The Knight and the Moth

The Knight and the Moth is an example of a romantasy novel, a genre that Gillig frequently explores. “Romantasy” is a portmanteau combining the words “romance” and “fantasy,” demonstrating a blending of genres that has created a new and distinct genre. With the creation of the genre comes the popularization of specific genre tropes. Gillig engages with several genre tropes in The Knight and the Moth, specifically enemies-to-lovers romance, found family, and magical companions. 

Throughout the novel, Six and Rory move through the stages of the enemies-to-lovers trope. They have an adversarial relationship at the beginning of the novel, as Rory knows the truth about the Omens, while Six still feels loyalty to Aisling Cathedral and the abbess. Their ideological differences around faith and fealty put them at odds; as Six realizes the truth about the world around them, she understands Rory better, and their relationship grows in depth and intricacy. They become friends and then lovers.

Six has multiple chosen families throughout the narrative, illustrating Gillig’s use of the found-family trope, in which a character forges familial relationships with others around them. Six views her fellow Diviners as her sisters and plans to live with them when their tenure at Aisling is over.