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.” 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. But one day, out of the blue, she receives a letter from an uncle she never knew she had, asking her to come home to Gallant, where she is wanted and loved. Gallant. The one place her mother warned her never to go in the only letter she wrote her infant daughter.

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 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. 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.

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. 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.

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 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.

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'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. 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. 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?’

Shadows have always fascinated V. E. Schwab and they have never been more present than in Gallant, her newest young adult novel. 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. 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.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. 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.

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.

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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. 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. 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. 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.