Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Gallant

by V.E. Schwab

March 1, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

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.

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 unraveled 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?

Review

It's no secret V.E. Schwab is an all-time favourite author of mine. She writes like no other. I'm always awed by her ability to tell a unique story. Gallant is no different. I was transfixed from the very first page.

With the most atmospheric writing, the world of Gallant raised up around me as I read. Sometimes chilling, other times hopeful, the story weaved a web of emotions as the plot slowly unraveled. The simple illustrations beautifully added a layer to the story. Time and again I found myself studying them for any clues. I loved how the drawings tied into Gallant.

Observant and resourceful, Olivia was a girl full of yearning. Her desire to find a place to belong carried her through many hardships. I greatly admire Olivia's resilience. I also found her to be brave and compassionate despite growing up without a role model. Her special ability was creepy at first but then brought a lot of clarity to Gallant. "...the knowledge that what you can't see is always worse than what you can." (p. 227)

While I adore the air of mystery surrounding Gallant, I wish we had more closure. I can see why the ending was what it was but I wanted a bit more for the characters. They deserved more for what they were put through.

Gallant is not my usual type of read but it is everything I have come to expect from V.E. Schwab. It's a masterfully crafted tale full of wistfulness. I hope Gallant gets adapted because it's made for the big screen!

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.