I haven't read anything by V.E. Schwab since I first read A Darker Shade of Magic in 2015, before I realized I had stumbled onto a series that only had its first book published and promptly forgot to follow up on the other books. That being said, I remember enjoying her writing style and that still holds true with this book. Gallant is a slow moving book and it relies more on the vibes and world that it's created than on plot beats, but I think that suits the story Schwab is trying to tell. It feels like a dull, rainy day in late autumn and a dark mirror of The Secret Garden.

I don't know whether fans of Schwab's other works will enjoy this one as much, but I think fans of the darker elements of something like Over the Garden Wall can find something to appreciate. 

Thanks to the UK publisher, Titan, for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read my full review here: https://readingthroughinfinity.com/2022/03/08/book-review-gallant/

Gallant is a place that creeps into the hearts and souls of the Prior family and takes up space in their bones. Just like its namesake, this book will creep into your mind and take up residence, even after you’ve finished reading.

I’m still thinking about this book several weeks after reading it, particularly because of it’s haunting, evocative writing style. One of the standout aspects of Victoria Schwab novels is always her writing style and Gallant is no different.

The narrative is atmospheric, dark, and melodic, creating a tension that unfurls out of the story and into the set of our shoulders as we read. This sinister feeling is pervasive, beginning when Olivia arrives at Gallant and never dissipating until we reach the story’s final conclusion.

The narrative style of this novel doesn’t perhaps pack the same punch and power of A Darker Shade of Magic or Vicious, but it’s not meant to.

This is more of a character-driven story about the ambience of an old house and the history of the Prior family and for that we need evocative prose, which is exactly what Schwab gives us.

The plot is linear and relatively simple and the pacing is on the slow side, but this feels purposeful; Olivia is gradually uncovering the dark secrets of the house and so are we.

Olivia herself is an inherently curious, contemplative character. She communicates non-verbally throughout the novel, meaning she doesn’t speak orally but uses sign language, drawings, writing, and gestures to communicate. Inside the Master’s house, she discovers that she needs only to think of something and the ghouls there respond to her.

The novel explores themes of home, family, grief, and loss in detail, focusing especially on the idea that home is sometimes as much about the people as it is about the place. The illustrations in the book beautifully compliment the descriptions of Olivia's mother's journal and they take on even more significance when we find out a key piece of information later on in the story.

Overall, Gallant is a book that crosses genres as part-thriller, part-fantasy, part murder mystery. I would have liked more from the magic/supernatural aspects of the world building and felt there were a few missed opportunities for twists or further subplots, but on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. The narrative style is engrossing and the mystery of the house and the Prior family will keep you hooked to the very end. 

Content warnings for bullying, parental abandonment, suicide (off-page) and discussions of suicide, discussions of eating disorders and weight loss, death, death of a parent, death of a sibling, emotional manipulation, violence.

3.25 stars 
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TW: Death of a parent, Death, Animal Death, Ableism, Bullying, Grief, Suicide
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Olivia Prior has spent most of her life in Merilance School for Girls, she spends most of her days reading her mother's journal which spirals into madness. One day Olivia receives a letter from a long-lost relative she wasn't aware of - urging her to come home to Gallant. This leads to Olivia packing her bags and leaving the only life she's ever known, yet when she arrives no one is expecting her. The relative who wrote the letter is long gone, leaving her with her cousin Matthew who does not want her there, correction refuses to let her stay there.

As someone who loves V.E. Schwab's writing, I had high hopes for this - the plot was such a unique concept, and loved all the artistry throughout the pages. For a magical world, I wanted more. I wanted more magic, clearer explanations, and an ending that didn't feel rushed. The plot is very straightforward, Olivia must go over the wall to save who she believes to be a cousin when everything goes wrong, it is up to her to save the future of Gallant.

I will say, had this book been longer, it could have led to a world of possibilities. The ending felt a little lackluster for all the buildup. On that note, I will say I loved how Olivia communicated with those around her, if you're looking for a YA intro to fantasy I would highly suggest picking up this book. 

 Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! While I haven’t read all of VE Schwab’s work, I’ve read a good chunk of it. So, this is definitely an anticipated release for me! And I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint.

Let me start off by saying that I wasn’t expecting this to get as spooky as it does? For that reason, I felt like it’s better suited for a fall release rather than a spring release. But I digress! Schwab does an excellent job setting the eerie tone for this book. It’s incredibly atmospheric, and there’s almost always a sense that something’s off when Olivia enters Gallant. You can almost feel the tension in the air as she tries to find her place in this new house.

However, I did want a bit more out of the characters. Olivia is pretty well fleshed out, but the rest of the cast of characters felt pretty one dimensional to me. I specifically wanted some of the house members to be a bit more rounded out, which would have added even more to the overall atmosphere of the book.

The ending also felt a bit abrupt, and I don’t know if that was just me or if it was a pacing thing. I just wanted a little more resolution at the end, something that helped bring a little more sense of closure to the Gallant house.

All in all, if you’re ready for a spooky read in March, I’d definitely recommend checking this out! Especially if you’re a fan of VE Schwab; this is a great addition to her ever growing list of works! 

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Dark and foreboding and wonderfully atmospheric, I almost feel like this would have been better suited as a fall release rather than a spring one. I 100% was sucked into this story, even if the ending felt a bit abrupt. Stay tuned for a full review to come next week!

ARC from work

I actually don't really know how to review this one. It gives me definite horror vibes, and horror is just one of those genres that I don't read, and while it did leave me feeling unsettled a lot of the time I did like the characters and the premise and just the general intrigue that Schwab's writing brought.

The ending I found to be really satisfying, which was a bit surprising given what happens, but like... it gave me some closure for Olivia??? It was nice???

Once I reached a certain point in the book it gave some STRONG Coraline vibes, which is open to interpretation of whether it's one of the book's merits or not (having been traumatised as a child, this didn't make me feel great necessarily)

The main character uses sign language!!! I really enjoyed some of the reflections on how people who don't communicate in the "standard" way think and feel in a world that's not designed for them. However, I'll just mention that because of this, we witness a bit of ableism that personally incites RAGE.

Okay you guys... YOU GUYS??? I know that love V.E. Schwab with every fibre of my being and have adore most of her work (so yea, I guess take this with a grain of salt) BUT I genuinely think this is a really fun and beautiful story. I started this book this morning and just finished it right now because I absolutely adored this! It is quite a simple story - the novel is a spooky, atmospheric tale that follows a young girl discovering and defending her home for the first time. This definitely has Schwab's signature style. When you step into the world, you immediately feel as though you are within her writing. The atmosphere throughout the entire novel was immaculate and kept me flying through the pages because I could not put it down. I'm interested to see how people feel about this book once it releases because I can see some minor complaints with the ending but it really did not bother me. If you love gothic mansions, secret gardens, and haunted families I would highly recommend this book (and all of Schwab's work TBH).

“Something wriggles inside her then, half terror and half thrill. Like when you take the stairs too fast and almost slip. The moment when you catch yourself and look down at what could have happened, some disaster narrowly escaped.”

This, like many is VE’s books, definitely has a slow burn first half. I quite enjoy this about her work, though, because the sudden moment when it all comes together is that much more exciting when I’ve got a firm grasp on the character and world in which the story takes place! In Gallant, there is a sense of quiet dread that kind of lurks just beyond what the reader can see. The paranormal-gothic vibes are on point, complete with a slowly decaying mansion, mysterious tenants who evade questioning, skulking ghouls, a remote countryside with nary a creature in sight, and a crumbling garden wall with a door that seems to lead to nowhere.

The reader is inside the head of a protagonist who cannot speak, and we have the benefit of having access to her internal voice, ponderings, and confusion. She’s a character with depth and ferocity, and much like Schwab’s previous female protagonists, she’s unconventional and you can’t help but love her. I do tend to prefer the author’s older, adult characters, but I felt like Olivia was well-written. I enjoyed her curiosity, her stubbornness, and her internal sarcasm!

I do wish that we’d gotten more of the other characters fleshed out. Since this isn’t supposed to be part of a series, I’m hoping that VE will put out some short stories and/or a graphic novel that delves into the lives of the others residing on the premises, because I have so many questions about them! I also wish the ending had a little bit more conflict and depthto it. The last few chapters felt really quick, and I would have liked to have a bit…more.

Overall I quite enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it for those who enjoy middle-grade-to-YA books with hauntingly eerie atmospheres.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and VE Schwab for this advanced reader copy!