Title: The Knight and the Butcherbird
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Release Date: 11 March 2025
Page Amount: 36 pages
Blurb:
New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow weaves a dystopian fairy tale that follows the town storyteller as she struggles to protect a local demon from the knight hired to kill it.
In this gritty, haunting tale about doing whatever it takes for love, a small-town storyteller resolves to keep the local monster—and her own secrets—safe from a legendary knight.
Nestled deep in the steep hills, valleys, and surrounding woodlands lies Iron Hollow, a rural community beset by demons. Such horrors are common in the outlands, where most folks die young, if they don’t turn into monsters first. But what’s causing these transformations?
No one has the answer, not even the town’s oral historian, seventeen-year-old Shrike. And when a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest beast to haunt their woods, Shrike has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still human, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.
Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it.
Review:
A dystopian fairy tale isn't something I had heard before, so I was intrigued. Plus, I love short stories. And I really liked this one. I'm finding that I quite like Alix E. Harrow. I'll have to read more of her work. This was definitely fairy tale like, but in a dark way, which I like. There was a lot of metaphor and social commentary in this. I'm sure some of it went right over my head. The religious commentary stood out to me. I feel like it was more about the institutionalization of religion, which is a topic I find interesting and have some thoughts on myself. But even if you go in just to enjoy the dystopian fairy tale side and not focus on the commentary as much, I think this is a great story. I would definitely recommend it,
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