This was an entertaining read with morals mixed in. I enjoyed it but maybe I’m not meant to read short stories because I wanted more. I wanted more time spent on the how and the why.

I absolutely love Alix E. Harrow's short stories, and this was not an exception! I think this might be my new favourite of her short fiction. I loved the post-apocalyptic setting, and the idea of 'demons' and change was so interesting! I liked the hint of romance in the story, and I really loved the characters as well. It is usually difficult to connect with characters in short stories, but it is never a problem with Harrow's short stories! There was a lot of emotion in this (did I cry in public? maybe), and the plot was fascinating. Overall, I would completely recommend this short story, and can't wait to read more from this author! :)

This short story was really good. When I thought I was understanding the premise, it took another turn, and then another one! What it was over, everything came full circle. Regardless of the current day intention, I got Game of Throne vibes and imagined the knight as Clegane, the Mountain. What I thought was a sci-fi, turned out to be a romance.

This short story is weird. In a good way.
In a post-apocalyptic setting, a knight called Sir John of Cincinnati wanders into Iron Hollow. He comes to fight demons, and ventures out of the enclave with Shrike, enclave secretary and too young at seventeen for the life and loss she's already lived.

I really enjoyed this a lot. Short stories have a lot of flexibility be almost anything you want them to be, and a post-apocalyptic wandering knight on a quest with some really weird prose just hits the spot. It has enough plot structure to share the quest, but really this is about the atmospheric and themes of considering demons.

4.5 / 5 stars

‘The Knight and the Butcherbird’ is a tale of love and loss with a sprinkling of body horror, set in a post-apocalyptic North America. I picked up this ARC because Alix E. Harrow’s previous Amazon Original short story was an incredible read, and is one of the only ones from the various series that I felt understood the short story as a separate medium, instead of just a rushed version of a novel. ‘The Six Deaths of the Saint’ can only work as a short story, so I expected ‘The Knight and the Butcherbird’ to follow a similar format. This turned out not to be the case, as this latter story could have also been explored in a full length novel. My initial excitement dimished somewhat when, after the first few pages, I realised how different this story would be, expecting a rushed plot that would fail to hook me emotionally, as has been the case with most of the Amazon Original short stories I’ve read.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by the story, which manages to build a world and tell a story that feels whole and well-paced with a satisfying ending in just 32 pages. While the story could’ve effortlessly been expanded into novel - or at least novella - length, its low page count in no way diminishes the emotional punch it packs. There were bits and pieces of the worldbuilding early on that felt somewhat awkward, but these disappeared quickly as the story went on.
Ultimately, this will join ’The Six Deaths of the Saint’ on my favourites shelf, but nonetheless, I find myself unable to quench the longing for a longer version where we get to spend more time in this world, with these characters.

What a jam packed little book! This read like a futuristic Grimm Fairy Tale in the best way. A story of knights and kings and demons, not from the past, but from a future, post-apocalyptic world. This story was clever and heartbreaking and poignant. So much detail and meaning packed into so few pages. This read is sure to be worth your time!

*The Knight and the Butcherbird* is the latest novella from bestselling author Alix E. Harrow. This post-apocalyptic fairy tale feels anachronistic, blending elements of the past and future in Ohio. The story follows a town crier and storyteller who embarks on a quest to protect her ex-wife, a demon, from a knight who is hunting her.

In this world, people lead condensed lives with short lifespans that often end in cancer. However, for a select few, they morph into monsters. It’s evident that these rural townsfolk are living in a toxic landscape, contributing to their health issues, yet the reason some become monsters remains a mystery. This transformation could symbolize addiction, as Harrow explores the theme of people changing to survive. Whether it serves as an allegory for mental illness, dementia, or something else entirely remains to be seen.

One thing is clear: there is a lot to ponder in such a short story.

Thank you to Amazon and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an insane ride. Started off kind of weird with steampunk dark fairytale vibes written in lyrical riddle form. Then it became more fantastical and then sweet and then sad. Enjoyed the horror components immensely.

There's a hidden message in there about cancer - I'll have to re read this to get a better sense of what that was all about. I seriously think you could study this book.

The writing was incredible. The imagery and descriptions were so good.

I don't really know what was happening half the time but I don't even care because it was such a fun read.

I loved this so much!! I knew Alix Harrow had a book coming in the fall that was about a lady knight, but I didn’t know she had a short story coming out soon. Everything she writes is just so good.