This was my first book by this author and it will definitely not be my last, I loved the writing style and the world building and the plot was engaging and I found myself getting lose in it from the start

The world built-up is charming and interesting, as is the premise behind this story. But the writing is also very slow and not much happens for such a lengthy novel. I think that the story would gain quite more momentum if it was published in a shorter form, say novelette or even a shorter story.

I found this book such an easy read, and once I picked it up I struggled to put it down. A story that hides in the shadows ready to pounce.

Honestly I'm gutted I didn't love this one as much as I had hoped I would.

V.E. Schwab's writing is amazing and this book was no different however I just found myself struggling to get into this one. I found myself struggling through the first 30% and even considered dnf-ing it.

I'm glad I stuck with it as the book definitely picked up and I found myself flying through the rest of the book.

Overall I'm glad I read it and I will always be eager to read more of Schwab's books however this wasn't my favourite.

3.5 stars

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3,5-4 STARS
"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"

This was a creepy and dark read and it's perfect for this season. The story follows Olivia prior who grows up in Merilance school after her mother dies and she is left with her journal. She then receives a letter inviting her to her family’s house- Gallant ! This is full of magic and mysteries, it was so atmospheric!

“Free-a small word for such a magnificent thing. I don't know what it feels like, but I want to find out.”

Gallant is the tale of Olivia Prior, a sixteen-year-old orphan living at the unforgiving Merilance School for Girls. The only thing to her name is the journal her mother left behind, chronicling her downward spiral into apparent madness. When Olivia is summoned to the estate of her estranged uncle, she arrives to find he has passed away. The estate has passed down to her cousin, who wants nothing more than for Olivia to leave Gallant and never return. But Olivia has never been one to be told what to do, and she discovers the estate is riddled with secrets. Secrets that will finally help her unravel the mysteries hidden within her mother’s journal.

Schwab never fails to deliver a well-crafted story, and in Gallant she gave me the charming, short read I expected. While this may lack the scale and grandeur of many of her other novels, Gallant is no less accomplished. It’s an eerie and quiet little book, with prose dripping in so much atmosphere it puddles in every word like rain.

It was so easy to fall in love with Olivia Prior and root for her on the emotional journey she takes across the book. Such a kind, resourceful, and determined girl, who would do anything for the people she cares about.

Gallant is perfect for readers who love the idea of discovering The Secret Garden on the grounds of Crimson Peak. The story is sinister and dark in places, but also full of hope and wonder, as a girl searches for peace and belonging in an often cruel world

After reading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, which I really enjoyed, I couldn't wait to see what this author would do next.
This immediately had my attention and gave me almost gothic fairy tale vibes.
It is a unique story with a really interesting setting.
I also really appreciated the blend of darker elements with softer, more lighter ones.
The characters maybe aren't as fleshed out as I would have liked them to be and there isn't a great deal of character development either.
The ending felt a little rushed too.
However, this was definitely an interesting book and story.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've noticed something in the last few years with V E's newer books and that is that I'm not very impressed with them anymore. I used to love them but now I find the writing too dry for my taste and it interferes with my enjoyment of the book. I had to dnf at 20% because of it

Olivia Prior is an orphan, abandoned as a young child and growing up in a cold, unloving environment. She’s left alone by her peers who are scared of her - she’s unpredictable and she also doesn’t speak, which makes her extra weird. Then a letter arrives, inviting her to her family home. She leaves immediately, grateful to have family although slightly puzzled at why it’s taken so long for them to get in touch.

This is a gothic YA novel about predetermination, of finding yourself in the right place at the right time. V.E. Schwab touches on similar themes to ones in “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue”, concerning belonging, loneliness and the push/pull of good v evil, life v death, and the relationship they have to keep things in balance.

Olivia communicates through sign language and writing notes, and honestly, in writing this review I’d forgotten about that part of the story. Perhaps because she finds her own way of communicating, it become less important than having a speaking voice.

Olivia’s newfound family comes with some baggage - a rose garden, some rules about not being out in the dark and a mysterious wall keeping something in - or out.

This is classed as a YA, and maybe I’m forgetting how brutal the YA was that I read, but I found some parts of Gallant to be quite scary. She sees ghostly figures of her family who talk to her, she dreams about her mother and father and there’s quite a lot of zombie-ish activity as well. It’s not horror, it’s not needlessly gory, but for me it was a bit more than I expected. On the other hand, it’s no different really to the Garth Nix Abhorsen books, which are all about death, peril and dead things trying to kill you and I read them when I was a lot younger than I am now with no issues.

I thought it would be interesting to look up a couple of dictionary definitions, from the online version of the Oxford dictionary:

Prior
adjective
existing or coming before in time, order, or importance.

The family name, some foreshadowing in that it hints at their role in the house, itself called Gallant.

gallant
adjective
(of a person or their behaviour) brave; heroic.

The house being known as Gallant is a nice link to it’s somewhat sentient nature as well as connecting to the Priors, who have a long history protecting it.

I think I enjoyed this slightly more than Addie LaRue, although that might be because it is difficult to live up to the hype that surrounds that book. I am surprised at what a small dent it’s made in bookstagram this year though, as I also think it’s a great companion piece to Addie. It shares a lot of the same ideas, and with perhaps slightly younger characters I can see how it might put would be readers off, but I recommend reading it if you like your novels gothic, mysterious and with a firm rooting in plucky heroism.

Thanks as always to Netgalley and to Titan for the DRC. This is out to buy in hardback now, with a particularly beautiful edition from Forbidden Planet.
https://forbiddenplanet.com/344267-gallant-signed-exclusive-sprayed-edge-edition-hardcover/

When I tell you that this was my most anticipated book of the year, I mean I also pre-ordered two copies and bought a Waterstones edition. Yes, I have three editions of this book - all three signed but one is personalized, which means V.E. Schwab has written my name.

I haven’t read much of her work geared toward young people, but then again, Gallant is a book that crosses age groups. Most of my experience with Schwab’s stories are her adult fiction, though I also own her YA duology and Middle Grade trilogy.

When ARCs became available, I immediately went to request one from NetGalley. My first request was rejected, but I kindly emailed the publisher and they told me that I could make a request when the UK site posted their ARC. So I did that and waiting impatiently to see if I got it.

And I did! I downloaded the ARC immediately and flew through the book so I could post about it on its pub date.

Title: Gallant
Author: V.E. Schwab
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 448
Genre: Fantasy
Pub Date: March 1, 2022

Book #7 of 2022
Reading Time: 3:34
Date Finished: February 28, 2022

Content Warnings: Death of a family member, bullying, child neglect & abuse, suicide, death of a parent

What Worked For Me: Writing, illustrations, mixed media storytelling
What Didn’t Work For Me: Pacing toward the end of the book

Rating: 4.5

One of the first things I noticed about this was the writing. I’ve always loved Schwab’s way of writing because it’s beautiful without trying hard. In this book, the writing feeling like a blend between her usual style and Addie LaRue.

Gallant is beautiful in that it’s soft and almost lyrical, but not to the point where pretty words don’t make sense. The writing very much feels like the physical location of Gallant, a grand place with haunting beauty and a deeper story to tell.

The book follows Olivia Prior, a mute girl who has lived her life in an orphanage. When she receives a strange letter from an uncle she never knew, Olivia is whisked away to the grand mansion of Gallant. For the first time, she has a family, and along with that, the secrets they’re keeping from her.

My excitement about this book entirely made me forget that Oliva was a non-verbal character. It was a pleasant surprise to see how Schwab tackled that and showed that spoken words weren’t always necessary to communicate.

Her being non-verbal meant that we understood a lot more about what was happening through her observations. Things normal people wouldn’t pick up on were easy signals to her. Learning to see small details like she did made the story that much more intriguing.

While I cannot speak for the representation, Schwab has definitely done her research. I could feel the thoughtfulness in how she wrote Olivia’s interactions with other characters and how it never meant that Olivia was dumb or lacked understanding.

The story itself is quite simple. It’s the exploration of Gallant as a location that makes everything interesting. I got mild Beauty and the Beast vibes as Olivia wandered through the house and out into the gardens. The more she ventured around, the more we got to see that nothing at Gallant is quite as it seems.

I wish the simplicity meant that Olivia got to spend more time with some of the other characters. I would have loved to have seen more of her interactions with them, even if they were small things. Sometimes, it felt like they only talked during meals or when something was about to happen.

It would have been nice to see more bonding happen as Olivia settled into Gallant and learned about her family from the very people who knew her family.

Part of buying one of the copies of Gallant was getting to attend a virtual author chat between V.E. Schwab and Melissa Albert. It’s been ages since I’ve been to any kind of author chat, so getting to attend this one for my favorite author was really cool.

I loved hearing her talk about the writing process. It gave me a different perspective since I’d finished the book by the time the author chat happened. One of the things she talked about was how Oliva was always meant to be non-verbal. There was never a version of the story where she spoke or used magic to wish for a voice.

Knowing that made me think more about how Olivia’s voice still manages to come through in everything else she does and how speaking doesn’t necessarily mean she will be heard. The communications she did have became more meaningful too.

Something the author chat helped clear up was Olivia’s age. I might have missed it in the beginning of the book because I was too excited when I got my ARC, so it was never fully in my head what age Olivia was. I thought she was around 12 or 13, but it turned out that she was 16. I supposed that’s a little to do with how this book isn’t meant for a specific age group.

On some level, it makes sense that she’s 16 and has finally found her family after spending the majority of her childhood in an orphanage. On the other hand, she did feel quite young for her age. It could be explained that her orphanage didn’t give her the best education, and therefore, it was hard her to seem her age when there was so much she hadn’t learned or experienced.

I know a few other people who read this said the same thing. Olivia feels like a very young character. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s not. Realizing that she’s nearly done with her teens does feel somewhat strange, but it’s also slightly comforting to know that these things aren’t happening to a child.

The end of the book felt a bit rushed. I wanted more tension to build before it all reached a peak and got resolved. There was a moment near the end where I thought something bigger was about to happen, and then it didn’t. Slightly disappointing, but this also isn’t the kind of book I’d expect a big battle in.

I was left feeling not entirely satisfied with the story. There were things I wanted more of, perhaps because I wanted to spend more time with the characters and Gallant itself. The fun of reading the story and how easily I flew through it still made it a great time, but I do wish there was just a little more to the ending.


While it’s not my favorite book, Gallant was a very fun story to read. I’d like to re-read it later this year to see how I feel when I’m not rushing through it for a post. Reading it in a physical format would also change the experience I have with it.

Was I a bit disappointed in how it left me feeling considering this was my most anticipated book of the year? Slightly. I might have overhyped the story for myself, leaving me expecting more than it was.

It’s not to say that I disliked the book, but I do think part of me was hoping it would be grander. That being said, I did read an ARC so the final version could be different. I doubt it since the ARC went up two weeks before release day, but who knows when that ARC was formatted?

Gallant is a story I think would be interesting for me to re-visit every few years. Knowing that Schwab meant it as a story that people can get something from no matter how old they are, it makes me wonder how I would react to it as more time passed.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of Gallant in exchange for an honest review.

“But the truth is, death is everywhere. Death comes for the roses and the apples, it comes for the mice and the birds. It comes for us all. Why should death stop us from living?”

Olivia doesn’t talk - or rather she doesn't speak. She can talk with her hands if people around her bothered to learn how. Found as a silent waif outside the doors of the Merilance School for girls with a journal in her hands, Olivia has learned how to make noise without speaking, how to take up space even though there are those that want you to be small. She goes through the rigours of her days as a student, as a ward. She knows the sisters secrets and flits through the halls. She see the faces of the dead, ghouls wondering as they watch the living. They are her silent guardians. She walks to the lines of her mothers journal, the words spiralling through her head. Where is she safe, where is her home. Because though she has lived most of her life at Merilance - this place is definitely not her home. A letter arrives, and then Merilance stops even being a place she lives.

Her uncle, family that no one has known of, has found her, inviting words of welcome - a home, a place where she is wanted. She journeys through the day and night, cosseted in the depth of a car. She arrives at a house, with statues and windows that stare out into the night. But the welcome is not one she was expecting.

Haunted and strangely heartfelt, this book is a quick read that really drags you in after 50 pages or so. It gives almost fairytale vibes with the house and the garden. The characters themselves don’t really go through much development - the plot definitely leads things. I love how Olivia stays the same, the she doesn’t need to do any self discovery or anything - she was damn well strong and capable to begin with.

I will read literally anything by V E Schwab. A short story, a chonky novel, a shopping list. Her wonderful fascination with darkness, death and evil, as well as her engrossing writing style make it so easy to read absolutely anything she creates.

Gallant feels like a young adult take on the classic tropes of the gothic genre - the spooky house, the something other out in the darkness, the orphaned child and the mysterious family. But there's also something so Schwab about it - the fascination with death, with decay and with liminality - the ability to step over the border from one place to another. It's pacey and a little spooky, but with the focus on Olivia and all of the different powers and faculties that she possesses.

What makes the story exceptional is the wonderful, lyrical, precise turn of phrase used to tell it, as well as the lingering, malignant fear that lurks in the corner of your eye.

I enjoyed the portrayal of Olivia as a non-verbal character, and the importance played to sight and communication through sign language - as well feeling her frustrations when others refused to engage with her.

The inclusion of illustrations was a wonderful addition - at first they acted as just backing for the story, but as it progressed they played even greater importance. At times this was hammered home a little more bluntly, but it was still so enjoyable to see illustrations that worked so perfectly with the words.

Rating 4.5 stars

I am a huge VE Schwab fan and this didn't disappoint - so much fun to be had here, amazing characters and brilliant story.

My first read from the author and I was hooked
Not an overly complicated book but still kept me reading and intrigued which I enjoyed.
It was very dark and chilling but also elements of being soft and it worked so well.

Olivia Prior is an orphan.with only her mother's journal to link her to a family she has never known. Until one day she is invited home to Gallant. However nothing is quite as it seems at Gallant.

VE Schwab is one of my favourite authors. The writing in this book is so atmospheric. The story unfortunately was not my favourite. I was left wondering what was the point? However it is definitely going to work for some people.

After finishing Gallant, I felt and I still feel so… touched by it. It definitely left a mark. It's an amazing peculiar YA book with a great gothic atmosphere. It´s got Coraline plus Crimson Peak vibes. Yes, give me all the half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways and the eerie undertone of a huge house called Gallant and a crumbling mansion mirroring the said house, hidden behind a wall with an iron door sealed by blood. Thanks to the fact that we spend most of the time of the book either in the girl´s school and later on in one of the versions of Gallant with Olivia and three other characters the story feels quite intimate.

I think that Gallant is the kind of story that forces you to look deeper in order to appreciate its message which I am still not sure I fully grasped. Of course, there is a plot full of ghouls, shadows, and a rather terrifying Master of the House, but besides these ominous hauntings, the book deals with the power of belonging. The heroine Olivia is an orphan living in a Preparatory school where her mother left her when she was very young. She is an outcast - the other girls either openly avoid her or bully her - and her loneliness is everpresent. It is dark and gloomy indeed. You can almost breathe in Olivia´s longing for warmth and family. Olivia stubbornly and not exactly wisely (since her mother warned her about the house) yet understandably enough, does not want to leave the place that may turn out to be the only home she will ever know. Interestingly, Olivia doesn’t speak, yet she did not feel like a silent character to me. I think she is pretty vocal even without uttering a single word. Schwab does a great job finding ways for Olivia to express herself without speech.

Furthermore, the book is about accepting two realities at the same time. Life ends as Death is inevitable but at the same time, Death can be banished so life may continue. It is also a story about sacrifices. As we learn more of Olivia’s parents and the ordeal of the Prior family, the weight of what the family has to endure really sets in. Throughout the book, we come across several diary pages with writings and gorgeous illustrations which just enhance the remarkable story inside. Regarding Olivia, her origins, and the diary, Schwab manages to tell the same story, that of Olivia’s parents, repeatedly throughout the book, yet, there is always some new information coming to life, making it interesting enough to keep your attention.

The second half of the book being is more action-packed than the first, but it felt a little bit more… ordinary, which is probably due to understanding what was going on. The mystery simply toned down a little. Speaking of the second half, I was interested in the world beyond the wall and the Master of the House. Honestly, I imagined how it would look like if Olivia followed him to the dark side and for a moment wished it to happen. There is no romantic or sexual connection between them so this is just me wishing once to see a heroine who gets swept by the darkness luring her in.

Regarding the ending, I´ve seen someone complain that when it was done, thinking the story hadn't moved anywhere and pondering ‘what was this all for?’, but I cannot agree with that. I think that´s the point. Not everything has to move forward toward a happy ending. Sometimes, and that's what I think will appeal to those who loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue as I feel like both books play the same note, the ending is quite bittersweet.

Overall, If you want a book with a lot of action, this may not be the IT for you, but if you wish to dive into a very atmospheric and thought-provoking story, which is kind of based on opposites, exploring the balance between life & death, good & evil… with a very interesting heroine, Gallant is probably what you are looking for. It slowly nestled itself into the corner of my heart.


Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with this e-arc.

I had a lot of fun reading my first Schwab! It gripped me from the start, however, towards the middle I did find my attention starting to dwindle and it took a lot of focus to carry on. Great lead character in Olivia and a lovely atmosphere and setting.

3.5* rounded down to 3*.

Thanks to NetGalley, V.E. Schwab and Titan Books for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

V.e. Schwabs Gallant is a short YA paranormal fantasy that is a eerie and so beautifully written that it will capture your attention from the first few pages; However, Gallant is not a book to read before bed.

This short story is a very character driven story especially since our main character, Olivia, is non-verbal. Growing up in an orphanage, she learned about her parents from her mother's journal. Olivia receives a letter from her uncle inviting her to return to Gallant; however, upon her unexpected arrival she discovers that her uncle is dead and she is warned to stay away from Gallant.

As the story progressed and we learned more about Olivia's family, the secrets of the manor, the people and ghouls who inhabit it, the weight of what the Prior family have to endure to protect Gallant and the sacrifices. As I got closer to the end, I had several theories about what would happen, but I was completely wrong, and that ending, it broke me, I cried a lot.

I understand that V.e Schwab's books are not for everyone, and Gallant is a book that I doubt many people expected to be what it is. I don't generally read or enjoy paranormal fantasy books, yet despite the eerie settings and creepy atmosphere storytelling, Gallant was a really enjoyable read.

Thank you to netgalley and titan books for providing me with this e-arc.

I’ve seen a lot of praise for V.E. Schwab’s books and several of them has been on my tbr for quite a while. But despite me even owning a few of her books, I hadn’t actually read any of her books until I read Gallant.

I didn’t quite now what to expect from this book because I’m not even sure what I feel about Gothic fantasy. It has a tentency too creep me out a little bit too much. However, I’m so happy that I read this book because it was brilliant! The story itself was intriguing and enough to get me hooked. But what I liked most about this book is the aesthetic. The book cover is absolutely gorgeous and a perfect tell of what to expect. The writing is just beautiful with enough detailed descriptions without ever becoming to much. I don’t quite now how to describe it other than that the story felt alive. I experienced the book rather than just reading it and that really shows how talented V.E. Schwab is as an author in my opinion.

Gallant is an unique story with interesting and mysterious characters set in an even more mysterious place. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a good darker fantasy book with an aura of mystique.

***Thank you Titan books for providing an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!***

Despite never reading any of Schwab’s works before, I have high expectations for Gallant. I had no idea it reads as a middle-grade, but I enjoyed this book with all my heart 🖤

It has enough spooky elements in it that makes me look around my shadows in the dark, and I loved the protagonist from the start. Olivia Prior grew up in a school for girls, and only owns her mother’s journal. When an invitation letter comes for her, Olivia returns home to Gallant.

But is this home truly a home for her? With a cousin who refuses to let her stay without giving any exact reasons, housekeepers who avoid saying too much and ghouls that keep haunting her, Olivia is determined to learn the truth and stay.

Olivia may be mute, but she’s a headstrong girl and never lets anyone tell her what to do. I love her personality and determination to learn the truth of her parents and Gallant. I love how smart she is when going against the Death and the shadows, never giving up no matter how helpless she feels.

As much as I love the dark elements and the characters of this book, I’m just a bit torn that Olivia does not get to spend too much time bonding with Matthew. I would’ve loved to have more of them together as real family. I also felt that the way the epilogue is, there’s no clear indication that anything much has changed after everything that happens in Gallant.

I’m definitely going to get myself a physical copy of this book soon and I’m gonna need other V.E. Schwab’s books as well 💖