The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom, 1)

Reflecting on my experience with this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it, although it didn't quite reach the high notes I had hoped for. The first 200 pages posed a challenge for me, but I connected with the story once I got past that point. Initially, I struggled to warm up to the main character, Six. I found her a bit petulant and stubborn, but as the story progressed, she evolved beautifully, allowing me to appreciate her growth and maturity by the end. The slow development of her relationship with Rory was a highlight for me—his bad boy knight persona was just too appealing, and I loved watching them soften toward one another. Then there are the gargoyles! Even the antagonistic ones were a fantastic addition to the story. The background of how the gargoyles originated and the poignant backstory of Six's own gargoyle added an emotional layer that I found quite moving. The final twist completely surprised me. Despite early warnings from the Omens, I never saw it coming, which made me eager for the second book!

“Tell me—what is a dream? The strange machinations of a wakeless mind—the floating confetti of our thoughts? When we sleep, are our dreams a reflection of ourselves? Of our values, our opinions-our complex moral designs? Perhaps a dream is a portent. A profound sign that, upon waking, demands reflection. Does the divine reach her mercurial finger into our slumbering thoughts, affording us perspective, the past, the future, laid out before us? Or is a dream merely as important, or inconsequential, as we allow it to be? Is a dream simply ... a story we tell ourselves? That very question is the earth from which The Knight and the Moth rose.” The Knight and the Moth is a pilgrimage into the mist, through moonlight, into hamlets, over stones and past gowan flowers. It's about a woman who tries her best, the errant and wayward knight who falls in love with her, and the precious limestone gargoyle who accompanies them on their fraught quest of discovery for tranquility. “It's about what we lose and what we gain, the arduous journey of self-discovery and the painful, beautiful burden of living.” “Only love, only heartbreak, can weave the thread of all that came, and all that is yet to come…There is something to be said about love. Be it for ardor or sorrow, love is like the Heartsore Weaver--like an Omen. Its signs are everywhere. We may seek it, create it, feel it, ignore it, or lose it, but it is always there. Love is like our loom stone—it keeps us rooted to the world. To one another…I like to think there are times when the thread of our faith in love is so resolute that we forget to search for signs…We do not look for love, or heartbreak, because they, like the truest god, are ever with us…And it's a privilege to know them…May you know love, and heartbreak…And may we, together, be witnesses to its wonders. Pupils of its portents…Ever but visitors.”

10/10

Sometimes the right book finds you at the right time—and The Knight and the Moth was exactly the pick me up I didn’t know I needed. I came for the gargoyles (and trust me, Bartholomew delivered with laugh out loud moments that had people side eyeing me in public), but I stayed for much more than I expected I would. Maude quietly and ferociously stole a piece of my heart. Her chapters had some of the book’s most quotable lines (along side our Gargoyle sidekick), and her presence was so grounding in the midst of all the chaos and doubt. Sybil and Rory’s banter? Surprisingly addictive—especially coming from someone who doesn’t usually gravitate toward romance. Their chemistry festered and boiled in a way that felt intriguing, and just a little bit chaotic (in the best way). Yes, a few sections were predictable, and some of the buildup felt a little rushed and a bit anticlimactic by the end of the journey. But overall, it was creative and fun yet still left me curious for more—especially the lore around the sprites. Their story carried a quiet ache that I hope the sequel falls deeper into. What we do know so far made me more sad for them, than anything else. Excited and a bit nervous to see what’s next… Until then, let’s all carry a little Bartholomew in our spirits. The world would be brighter for it—bold, bizarre, and impossibly loyal.

It’s not very often that I give 5⭐️ reviews because I save them for stories that IMO are so flawless and haunting to my soul that I remember them long after I read them. TKATM is one of those stories to me. I had no idea what the book was about going in and I was worried I would not finish it based on… well, the book cover art 😬 So here I am. Here is my testament to never ever judge a book by its cover. TKATM is funny, heartbreaking, shocking and also a love story. It is a masterpiece.