⭐⭐⭐⭐½
The Gilly-Willy
K.M. McKenna
Blending sci-fi, religious allegory, and fantasy elements, The Gilly-Willy is a must-read for fans of Terry Pratchett and anyone who has ever grappled with their faith.
In a classic good vs evil society, our main characters are Charl, a “good” follower of The Creator, and Roe, an “evil” follower of The Destroyer. Despite growing up together, the two friends have since become enemies when Roe was cast out of the Creator’s society and into the Destroyer’s.
In the hundred years since, their societies have collapsed in an epic battle and everyone, good and evil alike, has become stranded on a small, strange planet called Earth. Through a series of events, the now-enemies find themselves working together and grappling with the question: what makes someone good or evil?
This book is, ultimately, a love story with elements of war, religious deconstruction, sci-fi, fantasy, and humor. I found myself completely invested in the characters and their personal journeys, as well as their friendship and their pasts.
The Gilly-Willy also features side characters like Bynez, my absolute favorite “evil” character who was cast out for queerness, and Sjena, Bynez’s “good” sister who is desperate for them to live in peace again.
It has plenty of squeal-worthy romantic scenes, lots of mortal peril ,and an almost absurd level of agonising (Charl) that I can wholeheartedly relate to.
It also has a really unique final battle, with all its character arcs coming to a head at the same time.
If you want to read a book like none you’ve read before, pick up The Gilly-Willy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Thank you KM McKenna for the advance readers copy. All opinions are my own.
The Gilly-Willy releases May 24th, 2026 and is available for ebook preorder here. Paperbacks coming soon!
The Midnight Review 