You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

9 reviews

pluckedstrings's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kgreer's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was such a good read, the spookiness and the mystery kept me engaged until the last page. The added element that the main character could not communicate with spoken word propelled the story forward: it added to the suspense, kept the mystery going, and allowed the worlds to develop in ways that it wouldn’t otherwise. 


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ayoung720's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, I felt like it was a great introduction to darker fantasy when I'm more used to "wizard and orc" fantasy. The world building was great, the main character is amazing, the role of her muteness in telling the story is fascinating - I never thought a mute character could say so much through internal thoughts. The setting is beautifully described and I'm sure it's even better for its intended YA audience. 

HOWEVER, I have a gripe with the last 15 pages... Essentially everything the main characters do is completely irrelevant? They hatch a rescue plan but then William dies, Olivia nearly dies, Death escapes but then is recaptured, and everything ends the same way it started except now Olivia is in charge of keeping Death locked behind the door instead of William? It just felt incredibly inconclusive. The only "change" is Olivia's realization of her powers which felt completely underdeveloped. 

I still enjoyed the book overall and am excited to read more of Schwab's works, but the ending has definitely knocked my rating a bit .
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

taffysnail's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Definitely an interesting read to explore deeper but nothing that'll change the way you think or something you'll remember for years to come. I do like the overall concept but I feel like it could've been executed better. Also, if you're like me and you're irked by grammatical errors this might not be the book for you. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

leonormsousa's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

diana_raquel's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Home is a choice."

Talk about impulse buying! I was browsing the shelves of a bookshop when I noticed this book! I have read other books by V.E. Schwab but didn't know what to expect from this book. But it was a pleasant surprise, mainly because I actually liked a story with horror elements. Usually, horror isn't something that I tend to gravitate toward, but I really liked this book. Maybe because the horror elements are mixed with other elements that I like, such as mystery elements and a darker tone.  The characters are well-developed and well-written. The story has good pacing and is well structured. I also liked the fact that the illustrations themselves are also part of the story and not only accessories, a means to show the scenes. To tell the truth, I think that  V.E. Schwab was the potential to become a must-read author to me since I really liked every book that I read by her. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A hauntingly beautiful story of redemption, belonging, and the love of family. This book was very different from Addie Larue, but the storytelling is just as rich and luxurious and the images painted by the author come to life as you read. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jesselopod's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

vee_the_tree's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Expand filter menu Content Warnings