Name: Gallant
Rating: 3.877880184331797 (434 reviews)
ISBN: 9780062835772

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

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.

yet another book i struggled to put down... i need to reread honestly, its been like 4 years

salma

This was my first V.E.Schwab…….. it will not be the last! I loved this book. It’s not really plot driven and has steady pacing throughout, but the gothic vibes and beautiful prose are what make this book such a gorgeous read.

This book is like a dark version of ‘The Secret Garden’, but focused more on the house. It’s a quick read that I think many will fly through. 

Lots of reviews saying this isn’t her best work. Can’t wait now to dive into more of her books if this is the worst! Am feeling very late to the V.E.Schwab party, but I’m super glad to have finally arrived!

Aims

An easy 4.5 ⭐️

This was my first V.E.Schwab…….. it will not be the last! I loved this book. It’s not really plot driven and has steady pacing throughout, but the gothic vibes and beautiful prose are what make this book such a gorgeous read.

This book is like a dark version of ‘The Secret Garden’, but focused more on the house. It’s a quick read that I think many will fly through. 

Lots of reviews saying this isn’t her best work. Can’t wait now to dive into more of her books if this is the worst! Am feeling very late to the V.E.Schwab party, but I’m super glad to have finally arrived!

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. 

Safs 🧸

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

envie,

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

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.

A gorgeous and poetic voyage to the land of death.

Kate B-L

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...

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!

Emma

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.

Gallant

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