This is an absolute masterclass in short story structure. Every repetition, every circling back on itself, every image was perfectly chosen and placed. I recommend this for every lover of horror, dark fantasy, and stories that are not quite tragedies; and I recommend it for every aspiring writer, because the craft in this piece is absolutely flawless.

Beautiful story by Alix E. Harrow about the monsters we become and the love that will not end as we change. Harrow's stories always break my heart with their emotion and beauty.

"The wheel turns. And so do we."

My mind is blown and I don't know what to do with myself now. This story is so short but every word counts. There's layers upon layers so every page is truly mind-blowing.
Because it is so short, I can't even say too much about the content, because everything might be a spoiler.
Let's say it starts as an episode of The Witcher, but unravels to be something else entirely.

I'll just leave some words here to try to convince you to read. But really - read the first sentence and you'll be in, no question.

- Dystopia with medieval touch
- Bird theme
- Story about stories
- Breaking the frame of the narrative
- Heartbreaking
- Queer rep
- What is love?
- What is humanity?

Now excuse me while I figure out what to do with myself....

5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC!

#TheKnightAndTheButcherbird #Netgalley #Bookstagram

Alix E. Harrow manages to put more depth in a short story than others can manage in a whole series. I will say, I wanted so desperately for this to be a novel. The small glimpses we got into the world were so interesting, and I would have liked more time to explore it.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a mix between dystopian and fairy tale. We follow a woman who lives in a rural town and a knight shows up to hunt down demons. However, this woman is trying to protect a demon that was once her wife.

I was not a big fan of this one. It was a very short story but I just couldn't get into it. I am not a big fairy tale fan so that is probably why. The writing was not bad and the story was unique.

I think others will really enjoy this one but it was not for me.

5 stars

The way Alix E. Harrow writes is so magnificent, so lyrical, It always blows me away.
This was no exception, of course. As soon as I started reading this, I was enamored with the prose. The story was beautiful yet sad. Love, grief, and resilience, I think, are the core of this novella. You fall in love with the characters easily and root and cry for them.
The ending was a little bit bittersweet, but so is life sometimes.
Overall, another beautiful book by AEH.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent dystopian sci-fi/horror short story! The Knight and the Butcherbird is set in a future where people can change into monsters or demons, and often the task of putting them down before it's too late falls to loved ones.

A renowned knight is summoned to a small town to dispose of a demon. Shrike is the town storyteller, but the demon was once her wife and she will do anything to protect the woman she loves...

This was the perfect bite-size story that hit hard and felt encaspsulated while hinting at a wider world that is as fascinating as it is horrifying. I received a copy for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Dystopia meets fairy tale? Sign me up! This was an exquisite short story and I can't help but think I'll me re-reading this one time and again. I went into this story blind and I am so glad I did as I was surprised and excited about every turn of events. I think the author does a wonderful job of blending the post apocalyptic/dystopian with the old world, medieval feel of this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am in love with this short story. To be honest, I was so invested I could have easily read a whole novel set in this world. Harrow never misses with the unique world building and hauntingly beautiful stories she creates. Set in a post apocalyptic world where cancer has caused people to die young and often, people are forced to adapt - to change because they need to survive. Demons plague the earth, and old world enclaves appoint Knights to kill demon kind. This is a story of the evolution of the human spirit, and how love changes people. Although this didn’t murder my heart like her previous work “The Six Deaths of the Saint”, I was still choked up with definite tears brimming. 😭

THANK YOU to NetGalley, Alix E. Harrow, and Amazon Originals for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Alix E Harrow is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors. Her word choices and turn of phrase are unmatched. I also love seeing the influence of different fairytales and folklore woven throughout her stories. This one had the slightest echoes of Tam Lin. As someone with faith. It was interesting to read something from the perspective of someone faithless and hopeless. For a short story it packs a punch.

I'm a simple reader, I see Alix E. Harrow wrote it and I read it.

This short story is expertly told and a riveting read to break readers out of the most stubborn of book slumps. Seriously, I feel like this was the key to the lock of my slump that I've been searching for

The setting is just so well told, with the recurring motif of time and history being a wheel. The way that this story set in the future is perceived and performed by some characters as the past is just so thought provoking and well written.

Shrike as a protagonist is also wonderful, with so much character infused into how this narrative is told.

It's too short to not read honestly. No notes.

An enchanting dystopian fantasy short story that will leave you pondering what you would do for love. Great world building in such a short time will give you a sense of the character's motivations and trials.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I am separating this in my mind from all the other Alix E. Harrow books I have loved. I am usually pretty picky with novellas, and this just didn't interest me. I found it to be somewhat confusing and hard to grasp ahold of. This is a common "problem," I have with short stories but I love Harrow and really wanted to give it a go. I think this is probably a me problem. Just didn't find myself engaged in the story and honestly was pretty confused.

The Knight and the Butcherbird tells the story of its titular characters in a post-apocalyptic world where people transform, seemingly at random, into dangerous demons.

"...love is whatever you're willing to kill for."

While this story presents itself as Lovecraftian inspired horror akin to VanderMeer's Annihilation, at its heart this short story is a dark tale of love. Of how we express this love and what we would sacrifice for those we love. If you ever come across a being that doesn't understand what love is, let them read one of Harrow's short stories and they'll soon learn.

As I've come to expect from Harrow her writing is incredibly moving and memorable. I also adore how unapologetically queer this story is. The only thing I would have loved to see is some more expansion on the world and the setting. I would have loved for it to be a bit richer and unique. I had trouble grasping what kind of world this really took place in which messed with my feelings of immersion at times.

"She knew me then, at the beginning of ourselves, and she knew me now, here at the end, when she did not even know herself."

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a wonderful read for anyone that loves dark fantasy combined with not just one, but two inspiring love stories.

A story about love and loss which I read this in one sitting. Beautifully written and emotional, I really enjoyed this atmospheric dystopian short story. I just the way Alix. E Harrow writes.
Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars

This short story managed to create characters the reader cared about and have them develop in a way that did not feel quick or rushed. A poignant read for those who like the end of the world.

**Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!**

4/5 stars

A hauntingly beautiful story set in a post-apocalyptic world that makes you question whether you'd go to the same lengths as Shrike and the Knight for the ones you love. In under 40 pages, Alix E. Harrow delivers an emotional story with good world building and compelling characters that keeps you intrigued from the very beginning until the end. If you’re a fan of Harrow’s other works or enjoy dystopian fiction, I highly recommend this quick but unforgettable read.

This short story was really a trip. I love how Harrow creates these interesting worlds in her stories. An imaginative take on a post-apocalyptic theme, slightly creepy and scary but ultimately, a touching tale about love. 4.5⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.

Alix E. Harrow happens to be one of my favourite gothic writers. Harrow always delivers a book that is on surface level one thing but is often much deeper, much more thought provoking. This short story is not any different. A bit dark, a lot gothic, and all sorts of fun to jump into!!

This story is about demons - not otherworldly from hell demons, but people becoming demons. Meaning they transform, fangs, antlers, loss of self awareness and a devolving to their base, carnal natures. But it is also about love, and what it is to lose someone to corruption and evil things and struggle with knowing that they should be destroyed but love will not allow it. A knight whose job is to kill all demons, a woman wanting to protect the demon who had once been her wife.

This is a short story - and yet the depth of it within only a few pages is astounding.

Simply another whin for Harrow who is the master of gothic, strange stories.

An amazing story of love, loss, and death.
“Nothing grows on a grave when you’re standing on it.”
Oral historian Shrike is on a mission to protect her wife turned demon from a demon slaying knight and his hawk in their post apocalypse world. Their journey is filled with discovery. Shrike is true to her namesake in how she fights for her wife.
The ending had me tearing up, I loved how full circle it was.