Alright, I get it. I finally understand why everyone was falling over themselves to get to this book. It's great. An orphan who sees ghouls, and finds her way to Gallant. An estate with a sorted history. She is mute and the adventure that is coming, so one could prepare her for. 

It is beautiful, Gothic, mysterious, and atmospheric. I devoured this book and will probably do it again. Highly recommend. 

My favorite horror stories are both sad and spooky. This is an amazing marriage of both. 

This novel is like a dark and creepy fairytale for adults without the morality twist. It wasn’t deep tale but it was entertaining and enjoyable although

I would have liked a more conclusive ending, a greater resolution or even a better hook where my imagination could have run wild with what may have happened next

. It was exactly what I wanted to read right now, an easy to read, fast paced story which isn’t an epic multi-book journey but instead a self contained plot. The descriptions and atmosphere in the book are beautifully crafted, and I enjoyed it for the vibe more than the plot itself. The perfect thing to read after binge watching Sandman and then listening to the Stardust audiobook. 

Olivia grew up in an orphanage with nothing but her mother's very confusing journal to connect her to anyone else. Unable to speak and surrounded by people unable to sign, she's alone. Even the ghosts, that only she can see, are silent. Then, a letter arrives from a family she never knew she had.

A young adult gothic novel which features a character who struggles within an ableist institution, doesn't needlessly info dump, and doesn't waste time telling the story. Would love to see this as a movie or limited series. Quality storytelling. 

This a quick little read for me, and one that I enjoyed very much. A little creepy, a little Romantic, this book is both cozy and cold. A wonderful dark companion for a rainy day, should you need one. V. E. Schwab is a beautiful master of prose, and the juxtaposition of beauty and horror in this story is fantastic. I think some of the mystery and drama could have been drawn out, but the pace certainly did not break my engagement or enjoyment!

This book would make a FANTASTIC movie!

Stated by V.E. Schwab herself: "This is not a fairy tale, it is a death tale" and if I had to sum up Gallant in one sentence, that would be it. Yet again, Schwab has imagined, built and woven together every intricate detail that creates the unique history and entity of Gallant. Usually I am not a big fan of books deemed creepy or spooky but I did enjoy reading this! The build up and mystery surrounding Olivia, her past, her family and of course, Gallant. 

Gallant was well written and kept me intrigued.  Every word is carefully chosen, and every turn of phrase conjures up images that I am rendered speechless. Gallant is such a visual story and would make a fantastic TV series adaptation. I was also very impressed with how the character of Olivia was written as non-verbal as it is not the type of representation seen in many books and I do feel that the usual stereotypes are avoided. 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. Growing up with family members who used sign language, I was also pleasantly surprised to find the character of Edgar able to sign and give Olivia that recognition and communication that she needed.

Some of my favourite quotes include:

 “But the truth is, death is everywhere. Death comes for the roses and the apples, it comes for the mice and the birds. It comes for us all. Why should death stop us from living?” 

 “It is the difference between a language spoken and one signed, the mouth shaping words while the hands shape more, words and thoughts and feelings.” 

The main reason I did not rate this book 5 stars was because I felt the ending was too quick. Schwab is by far my favourite author and I am used to her novels having a slower build and quicker ending but even for her, I felt this was just a little too quick. Nevertheless, I still really enjoyed reading all about Olivia Prior and would definitely like a prequel all about the first battle of Gallant and the Priors.