that it wasn't some insta-hate to insta-love story with him and Sybil. I think a lot of times with these grumpy, moody male characters there's a forced enemies-to-lovers trope, but I found him to be flirty and funny from the jump. He was charming and sassy and endearing and those are some of my favorite characteristics a man can have. And when she finally took off the shroud and he told her how beautiful she was? Swoon. The tension was also *chef's kiss*. They barely touched throughout the majority of the book and yet I was on the edge of my seat anytime they were alone together. And we love a man who encourages his girl to be a badass, not sit back and let him handle things because he knows she can do it herself.

"The other knights had all smiled at me, unchallenging and awestruck and reverent. This one, it seemed, had no such compulsion."

“I wanted to show you that I wasn’t too good for a knight—just too good for you.” His hands had stilled. When he spoke, his voice was low. Tight. “What stopped you?” “Turns out fucking someone just to spite you leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Do you want to know how it ends?” “Does it end?” He nodded. “It ends a handful of minutes from now. After you’ve won, and there is one less Omen in the world.” He grinned. “It ends when you kiss me.” “You mean it ends after I’ve won, and there is one less Omen in the world—and I hit you as hard as I can.” “With your mouth.”

“And you have me.” My frown vanished. “I can’t ask you to leave the knighthood.” “Because you know I’d say yes?” “Because the king relies on you. I can’t ask you to choose between—” “You don’t have to.” His eyes were so dark. So soft. “I’ve already chosen.”

“Rory, wait.” I caught his shoulder. “I can do it—” “I know you can, Sybil.” He took my hand off his shoulder and brought it to his mouth. Pressed his lips over my armored knuckles. “But for fuck’s sake. Permit me.”

All I could think of for Maude after I saw it on TikTok was Brienne of Tarth but I actually think that fits the vibe pretty well. I swear if she dies in the next book I'm going to be bummed. I want there to be a storyline of them all trying to start saving the sprites and feeding them instead of turning them into these villanous creatures and killing them at every turn. A starved creature can't be held accountable for being a bit monstrous.

I had a feeling that something suspicious was going on with Benji about halfway through, but I was surprised and the total shift at the end. When the knighthood showed up right after the destruction of the cathedral and he swung his sword into Rory's side, I actually gasped aloud. He ended up being so devious, and I am always a sucker for a forced marriage while the actual love interest is basically stuck on the side to watch. Rory's revenge arc is going to come in hot in the next one I just know it.

Sybil is such an endearing main character and I loved her. There was a lot of growth throughout the book and she ended up being such a badass. To have your entire world completely flipped upside down, and everything that you thought you knew ripped out from under you, and still power through is a slay. I could not believe that the "dreams" she was forced to endure were actually just whatever the abbess decided to put into her head.

“It’s clever, Aisling’s system. The stone objects the Omens are known for are common, their portents vague. The margin for error and misinterpretation is so wide my horse would die of starvation trying to get from one end to the other. And yet this cathedral, this hallowed ground, is the only place in Traum where people can justify that wasting one’s life looking for signs is a life well spent. They pay hard-earned coin to do so.”

Fuck Hamelin, fuck the rest of those sleezy knights that Benji apparently paid for support, fuck the abbess, and I can't wait for Benji to get his karma. I'm also curious to know more about the moths, I feel like there has to be more to their presence. I ALSO want to know more about the dreams and how the abbess and the gargoyle were able to put the dreams into the Diviner's minds.

There was a point in the middle where is started to feel a little bit slow, but I never felt fully unengaged. 10/10 cannot wait for the next one.