This was a quick short story that kept me captivated from page one. I've read other novels from this author and will be seeking out more from them. I loved the writing style and how to story seemed to be a mix of fantasy and post-apocalyptic fiction. Thank you for the early copy!

This short story follows an alternate future reality where there are kings of Cincinnati and people talk in old time-y phrasing and demons haunt the world. This is an interesting world that I wish was a bit more fleshed out but was quite robust for a short story. Overall the characters and world were intriguing and I wish we could have learned more.

3.75 stars

I wish this was longer - not because it *needed* to be, but because I wasn't ready to leave this fascinatingly imagined future version of Appalachia. Even though this was less than 40 pages, Harrow crafted an intriguing dystopian vision for our future. She masterfully weaves in things current readers will recognize but twists them, making them something new after hundreds of years of upheaval and change. I don't want to share much more at risk of ruining the satisfying moments in this story, but I will say that this was gorgeous and moving.

Thank you to Amazon and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"They were a new kind of creature, born for a new kind of world."

Alix E. Harrow delivers the emotional depth of a 400-page novel in under 40 pages. The Knight and the Butcherbird follows Shrike, once her town’s historian—until her wife transformed into a demon and the townspeople tried to kill her. Now, Shrike's only mission is to protect the creature that was once her wife—the creature she is certain still recognizes her.

In this post-apocalyptic fairy tale, Harrow masterfully intertwines the modern and the medieval to tell a haunting yet heartfelt story of love, survival, and transformation. Set in a world ravaged by climate change—where resources are hoarded within fortified enclaves while outlanders either die young or turn into demons—the story resonates deeply with contemporary themes. The Knight and the Butcherbird explores the impact of environmental collapse, the power of storytelling as both history and propaganda, and the stark consequences of wealth disparity on fractured communities. But at its heart, it is also a story about devotion—about the lengths we go to for those we love and the desperate search for answers in a world that seems to offer none.

I was captivated by the dystopian setting, the lyrical prose, and the raw emotion woven into every page. Harrow’s ability to craft a gripping, immersive narrative in so few words is nothing short of remarkable.

This is the second of Harrow’s works I’ve read—both five-star experiences. I love how she blends horror, gothic elements, and an Appalachian backcountry aesthetic into her stories. Starling House wasn’t a fluke, and now, after reading this, I know I need to add the rest of her repertoire to my TBR.


Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the ARC.

The writing of the author is amazing, just as the atmosphere of the story! I have found parts of it triggering, as I have just lost a loved one due to cancer. I highly recommend it to everyone who would like to explore Alix E. Harrow's writing or to those, who love twisty, atmospheric, thought and emotion-provoking stories!

I'm a simple person; I see an Alix E. Harrow short story and I have to get it. This woman simply doesn't miss! She can write the hell out of a short story and I find it incredible. It's such an impressive skill to build a whole world and make readers connect emotionally to characters in such a short time.

At its core, this is a story about love and how, when it's real, it knows no bounds, and the lengths people will go to for the ones they love. It's set in a dystopian world where some people get sick and transform into monsters who can shapeshift, but do they lose who they are? Are they truly monsters, "demons," or just the next stage of human evolution?

This was so good. A perfect short story, in my opinion. I was engaged from the first line to the last. It's dark, sad, tense, romantic, and very moving. Some of the imagery here is amazing, especially when it comes to people's transformations. Overall, 10/10, no notes.

Alix E. Harrow had already proved to me her skill in writing short stories, if her novels are just as good then I really need to stop procrastinating reading The Starling House and get to it.

"Love is what you're willing to kill for."

In a blend of the medieval and the modern, Harrow tells the story of Shrike, the town historian, and John, the knight who has come to kill the demon in the town, the demon that was once Shrike's wife.

Equal parts haunting and beautiful, Harrow does in 36 pages what some authors struggle to do in 400. If you're a fan of darker fantasy/fairytales I would highly recommend picking this up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Very good short story, managing to convey a great sense of place and history in a short amount of words, as well as keeping a very fairy-tale like narration, something I find difficult in an post-apocalyptic world. I was touched by the two story strand that merge and come to an end, feeling drawn to them and the characters. The first person narration was well done, with a good sense of personnality.
Overall, very good read with an interesting world !

I liked a lot the setting of this short story, and I really enjoyed the Ladyhawke twist. Although the ending is not as good as the beginning, this is a fun story.

The Knight and the Butcherbird is an intriguing dark fantasy short story that tells a brief, yet compelling tale in a modern world where shapeshifting monsters or “demons” roam the forests and wastelands. Narrated by Shrike, the rural community’s seventeen year old historian, the short story follows the arrival of legendary Knight who is summoned to the community to kill a demon that had been seen in the area. The only problem is the demon he’s been summoned to kill is Shrike’s wife May, a fellow villager who slowly transformed into a monster. Skillfully invoking a folklore/Grimm fairytale vibe and incorporating dystopian and caste elements, The Knight and the Butcherbird is condensed yet imaginative and makes full use of its limited page counts to tell its satisfying and self-contained story. Featuring the Knight’s story within the overall story, I found the focal plot twist involving the Knight’s secret to be well done, with crucial clues subtlety presented within Shrike’s stories.

I previously read Harrow’s full-length novel Starling House and while I had some reservations with its plot and story, the visuals and somber tone were notable highlights for me. Harrow’s descriptive yet beautiful visuals are also showcased in this short story, with the community’s rural forested setting portrayed with great detail and style. Harrow’s visuals also carry over to the monsters/demons that are both descriptive for narrative purposes yet also abstract and vague enough to represent their shapeshifting nature.

The one minor nitpick I had with the short story’s execution was the decision to place the story in a modern setting. The rural community and the role of a “knight” suggests to me that the story has a generic historic fantasy or ambiguously timeless setting. However, it’s revealed that the story actually takes place in a modern age due to the technology advancements and devices referenced as well as the community being located in the general proximity to Cincinnati. Additionally, a threat from the city late into the story sounds like a plan better suited for a classical or medieval tale vs one in a modern setting. While the odd disconnection with the setting doesn’t really affect the enjoyability or immersive feel of the story, it did cause me the raise an eyebrow and re-read the first half of the story again for better context. Perhaps a mercenary, hunter, soldier, or other pronoun would’ve also sounded more fitting for the current time period, though even the rural community itself feels a bit out of place (unless this is an Amish village which is certainly not the case based on the culture of the community). Additionally I would’ve liked for the story to spend more time showing the reader the history and connection between Shrike and May to give the tense situation more emotional weight. However, I also acknowledge the limitations of the short story format and understand how the content needed to be prioritized with so few pages to work with.

Coming in at around a quick thirty minute read, The Knight and the Butcherbird is a wonderful and satisfying fantasy short story that covers a lot of ground with its short length. Well-written, plotted, and concluding with a bittersweet yet satisfying ending, I found this to be a solid short story that hits all the right notes on top of Harrow’s great visuals!

This story is definitely one of a kind and impressively well-written. Despite its short length, it manages to feel just as complete and impactful as a full-length novel. The post-apocalyptic setting is immersive, the emotions hit hard, and the haunting atmosphere lingers even after finishing. The writing is top-tier, making this an unforgettable read that truly stands out. It’s definitely worth picking up if you're in the mood for a short story that leaves a lasting impression.

Alix E. Harrow, I owe you my life.

I loved this. I want this as a series, I want a whole built world and plot developed further around this. I’ve loved all of Harrow’s books so far and this is no different. There’s something familiar yet strange with all her worlds that no one else ever seems to match. The plot? Amazing. The characters? Love it. This kind of stuff is what good dystopian fiction is made of and I wish more authors took note of it and learned from this. I feel so very charmed and honored to read my current favourite author yet again. It feels surreal and beautiful.

If I had a nickel for every stunning Alix E Harrow short story about a knight I'd have TWO NICKELS. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

The Knight and the Butcherbird brings post apocalyptic knights, monsters, grief, and somewhat unconventional love stories. Like with her other short fiction, Harrow skillfully balances creating characters, a world and story that are compelling and well developed, without leaving you feeling like this was just a concept for a longer novel.

Thank you to Alix E. Harrow, Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the e-arc in return for an honest review.

I loved this! My only gripe is that it isn’t a fully fleshed out novel. Alix E. Harrow is so incredibly talented - I can’t wait to read the rest of her backlist.

Kinda sorta considered rounding up on this one, actually. Because of the uniqueness of this story. The gentle loops of how Harrow ties references in to previous moments. The sheer heartbreak of the love stories these two characters endure. But as interesting as it was, I'm not sure it gripped me, if that makes sense. So, no, not rounding up.

But.

I am obsessed with Harrow and her love of knights. And I think we have even more knight content to come?

If you're looking for a short story that packs a whole lot of real world and timely discourse in (at least I thought!) pretty subtle ways with a dystopian/societal collapse setting, queer representation, Witcher-adjacent vibes, all undercut with the importance of storytelling and oral history, well. Then you need this on your TBR.

3.5 stars

3.5 stars 🌟

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a haunting story that reads like a dark fairytale. thirty-something pages of lyrical writing and it did not leave anything lacking.

“She came to us as any apocalypse does: slowly at first, and then all at once.”

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a hauntingly beautiful dystopian fairy tale of the lengths you would go to protect your love…including hiding your now demon wife from the one person who could kill them.

Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars.

Did I drop everything to read this becuase I saw it was Alix E Harrow? You bet.
I loved Ten Thousand Doors, Once and Future Witches, and Starling House and her shorter novellas are just as achingly beautiful.
This was a story about love plain and simple, written in her lyrical, whimsical writing. It’s a story about a post apocalyptic world where people keep changing into something unworldly. A knight comes to save them from these demons.
But what the book is really asking is: What wouldn’t we do for the people we love?

Read this one! And then if you haven’t, go back and read Six Deaths of the Saint too.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Amazon Original Stories for the ARC of The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow.

I am a HUGE Alix E. Harrow fan, and she does not disappoint in this short story.

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a layered, dark urban fantasy set in a future dystopian version of America where some live safely ensconced in theocratic gated cities, and the remainder of Americans live out in the wild, subject to the dangers of a world that has been destroyed through the impacts of (presumed) climate change, loss of vaccines/medicine, poisoned/polluted water systems/air, etc. In the wilds, sometimes neighbors begin to turn into demons, vicious changing creatures that endanger all.

Shrike, a 17-year-old old beyond her years, is trying to protect her wife, May, who has turned into a demon. When the city sends a well-known, dangerous knight to eliminate May for the safety of all, Shrike fights back.

On the surface level, this is an entertaining, dark short story about what we will do for love. On a deeper level, Harrow has so much going on - the causes of the dystopia, the rise of theocracy, the historically stubborn survivors of Appalachia still waging the same battle against having their own land poisoned, the ideas behind what is evil and what is survival. I would love to spend more time in this world and more time with its people, but Harrow's small dose still packs a heavy punch that leaves you reflecting on it long after finishing it.

A wondrous magical world built by Harrow in a short span of pages. I absolutely adored the characters and development of the knight and the butcherbird. John and Shrike were both compelling character's. The overall moral of the plot was accepting those who are different, the monsters being deserving of love. This was a love story in the end - a touching one at that ❤️