The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
Simply put … this book is perfect.
The Knight and the Moth is a beautiful tale of courage, growth and friendship that jumps off the page from the first sentence. It explores the power of storytelling and how history and tradition shape the future — whether we want them to or not.
As a longtime fan of Rachel Gillig’s Shepherd King duology, she’s already an auto-buy author for me. But this book? It’s a masterpiece. It easily outdoes her earlier work and earns a spot on my all-time favorites list.
A Prophetess and a Mysterious Knight
Six is a Diviner. She dreams and interprets omens for those who come to Aisling Cathedral seeking answers about their fate. They pay, of course — to watch her drown and dream for them. It’s a bit horrific.
The other Diviners (One through Five) draw straws to see who takes the plunge, and somehow, Six usually loses. They all had names once. Six even remembers hers, though nothing else from the life before she arrived at the Tor. That name is the only thing she truly owns, and she holds it close.
She’s fiercely loyal to her friends, to her craft and to the Abbess who found her. With her decade of service almost complete, a new king and his knights arrive for a reading. Six dreams, makes unexpected friends and starts to wonder what might exist for her beyond the walls of the Tor. But when the other Diviners begin to vanish, she has no choice but to leave the only life she’s ever known. And that’s where the story begins.
But — “to tell a story is in some part to tell a lie.” Are the gods she’s served all these years truly gods? Or are they just stories passed down until they became real?
Rich World, Phenomenal Characters
Gillig builds a world that is rich, eerie and filled with yearning, rooted in humanity’s need to believe in something greater than themselves. The Omens and the gods they serve wield power, yes — but it’s the people’s desperation that keeps that power alive. They are poor, starving, aching for meaning. That hunger is what keeps the wheel turning.
The cast is phenomenal. I haven’t connected with a group of characters like this in ages. Six is incredibly relatable — thrust onto a path she didn’t choose, scared of what’s ahead but still daring to hope for more. I felt seen by her in a way that stopped me in my tracks.
And Gargoyle … God. He made me laugh out loud constantly, usually at the worst possible moments. He’s witty, loyal, caring and wonderfully inappropriate. He’s a scene-stealer and a comfort character all at once — the kind of voice that reminds you of your own inner child. I adore him. Maude, Rory, all of them — they work together in this tangled, beautiful way that makes you root for each and every one of them.
Speaking of Rory … well, beyond his sex appeal (which is strong), he’s the dream: rough edges, open heart, honest love. He’s one of those rare male love interests who feels grounded, real and genuinely respectful.
An Enthralling Read That Will Haunt You
The only downside? Now I have to wait for book two. And that’s torture. This book stole my sleep for three nights straight. I kept thinking about it, craving it, falling deeper into its world — and I was rewarded with a story that lingers in all the best ways.
The Knight and the Moth doesn’t demand your attention. It beckons — soft and haunting — into a place where the sacred and profane blur, where love is both salvation and sacrifice.
This was a six-star read for me. And I’ll be thinking about it for a long, long time.
About Rachel Gillig:
Rachel Gillig is the New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author of The Shepherd King series. If she’s not ensconced in blankets, dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is out walking in beautiful coastal California with her husband, son and their dignified poodle, Wally.
