| Title | : | Gallant |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0062835777 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780062835772 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 334 |
| Publication | : | First published March 1, 2022 |
| Awards | : | Bram Stoker Award Best Young Adult Novel (2022), Goodreads Choice Award Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2022) |
Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.
Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.
Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?
Gallant Reviews
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I was ready to rate this 4 stars because the writing is great, but as I kept reading, the story lacked too much to retain my interest. The atmosphere is mysterious and spooky, but doesn’t have enough complexity to stand on its own. This felt like a half-formed idea the author pulled out of their back pocket due to the surface-level characters and extremely self-contained plot. After examining the writing for a while, I got the impression that it wasn’t edited as thoroughly as the author’s other books. It almost feels like the author was able to quickly pump this story out for publishing and get away with it because her writing is already solid and lyrical, but the story itself didn’t get much time to develop and marinate.
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As I do my final read-through and polish, I have to say, I'm very, very proud of this book.
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me: Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want
Spice Girls: So tell me what you want, what you really really want
me: I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want
Spice Girls: So tell me what you want, what you really really want
me: I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really really really wanna READ THIS BOOK ah -
while schwabs writing will always speak to me, i tend to enjoy the content/plot of her adult books more. thats not to say i didnt like this, i just prefer the complexity and depth of her stories when she writes under VES, instead of VS.
because this story is rather simple - everything you need to know is in the synopsis. its a spooky story of ghouls and demons, mysterious family histories, and houses that come with an opposite and a gate in between. im actually surprised this is going to be a spring release as its the perfect autumn read.
again, VSs writing is really quite lovely, as expected, but it took me some time to get into the story itself. but i think her authors note does a great job at explaining the reasoning behind this story and what it means to her, so that was nice to read.
overall, an eerie story with classic VS charm and style.
thanks so much to greenwillow books for the ARC!!
↠ 3.5 stars -
Me gustó el libro, pero el final no. Saben que los finales son importantes para mí :(.
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I love Schwab's adult books but I'm officially giving up on her YA/Middle Grade work.
There's nothing wrong with this book but it was pretty lacklustre for me. -
high quality cover, low quality content.
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literally how did this win GR choice awards in YA fantasy with all the other amazing books on there??? make it make sense
________________
Well that was pretty bad.
I think I'm just going to stick with Schwab's more fantasy focused books because this??? This was not it.
There was no plot whatsoever (until like over halfway), but in general I don't even care 99% if there isn't one as long as I'm invested in the characters. Which wasn't the case at all here."Safe does not mean happy, does not mean well, does not mean kind."
For so long, Olivia has longed to be wanted, especially in a place like Merilance... until one day she receives a note from her uncle, Arthur Prior, about coming to live in Gallant--a mysterious, large estate. However, once she gets there Olivia realizes Gallant is not all what it seems to be and there was a reason her mother warned her away from it...
And then goes the page descriptions of the house for almost 200 pages yay! Honestly who doesnt love reading about how a house looks like?? If you don't, you clearly have no taste.
In all seriousness, if you asked me what happened in this book I couldn't tell you. It literally feels like nothing happened at all the first half. I almost fell ASLEEP reading it and that never happens to me?? Never in my life have I ever almost fallen asleep reading a book. Gallant is the first to ever do this to me.
Just why.
Why did it take until the 60% mark for the villain to appear and something to happen LIKE WHAT💀 There was so little page time of the *villain* so of course I didnt feel spooked or rather anything towards them.
This book really is the definition of pretty writing, bland story. Like sure the writing was very descriptive and fancy but??? I was bored out of mind?? I could care less about the characters, story, plot (haha what plot) and everything else. I don't care if you have the most beautiful writing in the world. If the story doesn't capture my attention, then I don't like it.
I genuinely do not see the point of this book and I've never said this about any book before but really do not see it here.
I will say though that it was very interesting to have a main character who couldnt speak! This is my first book seeing that and it was pretty interesting. I also saw some similarities between this book and Coraline so maybe some may love that a lot.
Other than that, nothing about Gallant appealed to me. It's considered horror but??? What horror, there was literally nothing spooky about this. Gallant felt like it was written by a completely different person but maybe it's because of the shift in genre of Schwab going more for horror than fantasy so it felt different?? I don't know but I literally adored Schwab's Shades of Magic series and Addie Larue so I was really hoping to love this too. Instead, I was dying of boredom.
Nothing hurts more than having one of your most anticipated reads by your favourite author be a disappointment. This is probably a just me thing, so to anyone reading this don't let my review deter you from reading this!i have many super unpopular opinions sooo
Thank you so much Harper Collins Canada for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
________
*sobs in disappointment*
RTC
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ive loved every schwab book ive read so far so if i dont love this one- -
Finished this at 2:00 AM on a Thursday because once I reached the halfway mark, I could not put this down. I will write a proper review when the suns up, but for now I will confidently add this to my favorites shelf. I also have the sudden, dramatic urge to buy a bottle of ink and paint, so that's exciting.
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Given that up till this day, it took me ages to finish The Invisible Life of Addie Larue for how boring and repetitive it is, it’s a surprise that I find myself enjoying this one!
Gallant was ominously and darkly written, yet it was also warm and tender. It follows a non-verbal young girl, Olivia Prior who grew up in an orphanage before she was brought back to Gallant and uncovered the secret and the mystery of her family.
This novel progressed swiftly enough to retain my attention, albeit a bit slow. It was conveyed in a suspenseful manner, and the delicate tension wouldn't deter you from continuing as that's what made Gallant so captivating. The plot was straightforward, but it can be seen that Schwab took a long span and diligence to develop the world.
Also, not to spot the elephant in the room, but Gallant's strongest suit is definitely Schwab's writing style. Every word is carefully chosen, and every turn of phrase conjures up images that I am rendered speechless. I've heard many times how people called her a master storyteller but bear false witness when I read Addie Larue, but this novel knocks me props out from under.
I also enjoyed the unique character that Oliva is and appreciate that Schwab didn't end up relying on the old stereotypes and tropes that frankly everyone is tired of seeing from a mute character. In fact, the absence of Olivia's voice will force you to hunt for answers outside the characters. It keeps the visual aspects of things in Gallant going strong.
Despite the praises, I still find the book to be overly simplistic and uninspiring in comparison to the buzz surrounding her work. When I first read the summary, I had a different impression than after reading the outcome which pivots more on Olivia unearthing the Gallant. I also wished for the supporting characters to be given more substance, but alas was just there to fit as a piece to the story.
Gallant is rich, gothic, and atmospheric. This is a work that feels almost archetypal in the style of great children's or young-adult tales, complete with unearthly drawings. The inkling of the Death as a cross-over from her other works was also such a brilliant move. It keeps the excitement if you have always been Schwab's fan. -
Olivia Prior can see ghosts, shadows of the long-dead: a bony hand here, a half-formed face there. She carries her mother’s last written words with her: stay away from Gallant, her family’s manor. But when she’s given a chance to escape the bleak gray walls of her boarding school, she takes it. However, Gallant is hiding something even darker than the ghouls she sees around her, and Olivia is determined to solve this mystery.
Gallant left me feeling unsatisfied and indifferent. This book somehow managed to affect me in absolutely no noticeable way. I’m surprised by how detached I felt while reading this.
The relationships among the characters were very surface-level. Hannah and Edgar only existed to help Olivia. Matthew changed as the book went along, but not in a way that felt organic. He switched from being hostile to treasuring Olivia more than anyone else, and did so across the span of a few days. They didn’t even spend that much time together. I get that he was distant because he wanted to protect her, but the change was so abrupt that it felt shallow.
Even the ghouls didn’t have much of a purpose. They just… drifted around and occasionally acted protective of Olivia. I kept waiting for a twist that would tie everything together, but there was nothing. What you see in the synopsis is it. Gallant doesn’t feel complete. My original opinions of each character never changed because nothing happened that would make them change. It was so unsatisfying.
Everything seems so arbitrary and disconnected. There are rules about the Priors, rules about the wall (which is a strangely short wall, by the way—I’m still not sure what the purpose of a door is if you can just walk around the wall)... I don’t know why it has to be this way. I don’t know how the Prior ancestors fought what’s beyond the wall. It seems cheap never to give explicit reasons for why things are the way they are.
This may be personal preference, but nothing was creepy enough. Gallant was basically a regular house. The staff weren’t suspicious at all. Not even Matthew felt threatening, and he was supposed to be. Even the literal embodiment of Death didn’t feel creepy. What does this book want to be? A Gothic thriller? Because I’m not feeling that. It had the elements of classic Gothic-style fiction (my love!): a haunted house, a precocious child, mysterious paranormal activity, a dead parent’s journal… But they didn’t fit together somehow. The atmosphere was almost there, but I didn’t feel invested in any part of the book. The house wasn’t foreboding enough. The hints weren’t strong enough to actually form some meaningful connection by the end. The final confrontation was very underwhelming. I kept waiting for everything to come together, but the stakes felt incredibly low.
The writing was beautiful, though. So haunting and delicate and vivid. If only the quality of the content matched the quality of the prose.
1.5 stars -
Now a Goodreads Choice finalist in Young Adult Fantasy!!
A girl. A boy. A shadow with eyes. A door that won’t open. A place and its copy. Hidden rooms and hidden secrets. A shard of bone. And death itself.
Be honest, how many Victoria Schwab books do those last few lines remind you of? A lot of great authors have a distinct style, something that makes their books identifiable without having to name them, and clearly she falls into that category. Schwab has been a favorite of mine over the past year and after relentless begging I got a chance to read a friend’s advance copy. If there’s one thing I can expect from one of her books, it’s to be swept away to a world just as magical as it is vicious.
I really liked the premise. After being invited out of the blue by a mystery relative, Olivia moves from her dressed-up orphanage to a sprawling manor miles and miles away. The house has only three residents, two of them staff, and nobody seems willing to answer any of her burning questions. But it’s not just the house that’s sparsely populated; there doesn’t seem to be anyone living in the vicinity. The only thing that seems to be alive, breathing is an immense wall behind the back garden. Shadows don’t stick to it, and tangling grey vines attempt to poke their way through the structure, but still it calls to Olivia in a way she’s never felt before.
There’s a lot to like in Olivia Prior. She doesn’t speak, she’s never been able to, but there’s plenty to glean from her character besides dialogue. Schwab does an excellent job finding ways for her to express herself without uttering a single word. With bottomless curiosity and a ferocious streak when provoked, Olivia is the quintessential Schwab heroine. Unlikeable and an outsider to the society she lives in, but easy for the reader to root for. There are glimmers of some of these qualities in other characters in the book, but none that feel as fully developed as she is.
And that does seem to be my issue with this book. It’s just not a complete circle. Some things are delved into so deeply that I feel them coming to life around me, and others feel rushed through. The ending is also fairly abrupt for this level of magical build-up, to the point at the end I was wondering, ‘what was this all for?’
Do you know how how frustrating it is to read 90% of a great story? Victoria Schwab’s writing is just so damn engrossing—she gets her hooks into you all she needs is to give a slight yank and I’ll come running. When she gets a story right it’s absolutely right.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and
Vicious immediately come to mind. The writing and the characters are always consistently good from her, and the plot of those two is perfectly constructed. It’s just some of her books are missing something to make that perfect whole. All the ingredients are there, but it still doesn’t feel one hundred percent fully formed. I can’t even say what that extra 10% is or where is should go, just that it’s MIA.
Would I say read Gallant? Absolutely if you’re a Schwab fan, but I probably won’t have to tell my fellow Schwablins that. If you like old gothic mansions, ghosts & the paranormal and a quieter, creeping kind of magic, then you may enjoy this as well. But I’m still on the hunt for that incredible fantasy novel of 2022, and though I had hoped this would be that book—I’m going to have to keep looking.
**For more book talk & reviews,
follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks! -
THIS IS THE BOOK I WAS WAITING SOOOOO LONG!
AND NOW IT'S MY WEEKEND ESCAPADE!
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3,5/5
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Rated 2.5/5 stars
I honestly don’t have much to say on this but I guess that’s the point. It was fine, but forgettable. I feel like I’ve read this story a million times before, and honestly Schwab’s repeated return to the idea of there being a line between worlds to cross over featuring a girl very much like the ones in her other books is proving the key point in that. Sure, the writing was nice and the concept was cool. But I can just tell it’s going to be a forgettable one for me, sadly.
I think I’ll read Addie LaRue and then decide whether I just stick to Schwab’s adult books, or give up altogether. -
"I don’t know how to make you better.
I don’t know how to make you stay.
Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me.
I would write the words a thousand times if they’d be strong
enough to hold you here."
Well... That was something.
It was good but it didn't wow me🤷♀️
I really don't know what the point was of the plot. The story itself was not special or something I will remember. Not a lot happens in this book.
As someone who is not familiar with Schwab's works, her writing does hold lot of talent and I do see what the hype is all about. But Gallant could not impress me enough.
There were parts I enjoyed but there were parts which were simply put- bland. It did nothing for me. Gallant certainly has the creepy tones to it and you can actually visualise it, but it wasn't enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. The characters were flat. Something was missing throughout the read.
The illustrations and the cover are so good though 😍
Overall, a pretty decent read but nothing exceptional. I might try another of her books. -
Imagine giving a V.E. Schwab book a low rating… can’t be me.
This book was SO good and I truly am in love with V. E. Schwab’s writing. They write like a painter creates Impressionism - eloquently and filled with striking, beautiful details. It’s impossible to not be blown away.
The plot is slow for the larger part of the book but I personally don’t mind that as long as the main character is fully developed and intriguing (which Olivia is). Olivia Prior captured my heart and soul and I really love that even though she was mute, she still found a way to communicate with everyone around her. She didn’t just feel like words on paper and V.E. accomplishes that every time with her protagonists. The side characters (especially Matthew <3) were equally amazing, although I do wish we had more information about Hannah and Edgar. Anyway, I’d describe the plot as The Secret Garden meets The Haunting of Hill House/ Bly Manor , so if you like either of those, I highly reccomend Gallant.
Also, BIG shout out to Manuel Šumberac, the illustrator, because the illustrations were absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Seriously, I think this may be the prettiest book I own and that’s completely fine with me.
The only con I have about this novel is that even though it’s a slow plot (which is fine), things really rushed at the end and left me a bit confused- it’s like 90% of the story is at one pace and the last 10% is going full speed. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book and I will read every book that V.E Schwab writes as long as I read.
*4.5 stars :)
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I have a signed first edition!!
Not only did V.E. Schwab TOUCH this book, she SIGNED it. I am over the moon and this is now one of my prized possessions. -
Wow! This is a compulsively readable YA fantasy/horror novel that grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go.
It's the story of Olivia, who was sent to the Merilance School for Girls when her mother died, leaving her an orphan. She's mute, and no one knows sign language, so she's stuck in her own world. She has a unique ability--she can see ghouls that no one else can see. She receives a mysterious letter summoning her to Gallant, a place with a family she never knew existed and a family who is absolutely not expecting her to show up.
This book is very creepy, bit by bit things are revealed to Olivia and she unearths secret after secret. It is gothic, atmospheric, and contains a strong female lead sure to appeal to a teen audience, although adults should like the book as well. This book reminds me of a Guillermo del Toro movie--it has the right amount of mystery and the aforementioned gothic atmosphere, yet it's still quite approachable and easy to understand. I recently read another gothic-style horror novel (written for adults mind you)--
Sorrowland--and while that book was very impactful it was a difficult read that took a great deal of work for me to understand.
Fans of Schwab will adore this book, and if you're not already a fan and you like the genre, you should definitely check this one out.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. -
I'm about 20% into this one, and while the writing is lush and gorgeous, it's just not holding my attention at the moment. Going to put it aside and try again at a later date!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy. -
This was one of the most CHILL books I've read by VE SCHWAB and I'd love to see her give us more books like it. It was whimsical and dark and filled me with the same enchantment that fairytales do. I loved exploring the idea of homes and how home isn't necessarily tied to any one thing or any one person & you're able to control what you view as that safe space for yourself. I've always been a sucker for VE SCHWAB's books & I will continue to be just that.
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❤️⭐️Winner of Goodreads Award for Best Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi❤️⭐️
V.E. Schwab writes with a poetic beauty that reminds me of some of the finest authors of our time. This might be a grand statement, but it is that good. Schwab can make words flow like a clear stream of water in a quiet forest. Her language is soothing, without being overly flowery.
Gallant doesn't have a rich plot, but it does have well-developed characters. Oliva Prior, a non-verbal teen is trapped and abandoned in an orphanage after the death of her mother. She has no one, or that is what she has been told. When she receives a peculiar letter from a long lost relative telling her to come to live with them, Olivia is perplexed but also relieved. Finally, she gets to have a family, someone who will love her.
For a girl living in a quiet world, conversing with ghoul-like creatures through nods and gestures is a blessing and a curse. Olivia is drawn to the power of secrets and magic. What is real, what isn't? When she meets her cousin Mathew, she begins to learn more about the mystery, the hidden garden, and the wall beyond the path. She holds on to a journal written by her mother, trying to piece together the story of her family and her mother's past.
"Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source"
Gallant is dark, tragic, and heartbreaking, but also warm and moving. The basic desire to belong and be loved is so fundamental to human nature. That is all Olivia wants.
Many reviewers found this book to be creepy/scary, but I would call it gothic fantasy. It's not a romance, but a story of fighting death, literally. I kept thinking of the movie Coraline and The Secret Garden while reading Gallant. These two movies together were a unique vibe I was able to conjure.
Overall, Gallant was an enchanting fantasy read that would appeal to adults as well as YA readers. The elegant writing is enough to capture your senses.
5/5 Stars.
Check out my other reviews:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Vicious -
Update 6/23/21
Ooo I'm really liking this cover, kind of reminds me on an Atlas or like old maps.
- - -
No idea what this is supposed to be about, but it’s V.E. Schwab so I’ll add it first and ask questions later lol -
Although I remember liking books by V. E. Schwab when I was a teenager the last couple of books I’ve picked up by her left me feeling rather underwhelmed. My reading tastes have definitely changed over the years but I hoped that I would always be able to appreciate her storytelling. I was sold on Gallant when I saw that it was being compared to Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro and boy oh boy was I disappointed to discover that it was just a very tame take on the Gothic genre. I was hoping for something Dark a la Coraline or in the vein of Pan’s Labyrinth but what we have here is a very cheesy and vanilla attempt at crafting a Gothic tale. The story stars the classic Schwab female protagonist, ie, Not Like Other Girls (Schwab's books always leave me with the impression that they barely pass the Bechdel test). Olivia Prior is an orphan who has grown up in Merilance School for girls where she is mistreated by everyone for being mute. She also has a bit of a temper because she isn’t afraid of getting back at the mean girls and of ignoring her school’s rules. What a #girlboss. Anyway, Olivia’s only source of solace comes from her mother’s diary which details her descent into ‘madness’. Sections from her diary are interspersed throughout the narrative and these were truly over the top in their sensationalistic language and imagery. Olivia receives a letter from an uncle who says he wants her to come home to their family home of Gallant. When she arrives she discovers that her only living relative, her cousin Matthew, doesn’t want her there. Oh, I forgot, Olivia also sees ghouls. This aspect is sometimes forgotten and for the majority of the story appears only to crank up the Gothic mood. Nothing happens. Olivia’s inner monologue is as interesting as watching paint dry would be. She has no distinct personality even if the author tries to make her into this bold heroine who will not let people like those mean girls or her cold cousin tell her where she belongs. There are two other side characters who also live at Gallant and take care of Matthew and the property. Despite the small cast (you would think that more time was paid to developing these characters), the author doesn’t succeed in making these characters into compelling and or three-dimensional characters. Olivia is so vanilla as to be entirely forgettable. Her defining characteristic is that she’s an orphan and that she is mute. Personally, I don’t think it's great that these things are made to be her ‘personality’ and Schwab incurs the risk of portraying mutism as a sign of ‘specialness’ (she can see ghouls, she’s not like other girls etc…). This kind of thing feels dated tbh. Olivia spends her time at Gallant being rather nosy about the past and Matthew and those two older characters are clearly keeping something away from her. Olivia re-reads her mother’s journal in an attempt to uncover the truth behind her ‘madness’ and the secretive behaviour of the last inhabitants of Gallant.
I foolishly thought that this was going to be a parallel/portal fantasy but this doesn’t come into play until the 60% mark or so. Which…by then my interest had already waned and died. The ‘villain’ has barely any page time and because of that I did not really feel creeped out by them. I did not feel the stakes and found myself skim-reading the last couple of pages just so I could be done with it all.
The tone was very Middle Grade which could have worked if the author had gone for a more ambiguous overall tone (like Gaiman does in Coraline) but I found her portrayal of her heroine and the villain simplistic indeed. The blurb makes it sound as if Olivia is taken by them but that was not the case at all. Even a Disney villain has more nuance than this one.
We have a poorly established setting (vaguely historical period in…england? i think? they name a few english counties/towns but if it was it was not convincing at all, the characters express themselves in a very un-English manner) and Gallant itself lacked oomph. There were too many descriptions that relied on very predictable imagery and the language too drove me up the walls. Whisper here, whisper there. Metaphors involving smoke, secrets, whispers, and shadows abound. There was no subtlety or variation whatsoever. The house(s) did not feel ominous or atmospheric.
While I can get behind books that are very aesthetic focused (such books by Holly Black and Seanan McGuire) they have to have the prose to back that up. But here disappointingly enough given Schwab's usually stylish storytelling, the writing was flat. Because of this, the atmosphere felt flat too and the Gothic mood never truly convinced me.
I also have a bias against books where the main female characters have no meaningful relationship with other girls her age. And in fact, they are shown to be jealous, petty, and mean towards her even if she’d done ‘nothing wrong’. Like, can we put a stop to this girls-hating-girls trend in YA? Thank you.
A dull heroine, a slow-moving and predictable storyline, poorly developed secondary characters and setting…Gallant proved itself to be a milquetoast affair. I was hoping for a more mature tone and a more complex world-building and Gallant offered quite the opposite. A cheesy take on Gothic and the kind of flowery writing that is kind-of-pretty only if you post random quotes with no context on tumblr.
This was a forgettable and lacklustre readbut just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean that you shouldn't give it a try.
find me on: ❀
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“Free-a small word for such a magnificent thing. I don't know what it feels like, but I want to find out.”
~ Rating- 2 stars ~
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Ableism & ableist language, Parental abandonment, Child abuse & neglect, Mutism, Nightmares, Alcoholism, (implied), Blood depiction, Bullying, Death of a brother by knife violence recounted, Death of a mother & father mentioned, Death of a cousin (on-page), Graphic animal death (crow, cat), Murder, Knife & sword violence, Strangulation {
Source}
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.
-Mention of some of these in the review-
“Safe does not mean happy, does not mean well, does not mean kind.”
Gallant, by
V.E. Schwab is my seventh book by this author. I didn't really have high expectations when I went it to it, as the premise didn't grip me as much, but I had not anticipated to dislike this book so much. I had hoped it would at least be a 3 star read, but the book left me completely uninterested and unbothered. I did not enjoy it at all.
“Every house has secrets”
Gallant is about Olivia Prior, who has grown up in Merilance School for girls. All Olivia has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. When she gets a letter from her uncle inviting her to Gallant, she can't help but accept. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways. Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, which she is determined to find out.
“When people see tears, they stop listening to your hands or your words or anything else you have to say. And it doesn't matter if the tears are angry or sad, frightened or frustrated. All they see is a girl crying.”
My thoughts:
➼Gallant was very disappointing.
➼The moment I started Gallant, my first thought was "I've read this story before!"
➼Everything about Gallant reads like a cliché YA book. It has nothing unique to offer, apart from the representation. It felt like a typical Schwab story.
➼I've noticed that all of Schwab's stories have a very standard format. This is not always a bad thing, as it could be the authors style, except in this case I am getting bored of reading the same thing every time I pick up Schwab.
➼All of Schwab's plots are similar, centered around death, and all of them have the exact same kind of female protagonist; one who is 'unique', 'special', and 'not like other girls'. Its annoying how the character archetypes are so similar; Lila Bard, Kate Harker, Sydney, Serena and Addie, to name a few.
➼If I had to compare all of them, I can barely think of any differences. They all act the same way, say the same things, and none of them form any lasting female friendships with other characters. In fact, this is pretty much the only kind of female characters I see in Schwab's work. Ones who are dethatched from their emotions and act in a 'traditionally masculine' way.
➼There's nothing wrong with characters like that! I love reading about them! But if they are the only characters that appear in Schwab's work, its a bit disheartening, especially because the 'traditionally feminine' characters are always painted in a bad light, either as the 'bullies' or the 'annoying girls obsessed with make-up and dresses'.
➼I want Schwab to try out writing different characters and stop presenting the exact same thing to us. I'd love to see some amazing female friendships as well, because I don't see that in Schwab's work either.
➼Apart from that, the plot of Gallant is incredibly boring. There is a little bit that happens in the first 20-30 pages, and after that we get nothing but descriptions of a house. Which can be fun! If its done well. That was unfortunately not the case here.
➼Nothing happened in the entire book. No major plot twists, no big interesting revelations, no jaw-dropping moments. Just nothing.
➼There is a bit of action towards the end, but it gets wrapped up very quickly and we barely experience it.
➼I already talked about the characters, but apart from the kind of cliché MC Olivia, we have 3 other characters- all of whose names I have forgotten and all of whom had no personality.
➼We also have a villain who doesn't get introduced until 60%. The villain was meant to be terrifying and scary, but he too had no personality.
➼I have no idea what the world building was, because we barely get any details on how the magic functions, how it exists and how it works. We have a magical house, ghouls and magic powers, except they don't really serve any purpose in the story. They fade into the background, until they suddenly pop up, do xyz the plot needs it to, and promptly fade back into the background. It was so annoying.
➼I wanted to feel connected to the characters, be immersed in their storylines, but I just felt a whole load of nothing towards them. I was so unaffected. At one point, I almost feel asleep while reading the book.
➼I'm also not sure who exactly the target audience and age group for this book was either. It is marketed as adult, but it reads like middle grade.
➼The writing style was the only saving grace of this book. I've never had complaints with Schwab's writing, and fortunately this was no exception.
➼The audiobook narration was also pretty good, and this would be a great starting point if you are new to audiobooks.
“Olivia Prior has never been a quiet girl. She has always made a point of making noise, everywhere she goes, in part to remind people that just because she cannot speak, does not mean that she is silent, and in part because she simply likes the weight of sound, likes the way it takes up space.”
Overall, Gallant was a very boring read. I may pick up more books by this author, but I'm slowly loosing interest in her content.
“She has declared it a reading day, she says. Nothing else to do when the weather turns.”
Sorry for the short and vague review. I'm trying to clear up my 'to be reviewed', which currently has 145+ books so I'll be writing short reviews like this for popular books/ books I gave 2-3 stars.
BR with
Maddie!
Review written on 27th May, 2022.
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DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/was average/Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/new favourite
..............................
2 stars. BR with Maddie. RTC! -
Perhaps you are haunting me.
What a comforting thought.
Maybe it's you in the darkness.
I swear I've seen it move.
Let me begin by breaking one of my own rules: I very rarely compare one book to another, but Gallant reminded me of the eerie, atmospheric melancholy and overwhelming familial love that Neil Gaiman brought us with The Graveyard Book, and knowing that V is a big fan of Gaiman's, I don't think they would mind me saying that any fan of The Graveyard Book NEEDS a copy of Gallant in their lives. (Except, honestly, I liked Gallant even more than TGB.) I adored the mixture of tragedy and homecoming, the helpful ghouls and sinister forces, and our lonely, lovable protagonist. Most of all, I loved the prose and how V let their poetic nature positively shine in this story. One of my copies of this book is absolutely full of page tabs to mark so many of the quotes that resonated with me.Last night I went beyond the wall. And I met Death.
I wanted Gallant to be a real place and wanted to visit it, to soak in its sad, eerie darkness. I loved the estate, the descriptions of it and its characters as well, and how broken and lonely they all were in their own ways. I also was so pleased by the fact that Olivia was mute and spoke in sign language, as that's something we so rarely see in stories (alongside the implication that she was ace and aro). Truly, all of these characters just meant so much to me and my heart ached for them all. I wanted to climb into the pages and protect these poor souls.But there are lower powers, stranger ones, and there in the dark, behind the door, she prays to them.
I wish I could review this book in a way that does it justice, but I simply can't because it's too close to my heart. V's writing has this way of sinking into my bones and holding me hostage a little more every time I read one of their works, and every single time I turn the final page in a V.E. Schwab title, I find myself in awe at the impact their writing has had on me. I love this book so much and I recommend it with my whole heart, and I know it's the kind of story that I'm going to re-visit time and time again in the future. Something about it feels timeless like that.
✨ Representation: Olivia is mute, uses sign language, and is implied to be asexual and aromantic; Matthew is implied to be dyslexic
✨ Content warnings for:
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
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Well, damn! I just didn’t care for it, but I’m glad if you did!
The audio narrator was good, but this just read like a middle grade book that was just ok.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 -
PURE LOVE👀
•
Ta książka dopracowana jest pod każdym względem. Mroczna, nieoczywista, świetnie poprowadzona, a przy tym tak zachwycająca!!! Jestem ogromnie zakochana w tej historii! Dołącza do moich ulubieńców!
•
Po rereadzie kocham jeszcze mocniej, a tłumaczenie jest fantastyczne. -
This book is weird, as I was expecting it to be. The writing is just …. ahh it’s so nice. It’s not too purple or flowery, but still lyrical.
I just picture Olivia as Wednesday Addams 😂 she’s literally described the same way!
On the subject of Olivia, I think her mutism is a needed representation. I’ve read basically no books where the main character uses sign language to communicate. I am endlessly grateful that Olivia’s mutism wasn’t magically cured by the end of the book, like it probably would have in the hands of a different author.
My main gripe is with the overall structure. Yes, I know it is marketed as middle grade, but the author said it fits into multiple age ranges. This isn’t really true. It feels very, very MG. This isn’t bad, just not what I was led to believe.
3.5 stars
SPOILERS BELOW:
Is Death supposed to be Luc? I’m just going to continue thinking that he is, idk what anyone says. -
ANTES DE APAGAR LA LUZ, MIRA DEBAJO DE TU CAMA, porque no sabes cuándo un monstruo saldrá y te comerá😱
NO HABLES.
NO HAGAS NINGÚN RUIDO.
INTENTA PASAR DESAPERCIDIDA.
🌹Escoge el silencio en vez de las palabras.
Porque esto es un cuento, un cuento de los de antes, de los que se contaban alrededor del fuego, cuando lo único que importaba era el crepitar de la hoguera y el retumbar de tu corazón, ansioso por oír el final de la historia.
AHORA
MANTEN LA RESPIRACIÓN UN SEGUNDO
E INTENTA NO MIRAR FIJAMENTE A LAS SOMBRAS...
Porque este cuento está lleno de monstruos y de rosas con afiladas espinas...🌹
¿Te atreves a adentrarte en GALLANT? -
Great atmosphere and one of my favourite things about V.E. Schwab is that she writes across different (mainly) fantasy subgenres, but I feel like the story of this one was ultimately forgettable
