The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. While it kept the gloomy, foreboding tones I loved in One Dark Window, it still managed to differentiate itself and stand on its own feet, which I really appreciated.

I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of a comic relief character, who brought some much-needed levity to the heavier, moodier themes. It gave the story a breath of fresh air and helped me connect with the characters on a deeper level.

Now, I’ll admit that I enjoyed the romantic tension and the ✨ yearning ✨ in this one even more than I did in ODW. The plot itself, was little less compelling, at least personally. Don’t get me wrong, I still really liked the story. It was beautifully written, the imagery was vivid, and the main character’s journey was gripping. But at its core, the story felt pretty predictable. There weren’t many surprises, and most twists were easy to guess well in advance. It’s only worth noting because, unfortunately, this book will inevitably be compared to its sibling and One Dark Window is a personal favorite of mine.

That said, the vibes here are immaculate. I fell in love with this world and its characters. I didn’t love the name chosen for the MMC (a personal ick), but his roguish charm won me over. And honestly? The name fit him perfectly, even if I couldn’t get past it myself.

The ending wrapped up in a satisfying way. If you’re itching for more, there’s a second installment coming. But if you’re content with where things land, it also works perfectly as a standalone. I’ll see how I feel about rereading or continuing when book two is finally announced.

Overall, I loved it and would recommend it to most readers. The spice is minimal and not overly explicit, and the world is a gorgeous blend of shadowy gloom and mysterious, hopeful rebirth.