*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The Knight and the Butcherbird is a short, moody read that mixes fairytale vibes with a gritty dystopian setting. The world has clearly fallen apart and what’s left feels like some kind of medieval society where oral storytellers and knights still have a place. It’s a really cool concept and I was hooked from the beginning just trying to figure it all out.
The story is told by Shrike, a seventeen-year-old who acts as the town’s historian. A knight rocks up to kill a demon, but it turns out the demon is actually Shrike’s wife, May. From there, things get complicated. You start to realise there’s more going on beneath the surface and Shrike’s not just telling the story, she’s in it. The twist hits hard, but I couldn’t help feeling like I wanted more time to sit with it all.
That’s kind of the main thing for me. The ideas and themes are solid (grief, love, transformation, letting go) but there just wasn’t enough space to really dig into them. It’s one of those stories that makes you wish it was a full novel. The world building is interesting, with little hints about sickness, poverty and something deeper going wrong in society, but we don’t get much more than a glimpse.
I also found Shrike’s age a bit jarring. She reads much older than seventeen and her relationship and choices felt more believable for someone in their twenties. The knight, though, was a great character and brought a lot of tension and mystery.
The writing itself is beautiful, lyrical, sharp and easy to fall into. Harrow’s style definitely carried the story and made me want to keep reading. Even with the rushed pacing and lack of detail, it still had an impact.
⭐️3/5 stars If you’ve got an hour to spare and want something different, this one’s worth a look. Just go in knowing it might leave you wanting a bit more.
Amy Leigh Reads 