Alix e harrow never misses. This is an interesting little post apocalyptic short story about when a knight comes to town.

It’s a short exploration of community, faith and horror. We get to see a demon hunting knight and a town secretary who have her own motivations and aspirations.

It reminded me a bit of annihilation/ the southern reach quartet in its way to describe horror. I found it both unsettling and beautiful.

There’s something haunting about all of Harrow’s writing, but this left an impression of a true, yes frightening thing. A post-apocalypse setting that is supposed to be far in the future, but truly could be mere years away… a feral Outland, a brave knight, a people who know only strife and loss. But love persists, for the story keeper and for the knight, searching and searching for answers.

Forever loving the haunting and beautiful writing Alix gives us.

Alix Harrow delivers again with a short story that manages to be both sweet and incisive, a post-apocalyptic fairy tale, and maybe a bit of a wink at Ladyhawke. The narrator was fantastic, I thought she also did the male knight's voice very well in a non grating or forced fashion.

3.75 stars

**Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.**

<b> Basics </b>

Author: she/her (US)
Genre: post-apocalyptic, fantasy
Setting: tech-fall mountain holler village
Themes: transformation, acceptance
Vibes: angry, mourning, acerbic

<b> Characters </b>

💔 Shrike (17yo) - fmc village secretary whose wife IS the demon (and thus she wants to kill the knight who wants to kill her wife/demon)
🛡 Sir John (50+yo) - a knight who came to kill the demon stalking the village (he has a hawk companion)
🦌 May - Shrike's wife/demon, who sprouted antlers as she turned

<b> Quotes </b>

"Change is always the first sign of a demon."

"Death now, was the bride who could not keep hold of her shapeshifting lover."

<b> Pros </b>

+ the knight is Sir John from Cincinnati 😂😂😂
+ demons 😈
+ hawk companion
+ human body horror where they sprout animal parts and liquidly transform between different animals depending on need
+ wings, tusks, horns, teeth, hooves, fur, scales
+ lots of myth & fairytale lore woven throughout
+ amazing end

<b> Neutral </b>

/ Shrike's voice/POV is somewhat juvenile, which, to me, doesn't work as well as if she'd been a bit more mature of a character (I *know* she is 17yo)

<b> Cons </b>

- Married at 16/17 😬 ("We marry young. We die young. The wheel turns.")
- If it is post-apocalyptic, why is the knight using medieval speech? 🥴

<b> Comp Recs </b>

+ Wilder Girls* - Rory Power
+ The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion* - Margaret Killjoy
+ Sorrowland* - Rivers Solomon
+ Princess Mononoke (movie) for cursed/creature vibes

<b> TW </b>

death, body horror

The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow
An exquisite blend of genres that’ll feel familiar to those who like their stories both fantastical and grounded, The Knight and the Butcherbird is a short story worth the read! The characters, their motivations, and the stakes are clear and complex and the execution in such a short amount of words is truly impressive. The story is well thought out, with hints and twists and backstory, and has a satisfying conclusion. However, I would love more short stories set in this world (maybe the publisher can persuade Alix E. Harrow to write us some more?)

The Knight and the Butcherbird is perfect for readers who like:
Dystopian and fantasy genre blends
Complex characters
Whimsical yet grounded worldbuilding
Lyrical prose
Love that transcends boundaries

As an avid fantasy reader, this was the perfect read between full novels. The audiobook narration is excellent and transported me right to this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook ARC. I look forward to Alix E. Harrow’s future projects!

Alix E. Harrow has done it again. The Knight and the Butcherbird may be short in length, but it carries the weight of an epic. Every sentence feels deliberate, every emotion raw and piercing. I found myself completely spellbound by Shrike’s journey—a love story wrapped in grief, duty, and the ache of impossible choices.

Listening to The Knight and the Butcherbird as an audiobook was a truly captivating experience. The narrator brought Shrike’s voice to life with such emotional depth, making every moment feel even more powerful. The tension between Shrike, May, and the knight was palpable, and hearing the lyrical writing aloud added so much richness to the story.

Despite its short length, the audiobook made the themes of love, sacrifice, and grief hit me deeply. By the end, I was left heartbroken yet satisfied, knowing this story would stay with me long after. For anyone who loves emotional, beautifully told stories, this audiobook is a must-listen.


*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

How she managed to write a thought-provoking, romantic novella full of grief and hope within just a few pages astounds me... but she did it! And for once, I don't wish it was longer. So much soul in this quaint little story.

I think that you get all you really need in this short story. I thought this was fabulous. This is dark and mysterious.I love Harrow’s whimsical writing. The audio was produced and narrated to perfection!

Is this parallel universe or near future post apocalyptic? Some gray area in between? Either way, unique and intriguing. I really enjoyed the characters, feeling like even with the shortness of the story, it didn’t seem rushed. When people in town are starting to turn into “demons,” Shrike, a local historian/storyteller attempts to head off the knight who is on his way to kill the demons. Shrike’s wife is one of them and she will stop at nothing to protect whatever is left of her from the knight and his hawk companion.

The knight has his own story and unbeknownst to Shrike, has his own reasons to complete his task with as much determination as Shrike has to stop him. The rest is this really cool conversation between the two, with some flash back for insight. And I loved it so much. The narration in the audiobook was done so well. The voice is well fitting for the depth of the story.

This book shows the lengths one will go for love. I highly recommend it.

I love Alix E. Harrow’s writing and when I saw a new short story from this author, I had to dive in! This is a dystopian, horror, fairy tale-esque story (all my favorite things) and it was so short but so good!

This is set hundreds of years in the near future. We follow Shrike, an oral historian in a rural community tucked deep in the hills and woodlands. There are many demons around Iron Hollow, where it is common for people to die young if they don’t turn into monsters first. No one knows how these transformations are happening but now the small town and Shrike have another problem on their hands when a legendary knight shows up to hunt down the latest demon haunting their woods. Shrike is determined to stop the knight and his hawk because she believes the demon was her wife…and might still recognize Shrike.

This was very atmospheric and immediately pulls you into the story! Secrets, demons, survival, power, change. I love this author’s lyrical writing and it worked so well as a short story!

I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

Short, queer, beautiful, horrifying.
Alix e Harrow is a favourite author and every release proves why.

This follows a town’s storyteller who follows (and wishes to deter) a visiting demon-hunting knight in a post-apocalyptic world.

Her prose is luscious and vivid. The longing and love is palpable. The world-building is condensed in such a short page count, yet brilliant.

<b>“Why do people change? Because they are cursed, pursued, poisoned, trapped, under siege. Because they have to.”
</b>
Arc gifted by Brilliance Publishing.

This short story was so interesting. It takes place in a dystopian world where people can turn into demons. In one town, Iron Hollow, a knight has come to slay a demon, but Shrike wants to protect it. Because the demon is her wife and she believes that that human is still inside that demon.
This was quite short, only an hour and 15 minutes on audio and it did take me a minute to get into it, but I really felt for the characters by the end. The story itself felt complete, but it left me wanting more of this world. More short stories, or a longer novel. The world was so compelling.
Since it is so short, I don't want to give away any more than is in the synopsis, but there was such an interesting twist that made the story go in such a different direction and the ending really hit hard.
The audiobook narrator was really great, her voice fit the vibes of the story and it really added to the ambiance.

I really enjoyed this short story, and the audiobook is great. The story is engaging, the characters are interesting, and I wanted to know so much more about the world. I have never thought that I would be into post-apocalyptic fairytales, but here we are!

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advanced audiobook.

I am convinced that Alix E. Harrow is one of the best writers out there today. Her ability to evoke a setting, an emotion, to build a character, to tell a story, is just beyond what I think most people are capable of. The Knight and the Butcherbird is the latest, and best example. She writes short stories just as well as long as well, and I don't think I've read anything by her that didn't leave me thinking "wow" and "I want more!".

The Knight and the Butcherbird is a beautiful body horror love story, reminding me a bit of the new movie The Gorge, or what that film aspired to be at least. I'm always so obsessed with Harrow's writing that I could have read a full-length novel set in this world, where people sometimes morph and turn into amalgamations of various creatures. What happens when this happens to the person you love? What happens when they become a danger? What do you do?

The audiobook as narrated by Aida Reluzco was wonderful as well, with the narrator reading it like a fairy tale or bedtime story, which is absolutely perfect for Harrow's writing. Harrow is more than a writer, she's a story-teller, and you can feel the heart in her words even when read by someone else.

Just absolutely wonderful and I think my favorite short story by her, surpassing the incredible Mr. Death (from Apex Magazine Issue 121) and The Six Deaths of the Saint. I can never recommend Alix E. Harrow enough!

Thank you for the e-audiobook!
Now that is a cool short story! This was my first Alix Harrow book and it is making me want to pick up their other books immediately. This short story brings such an interesting eerie atmosphere and such a unique premise. Perfect for a quick eerie read if you want something quick and queer.

how ? how does she include so much in so few pages ?
the world building, amazing
the political & environmental commitment, yes please
the diversity, absolutely
she slays

thank you netgalley for the copy !