The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
on May 20, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
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Rachel Gillig’s The Knight and the Moth is a spellbinding start to a new fantasy series, filled with poetic writing, rich lore, and a heroine whose journey is as emotional as it is magical.
Premise and Setup
Sybil Delling has spent nine years in service as a Diviner, one of the foundling girls gifted (or cursed) with dreams from the six enigmatic Omens. Her visions allow her to predict tragedies before they happen, drawing supplicants from across the windswept moors of Traum. Just as her time at the cathedral is nearly over, a brash, heretical knight named Rodrick arrives. He scoffs at her gift, yet when Diviners begin to disappear, Sybil is forced to team up with him to uncover a peril that might reach beyond mortal comprehension.
Worldbuilding and Atmosphere
One of the true joys of this novel is how immersive the world feels. From the very first page, Gillig gives readers a map to follow—and that sense of geography, of moving across moors, cathedrals, and dangerous lands, grounds the fantasy in a tangible way. The lore runs deep, with the Omens, the Diviners’ strict rules, and the fraught tension between faith and heresy pulling you further into the world. Gillig’s writing is lyrical and lush, almost lulling the reader into the atmosphere as if you, too, are wandering through dreams.
Characters and Dynamics
Sybil is a layered, compelling heroine—torn between her duty, her desires, and her need to understand herself in a world shaped by prophecy and expectation. Her attraction to Rodrick is filled with push and pull, the kind of slow-burn tension that makes you question every choice alongside her. Their dynamic—her light searching for clarity, his sharp defiance of the faith she’s built her life around—creates a constant emotional friction that drives the story forward.
My Thoughts
This was absolutely a 5-star read for me. From the adventure across the map to the rich, poetic writing, everything about this book pulled me in. I loved learning about the Diviners and the strict codes of their cloistered lives, and I found myself just as anxious as Sybil to know what was happening beyond the cathedral walls. The emotional tension between her and Rodrick kept me hooked, and the atmosphere of mystery and danger made the stakes feel high on every page. I haven’t read Rachel Gillig before, but after this book, I’ll definitely be diving into her backlog.
Final Verdict
The Knight and the Moth is a captivating, lyrical fantasy that will sweep you into its world of visions, vanished Diviners, and dangerous gods. With an unforgettable heroine, a heretical knight you can’t help but root for, and lore that begs to be explored, it’s a dazzling start to what promises to be a remarkable series.
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