V.E. Schwab

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. #1 New York Times-bestselling author Victoria Schwab weaves a dark and original tale about the place where the world meets its shadow, and the young woman beckoned by both sides. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak in this stand-alone novel perfect for readers of Holly Black and Neil Gaiman.

Gallant

Inés

“I am so happy. I am so scared. The two, it turns out, can walk together, hand in hand.“

Her blood stands for her mother in the “real world” who is made out of flesh and blood that calls out for her to run and be safe.

Her bones are her father in the “world beyond the wall” who is made out of ash and bones. It calls out to Olivia and tells her to stay in the world where her father belonged to and where she should stay.

Emma

Levi-Mae 

, it seems to say, and she places her hands, just like he showed her, and begins, haltingly, to play.’

“Olivia,” he says softly, fingers twitching. She takes his hand, bows her head close. “Stay,” he whispers. “Until I fall asleep.” 

She grits her teeth against tears and nods. “I don’t…” He falters then, swallows. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Olivia,” he says, “you are a prior.” 

The words ripple through her. Matthew swallows and says again, “Stop him.” 

Olivia nods. She forced herself to rise and turn to the garden and storm up the path, ready to face death.

Edgar stands his ground. “Death comes for everything.” 

‘Priors, just like the ghouls beyond the wall, the ones who never made it home.’

“Or perpetual it was always what it is—a destructive force—it doesn’t matter. At some point, the thing in the dark grew hungry. It realised that it was living in the shadow of the world. And it wanted out.”

‘She turns and looks at the house that isn’t Gallant. 

‘Olivia hugs the journals to her front and slips out, wondering how many ghouls there are at Gallant. One for every gravestone? Do the dead always come home?’

“Put the right words into the world,” he says, “never know what you’ll catch.” 

“A place this wild, the outside is always trying to get in.” 

“Old houses,” says Edgar, following her gaze. “Full of sounds you don’t quite hear, and things you don’t quite see.” 

‘She has never had a family, and now she has a tree.’ 

‘Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me. I could write the words a thousand times if they’d be strong enough to hold you here.’

The two, it turns out, can walk together. hand in hand. 

 to scream, not in pain but sheer exasperated fury that there was so much noise inside her, and she could not let it out.’

‘Once, in a fit of frustration, she flung her hand out at a nearby ghoul, but her fingers went straight through. No eerie draft against her skin, not even the breath of something in the air. She felt better then, knowing it was not real enough, not 

 enough, to do more than smile or scowl or sulk.’ 

A place for all things, and all things in their place. 

‘People assume a lot of things about Olivia. 

‘Now it doesn’t matter what Olivia says. No one knows how to listen.’ 

‘Olivia plans a hundred different futures, but every night, she is still there, climbing into the narrow bed in the crowded room in the house that is not, and will never be, a home. And every morning she wakes up in the same place.’ 

‘How to exist in a world that does not want you. How to be a ghost in someone else’s home.’

From the Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and A Darker Shade of Magic comes a standalone novel where The Secret Garden meets Stardust.

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she's never met, her father's older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don't go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood…

I enjoyed it at the start, especially because it was so fast paced and quick. But then, it started getting confusing, and at the end, I was like what the hell is going on. I still don't understand quite what happened. 

surtified™

Took me only a couple of hours to read. Should have been a novella. The story was not really super exiting. Loved the worldbuilding and Schwab knows how to paint a villan. The story could also have been only a shortstory, actually it does feel like a short story more than a book. BUT i love Schwabs writing. It is so melodicaly and poetic. I guess the book is just vibes, Vibes, Vibes. 

Celina Irena Kuhn

matthew dying killed most of my love for it i fear, felt cheap 

envie,

kelsey

** spoiler alert **
           3.5 stars*

the end really brought that rating up just a little. i honestly cried when matthew died. he was my favorite :(

loved this a LOT! super spooky, fast paced, creepy fantasy i love you

arwen

I think maybe, at a different time i would’ve absolutely loved this book. I just think i wasn’t in a mood for a book like this. The story definitely had some potential, but i also feel like i needed more of a backstory, more information and more of the characters. Although i liked our main character, i didn’t feel connected to her or anyone else. Which meant my heart wasn’t really in it. As i said, i think if i was in a better mood to read this, i would’ve adored all parts of it.

Aimee :)

From the Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and A Darker Shade of Magic comes a standalone novel where The Secret Garden meets Stardust. Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don’t go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood...

Holly

Isabella 

i love schwab's writing so much. very engaging, immersive-- i was drawn into the world. i like the illustrations and the overall atmosphere of the book. however, i wish this was written for an adult fiction. i wanted it to explore more of the darker themes. i enjoyed this book so much!! and its a very quick read!!

akynn 

4.45 Stars

why does v e schwab always do this to me

Number one New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab spins a dark, original tale about our world -- full of life -- a world that mirrors it -- haunted by death -- and the manor that stands between them. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak in this novel perfect for readers of Holly Black and Neil Gaiman. 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 unravelled 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? New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab crafts a vivid and lush novel that grapples with the demons that are often locked behind closed doors. An eerie, standalone saga about life, death, and the young woman beckoned by both. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Melissa Albert, and Garth Nix will quickly lose themselves in this novel with crossover appeal for all ages.

Renae Morran

Interesting descriptions and beautiful sentences:The mansion, The secret garden,The world of death and... but it was not a  good story and it was boring.

Shidehdeishidi

Hannah DCamp

I'm not usually a fan of horror (even middle grade horror, which this definitely is), but the writing was so vibrant and beautiful that I didn't even care. This book had literal ghouls and lots of sneaking around in big, old mansions, and it just radiated creepiness and I loved it. I like my vibes pristine, and here they definitely were 👌

I loved to see a main character who was mute and used sign language to communicate; I was two-thirds of the way through the book when I realized the potential consequences of that choice as a writer. In conjunction with the decision to include such minimal dialogue, the writing could have easily become description heavy, florid, and unengaging, but it was never that. And it doesn't even really feel like there's not much dialogue as you're reading because of other skillful choices on Schwab's part. I was on the edge of my seat (or leaning forward in it?) at several moments. Olivia had an engaging, endearing voice and I loved her.

My only complaint I suppose would be that so many of the characters at Gallant were just witholding information from her for no reason, and this dragged on for longer than I appreciated. All they had to do was turn so they couldn't see what she was saying, or change the subject, or walk away; only one of them understood sign language anyway, so it was devastating to have this moment of relief when she meets someone who knows sign language and then to have him ignore her so much. This ends up being an important catalyst for the story, (view spoiler)[because she finds her mother's journal and ends up going beyond the wall to find answers for herself if no one will explain, (hide spoiler)] but it was really frustrating from a story standpoint - and eye-opening from a character standpoint.

I think Matthew was my favorite because he was just a little crazy and definitely shouldering more than a kid should have to. That always makes for a fun time. (view spoiler)[ How ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING IS IT that he's killed?? They both had the chance to be with family again. *cries* (hide spoiler)]

I have no distracted thoughts from this read, so here are some happy potatoes

Tatiana

Gallant: 4/5

VE Schwab DOES IT AGAIN FOLKS!! Gallant is best described as The Secret Garden meets Coraline with a bit more of a gothic twist to it. 

Schwab somehow weaves her words into a 300+ page poem that plays like a movie in the readers' heads. I cannot describe the emotion she evokes from her stories, you just have to experience it for yourself. Gallant is no exception. It is a work of art that is literally painted for you on the pages.

The illustrations and how the plot slowly unfolds for the reader keep us on the edge of our seats and begging for more. Although slow at times, the epigraphs and mysterious letters keep the reader pushing forward until all answers are revealed at the very end. 

Schwab is masterful at writing and it truly shines in the epic-ness that is Gallant. It is an incredible feat and an absolute blast to read.

Janice

I will admit that when I started reading this book I wasn't aware of the genre other than that it's YA Fantasy. So when I was around page 90 I thought "well maybe this is a bit scary" and then it turned out that it's also classified as horror. Horror and I don't mix. But I finished the book and apart from one eerie scene it wasn't all that scary, didn't get any nightmares so if you're like me and scare easily then you can read the book. But, do finish it soon so your mind won't start to wander xD

Anyway, onto the story. I think the idea is really cool, but I feel like it's set up to be a series but the element that would have normally made it into a series was resolved in about 75 pages or so? So that was disappointing. Also, the story is rather flat. And while Schwab makes use of all the fancy words and the descriptions that authors use, it just failed to captivate me. Even the sad parts didn't really matter to me and I'm usually a very emotional reader. So, although this book wasn't all that bad, I have certainly read better books so a 3 it is.

I think V. E Schwab has this habit of making slow-paced books that hold really deep thoughts and messages compared to the plot/character development that you either hate it or love it. I'm glad to say I'm with the second group this time as well

 Gallant, at first, seems to be the type of book about a girl that's “not like the other girls”. She doesn't care about her appearance, she doesn't care about love, she doesn't care about being friendless but, most of all, she can see ghouls—spirits of the dead. However, as the story develops, and we get to see more of Olivia and the (few) characters surrounding her, it gets more interesting and even relate a little. The title is Gallant but the focus of the book, in my humble opinion, seems to be the family, their loss, their hopes, and the way their love is strong enough to beat Death itself (Following the steps of horror movies/books that talk about family but has the house as the title). The only reasons I didn't give it 5 starts were:       

1. The fact that it took around 160 pages for it to start getting some pace and the plot starting to move somewhere;    

2. Repeated sentences or phrases (like, "I fall down and I feel a sharp pain running through my veins" or "palm of my hands burning"). It feels like they didn't read the book before publishing and just left a lot of repeated terms again and again.         

3. Characters seem quite... off??? The story seems to know where it is going, but the characters don't (Like Thomas. We waited for Thomas and then what?) But I appreciated the storytelling, so I'll give it that.        

If that book ever makes it to Hollywood, I want it to be directed by Guillermo Del Toro, not only for his experience with silent characters (Shape of Water) but he made one of my favourite spooky season movies of all times, Crimson Peak, that also bears the name of a place as a title while, in fact, talks about the family in it. Their loss. Their fears. Their mistakes. The secrets they hide. The things unsaid that scream louder than the ones they actually do.  And the ghosts waiting for us to watch how they died in there.

addie

I think V. E Schwab has this habit of making slow-paced books that hold really deep thoughts and messages compared to the plot/character development that you either hate it or love it. I'm glad to say I'm with the second group this time as well.

 Gallant, at first, seems to be the type of book about a girl that's “not like the other girls”. She doesn't care about her appearance, she doesn't care about love, she doesn't care about being friendless but, most of all, she can see ghouls—spirits of the dead. However, as the story develops, and we get to see more of Olivia and the (few) characters surrounding her, it gets more interesting and even relate a little. The title is Gallant but the focus of the book, in my humble opinion, seems to be the family, their loss, their hopes, and the way their love is strong enough to beat Death itself (Following the steps of horror movies/books that talk about family but has the house as the title). The only reasons I didn't give it 5 starts were:       

1. The fact that it took around 160 pages for it to start getting some pace and the plot starting to move somewhere;    

2. Repeated sentences or phrases (like, "I fall down and I feel a sharp pain running through my veins" or "palm of my hands burning"). It feels like they didn't read the book before publishing and just left a lot of repeated terms again and again.         

3. Characters seem quite... off??? The story seems to know where it is going, but the characters don't (Like Thomas. We waited for Thomas and then what?) But I appreciated the storytelling, so I'll give it that.        

If that book ever makes it to Hollywood, I want it to be directed by Guillermo Del Toro, not only for his experience with silent characters (Shape of Water) but he made one of my favourite spooky season movies of all times, Crimson Peak, that also bears the name of a place as a title while, in fact, talks about the family in it. Their loss. Their fears. Their mistakes. The secrets they hide. The things unsaid that scream louder than the ones they actually do.  And the ghosts waiting for us to watch how they died in there.

A gorgeous and poetic voyage to the land of death.

Kate B-L

Natalie Unsinn 

Atmospheric and intriguing. The world building was really compelling and it was hard to put down! I found Olivia a little unlikeable at first but she definitely grew on me and I really liked the other characters. It was really lovely having a main character who communicated entirely in sign language and I thought  V E Schwab did a good job in making you feel Olivia's frustration at people not listening to her/taking her seriously/silencing her. 

The thing that stops me rating this 4 stars is that although the world building and mood are gripping, the climax is very fast and abrupt (only about 20 pages in total) and I didn't find it particularly engrossing.

The story about Olivia finding out who she is and what she can do is really intriguing but told at the cost of the parallel plot - the family secrets, death and the wall. I think it feels a bit underwhelming and the plot potential & villain never quite fully realised.

Having said that, Schwab really trusts her reader and doesn't spell everything out - she gives us hints and things to ponder -

All in all, a really quick read with plenty of spook. 13 yr old me would have adored it

hat carter

Atmospheric and intriguing. The world building was really compelling and it was hard to put down! I found Olivia a little unlikeable at first but she definitely grew on me and I really liked the other characters. It was really lovely having a main character who communicated entirely in sign language and I thought  V E Schwab did a good job in making you feel Olivia's frustration at people not listening to her/taking her seriously/silencing her. 

The thing that stops me rating this 4 stars is that although the world building and mood are gripping, the climax is very fast and abrupt (only about 20 pages in total) and I didn't find it particularly engrossing.

The story about Olivia finding out who she is and what she can do is really intriguing but told at the cost of the parallel plot - the family secrets, death and the wall. I think it feels a bit underwhelming and the plot potential & villain never quite fully realised.

Having said that, Schwab really trusts her reader and doesn't spell everything out - she gives us hints and things to ponder -

All in all, a really quick read with plenty of spook. 13 yr old me would have adored it

An amazing book that i wish had never ended. The story was phenomenal and interesting. Everything was good without exception, even the designs of the pages were brilliant and beautiful!

Kelsey Munson

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.

This was not V.E. Schwab at her most annoying - but it should be remarked upon how her writing has not evolved at all, in spite of her being a seasoned writer. It is not surprising, after all. Just try raising critique among book-reading communities active online and you will either be hit with a barrage of "Well actually"'s or may even have the pleasure of being one of the haters Schwab posts about from time to time on her Instagram (evidence acquired from a friend, I am pretty sure I have her blocked, personally). It is not an environment conducive for development.

As a result, "Gallant" is more of the same old, same old. Overwrought prose that appears profound but is actually clunky and ornamental, resulting in narration that feels somewhat soulless; a not-like-other-girls main character who has some kind of special connection to x, y, z and an overall poorly developed cast of characters; a brilliant idea with poor execution as it preoccupies itself much more with aesthetics than with substance. If you have read one of her books, you have read them all.

Regardless, I did not mind it too much at the start and I was hopeful that I could say that at least the book was tolerable and the gothic mystery - engaging. However, about halfway through, I found myself bored and ready for it to be over. The story struggled to hold my attention or enchant me - though the narration is very much tryimg to convince the reader that it is, in fact, enchanting - and ultimately, I could not feel but let down.

This was not V.E. Schwab at her most annoying - but it should be remarked upon how her writing has not evolved at all, in spite of her being a seasoned writer. It is not surprising, after all. Just try raising critique among book-reading communities active online and you will either be hit with a barrage of "Well actually"'s or may even have the pleasure of being one of the haters Schwab posts about from time to time on her Instagram (evidence acquired from a friend, I am pretty sure I have her blocked, personally). It is not an environment conducive for development.

As a result, "Gallant" is more of the same old, same old. Overwrought prose that appears profound but is actually clunky and ornamental, resulting in narration that feels somewhat soulless; a not-like-other-girls main character who has some kind of special connection to x, y, z and an overall poorly developed cast of characters; a brilliant idea with poor execution as it preoccupies itself much more with aesthetics than with substance. If you have read one of her books, you have read them all.

Regardless, I did not mind it too much at the start and I was hopeful that I could say that at least the book was tolerable and the gothic mystery - engaging. However, about halfway through, I found myself bored and ready for it to be over. The story struggled to hold my attention or enchant me - though the narration is very much tryimg to convince the reader that it is, in fact, enchanting - and ultimately, I could not feel but let down.

Absolutely loved the writing. It was dark, gothic and gloomily beautiful. It gives me the same feelings as Alice Hoffman's Nightbird; poetic in a tragic sort of way, all while in a beautiful setting. Although I would've enjoyed it a while lot more if I was younger

mahek 

Mae Erceg

VE Schwab does it again ! I loved the invisible life of Addie LaRoux and this one was so brilliantly different (than anything else I’ve ever read really) but still so beautiful. The setting is gothic and noir and dark and depressing but the characters fight for happiness and belonging is so wonderful. The antagonist, Death, is so alluring and exciting. The illustrations truly made this book! Please read the hard copy, don’t just listen to the audiobook !
IMO, this book is perfection. 10/10 would recommend !

Gallant

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