I know when I pick up a book by Alix E Harrow that I’m going to immediately fall in love and this was no exception. Even in her short stories she still entrances me and leaves me wanting more.

I'm not usually one for short stories -- I like longer books, usually, because you have time to sink into the setting, to get to know the characters, and all that. I mostly requested The Knight and the Butcherbird because I absolutely adore Alix E. Harrow's writing. This was fantastic. A nice little bite-sized piece of excellence, just like I suspected it would be.

The Knight and the Butcherbird takes place in what we assume to be an post-apocalyptic Appalachia. There's no real explanations at what caused said apocalypse, but there are hints enough to guess. Cancer and illness is everywhere -- people aren't expected to live past 40. But despite that, this story has an overwhelming feeling of hope.

"Demons" are the primary cause of fear in this little rural town that we're set in. A knight -- an older gentleman with fighting experience -- has come to town to deal with the demon that's plaguing Iron Hollow. The story takes on twist after twist, and gah. For being quite short, this is was just so well done. I would have read a whole length novel set in this world. Five stars.

Wow! I loved this! This is a short story set in our post-apocalyptic world where people turn into demons and knights are sent to kill them. It’s gritty, funny, heartfelt. It’s about love, identity, and what it takes to survive.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an ARC. This comes out March 10th, 2025.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

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5 stars - she did it again, and I am left not so speechless seeing as I probably won’t shut up about this for a while

I’m gonna be honest, I barely even looked at the cover and description before picking this up, just kind of blindly trusting the author who wrote my favourite short story of all time. And I’m so glad, because that made every little detail hit so much harder (and funnier). The way I was gasping and laughing and clutching my heart!

The world we get introduced to is intriguing, harsh, heartbreaking and yet also fun. The characters are complicated and loveable. The writing style is perfect for the story that is being told.
This was exactly what I hoped for, and also so much more. I’m going to be thinking (and talking) about this a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I am quite new to short stories, though not new to some of Alix E. Harrow’s other works. I think so far, this might be my favourite of hers works that I have read.

This short story reads like a dystopian fairy tale with elements of horror and sci-fi, and I really loved it!

I commend the authors ability to build this world and characters as much as she did. I felt attached and invested to the characters and the world, as well as the story. The ending was particularly beautiful.

The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow is A beautifully written and atmospheric short story that blends elements of fantasy with deep emotional undertones. Harrow’s prose is poetic and expressive, drawing readers into a world filled with rich imagery and haunting themes of fate, loss, and duty. The interplay between the knight and the butcherbird is compelling, with the bird symbolizing death and inevitability in a way that leaves a lingering impact.

The story's themes are heavy, but the plot can feel too abstract at times, leaving certain emotional beats and character motivations underexplored. The symbolism, while powerful, can be a bit heavy handed, and the pacing suffers slightly from this focus on atmosphere over plot.

Ultimately, The Knight and the Butcherbird will resonate deeply with those who appreciate emotional storytelling and themes of pragmatic reflection. It’s a hauntingly beautiful tale, but it doesn’t quite fully land emotionally or narratively for everyone. If you’re looking for a story that’s more plot-driven or action-oriented, this might feel a bit too slow or elusive. Still, for those who love reflective fantasy, it offers a glimpse into a world of mystery and heartache

A dystopian story with a fantasy twist!

This short story had everything I love about the dystopian genre which is a strong main character who is determined to do the right thing for love. The fantasy element of demons was well balanced that I still felt I was reading a dystopian story. My favorite part was learning what the knight Sir John had in common with Shrike Secretary.

I can’t wait to read more from Alix E. Harrow!


Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

At this point, writing a review for an Alix E. Harrow story can be opened with: My God, that was great!!
The talent and skill of this woman never ceases to amaze me. Jn this tale, we follow a young woman, Shrike Secretary, as she relates the events unfolding on herbpost-apocaltptic world. The earth is dead, plants are full of toxins, it's pretty dire... The wold building is nothing short of stunning, especially considering this is "only" a short story.
What's even better is its heart. I don't want to spoil anything, but Harrow had me near tears several times. Just read it.

4.4 stars!

The day that Alix E. Harrow comes out with a short story collection is a day that I endlessly await. This was lovely.

Three hundred years ago the world ended, but today a knight rides into the village of Iron Hollow and Shrike Secretary has been expecting him. Once again Alix E. Harrow has torn my heart out with a short story (Six Deaths of the Saint, this is about you), but this time it's a post-apocalyptic fairytale about transformation and the lengths we go to to protect the ones we love. Yeah I cried. What about it? I'm a sucker for stories about people who really love their wives, even when their wives are rapidly transforming into inhuman eldritch creatures. Also, radiation fantasy? We need to make that more of a thing asap.

Short review for a short story, but wow I am in pieces!

Thank you to Alix E. Harrow and Amazon Original Stories for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

I love Alix Harrow's writing, but I especially adore her short stories. (I go a little bit feral for them). They are vicious and beautiful and gut-wrenching in the best way., and The Knight and the Butcherbird did not disappoint.

This short story took me less than an hour to read and I would reccomend it to anybody who likes an eldrich-flavoured love story with just the tiniest hint of body horror; set in a dystopian world, filled with grief and the lengths people will go to to hold on to the ones that they love.

I'm immediate adding Alix E. Harrow to my must read authors list. This beautiful yet dark tale packs a punch in under 40 pages. With so many themes explored including grief and just how far you would go for the ones you love. That ending...just beautiful. 4.5 stars rounded up

I loved the dark and relentless romance of a woman determined to keep her demon wife safe regardless of the possible consequences. Thank you Alix. E Harrow for another doomed but devoted love story.

What a beautiful, sad and at the same time freeing tale Alix E. Harrow has woven here.

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a dystopian little story that packs a bunch with a wonderous new way of how things can change and free us. I adored Shrike Secretary as much as I disliked her in some moments.
My favorite character here has to be the Knight though, the Knight with his hidden agenda and the hawk he travels with.

Like in Starling House, my favorite book by Harrow so far, she explores themes of change, fear of the unknown, dark beasts and how far you will go and how much you will sacrifice for the one you love.
This is another beautiful, lyrical story I wish Alix E. Harrow will one day put in a collection of all her short stories. Because those little gems shine.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for choosing me for an eARC of this short story!

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.