still my favorite author. her ability and imagination is unparalleled. i am truly envious of her talent

Gallant is the tale of a young orphan girl named Olivia Prior, and the ghouls that she can see. Olivia lives at Merilance School for Independent Girls in London, and she has no idea who her parents were, or why she was left there. Her only connection to her heritage is a journal that once belonged to her mother, filled with notes that seem to slowly veer into madness as they go on. “I’m so sorry I don’t know what else to do…you will be safe as long as you stay away from Gallant.”

Born without a voice, Olivia communicates via sign language (and occasionally writing, but she rightly refused to wear a chalkboard around her neck). Her inability to speak and the refusal of others to learn to sign has caused her more than a few conflicts with the other students and the matrons at school. Her only real companions at Merilance are the ghouls, partial shades of the dead who linger in our world. While she’s the only one at the school who seems to realize they’re there, they do not speak to her, and vanish from her view when told to go away.

Then one day, everything changes when a letter from an unknown uncle arrives for Olivia. “You are wanted. You are needed. You belong with us,” it reads. She is whisked away from Merilance by a driver who was sent to take her to the family home, Gallant, far from London. There, she meets her cousin, Matthew, and finds that her new home is also filled with ghouls. Ghouls that look like the family portraits hanging in the hallway. And there’s the issue of the mysterious, crumbling wall at the back of the garden, and the iron door that is set in the middle of it. There are many secrets held by Gallant, and Olivia’s mother’s journal ended with warning her to stay away.

The far side of the wall has more in store for her than she ever could have imagined, for there, Olivia finds a dark echo of the grand house. This shadow of Gallant is crumbling, and the master of the house is hungry for something only a Prior can provide. “Do you know what you are, Olivia Prior? You are amends. You are a tithe, a gift, and you belong to me.”

Gallant is an absolutely phenomenal Gothic fantasy, showcasing Schwab’s talents at writing for younger audiences. I loved every minute of it, and I’m very grateful to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. It’s out in the world as of March 1st, so go grab a copy!

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2022/03/04/gallant-a-review/

I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion

This story was adorable, sweet. Very straightforward, lovely stand alone.
Was this my favorite Schwab novel? No. Some of her others were more nuanced... but I really enjoyed the gothic setting.. the orphan finding a home theme...
The writing was, as always, well done and the characters were delightful.
As others have mentioned this did lean more toward middle grade, than YA, but overall a good read.

This book is like The Secret Garden if it was a dark, gothic horror. It starts when Olivia, a mute girl living in an orphanage, is summoned by her uncle to his home, Gallant. The only thing Olivia has is a journal full of her late mother's words and drawings, in which she is warned to never go to Gallant. Longing for a place that feels like home, Olivia journeys to Gallant anyway and soon discovers a dark world that is the twin to her own (much like the upside down in Stranger Things). From this dark world, there is a master desperately longing to cross the boundary into the light and Olivia must either fight against him or join him.

I enjoyed the story. It was creepy and engaging. The descriptions of Gallant and the shadow world made it really easy to picture the story unfolding. Olivia was very interesting to read about, her frustrations with communicating, and her longing to to find a home. I also really enjoyed the illustrations spread throughout the book which are then repeated and collected in the middle of the story once we find out what they really mean.

I did find the ending a little disappointing, mostly because I like happy, neatly wrapped up endings. I also would have liked more explanation around how/why Gallant came to be.

If you're a fan of V.E. Schwab, I think you will enjoy this book, or if you're a fan of YA horror stories.

Absolutely loved. Perfect for fans of Coraline or Haunting of Hill House. It makes the perfect progression in the Gothic genre without being too intense for teens. The main character is unique and engaging. The setting beautiful. Perfect for both adults and children!

This book was like walking through an old fairy tale. Gallant is where the magic of Secret Garden meets the menace of Coraline’s Others. Schwab captivates me every time she puts pen to paper and I fall in love every time. The way she writes Olivia and her disability is original and brings a life to the character and the book. Overall a fantastic read that I literally didn’t put down!

A perfect creepy novel for readers of many ages, It is basically horror lite. The story is short, simple and totally gothic. It's reminiscent of Crimson Peak and Coraline, with homes that are filled with secrets and paranormal creatures. V.E. Schwab's writing is always perfection with her lush visuals and vibes. I think the story could have been told in a bit of a longer format, but I definitely think this is a great book for younger readers who may be interested in exploring the horror genre.

It is not every day that you find a novel that can transcend the boundaries of its genre. Gallant is a jaw dropping tale filled with ghosts, mysterious family members, and a magical wall you can't help but wonder what lays beyond it. Readers of all ages will enjoy this dark little book.

Content warning: dead parents, dead sibling, self-harm for blood magic, body horror

2022 is really delivering on the haunted house books. In this ghoulish fantasy, a mute girl named Olivia receives a mysterious letter from a previously-unknown Uncle Arthur calling her home to an estate called Gallant. Having lived in an orphanage all her life, she’s excited to be welcomed into a place she can call home. But between the missing residents and the ghouls haunting the halls, there is more undead danger afoot than she could have ever predicted.

Told in Schwab’s signature precise prose and featuring spooky illustrations, this book is a whimsical ride through a scary fairy tale of two houses, where Death resides.

Disclaimer up front: I am not mute and, as such, cannot comment on the quality of the rep. I will want to say, that Olivia is never suddenly given the ability to speak via magic. She signs, and sign language is common among the people around her. There is an instance of Matthew, her cousin, venting frustration about her inability her to speak, but this is challenged.

It’s been a minute since I read a Schwab book, and it truly felt like coming home. The language throughout is both familiar, but unique to this particular tale. There is a precision that is simply unmatched in other work. You can’t confuse this one for any of her other books. The rhythm between the journal entries and Olivia’s own narration play so nicely together.

This book is as magical as it is spooky. There is a visceral detail to the ghouls and an air of mystery that, even with the final act of reveals, you’re not even sure what answers get presented. There’s no world-building outside of the immediate story, which fits this standalone The single location of this plot definitely gives a vibe of isolation that shouldn’t still keep catching me by surprise, and yet. For something where the terror might be coming from inside the house and within journal pages, it works really well.

If you’re looking for a book without a romance subplot that’s all about finding a place to call home even when it’s haunted as all get out, this one is for you.

Gallant is a well crafted ghost story that has broad appeal.. As a children's librarian I can see introducing it to 10-11 year olds who are looking for a spookier read as well as the teenage audience it is intended for. I am a fan of Schwab personally, espeically her portal fantasy titles, so I absolutely loved it. I am excited to be able to easily book talk this to the many teens and tweens in my community who are fans of scary ghost stories.

Olivia has been at Merilance, a home for girls, since she can remember. All she has of her parents is a journal from her mother filled with odd inky drawings that gets progressively more insane until the final entry written for Olivia herself. She is lonely because none of the other girls attempt to learn sign language to speak to her and she often sees half form ghouls. When she gets a letter from an uncle inviting her to go to her family home, Gallant, she is excited even though her mother's last diary entry warns her to stay away.

Gallant is a grand old house with only three current residents including her cousin Matthew who does not welcome her warmly. The ghouls at Gallant all seem to be related to her, and want to stop her from going into the garden at night. In the garden are constantly growing weeds which Matthew tends to despite being extremely frail, and a mysterious wall that is constantly in shadow. Despite Matthew's attempts to get her to leave Olivia learns more about Gallant, her family heritage, and what lurks behind the wall.

V.E Schwab’s writing always speaks to me and I feel like something has changed in my heart every time I read one of her books. Her writing is lush and beautiful while still being an easy enough story to follow and comprehend.

My heart broke for Olivia knowing that she’s stuck in this orphanage where she cannot communicate with anyone due to being mute and no one knowing sign language. I can’t imagine how lonely and heartbreaking that would be for anyone. Then there is her special ability of being able to see ghouls. It definitely keeps things interesting.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of her work, YA fantasy, fantasy in general, and gothic horror. I know I myself will be hand selling this book to a lot of my customers and friends.

This was a fun, quick read. I would classify this as YA paranormal/horror/fantasy which is SUPER outside of the realm of books I typically read. It was dark, gritty, and spooky without being too scary for me. This would make an excellent "spooky season" read; the atmosphere was perfection.

VE Schwab is such a talented writer and I'm working on reading everything she has ever written. I remember reading Addie LaRue and feeling like I was completely immersed in that world and I felt the same reading Gallant. This isn't a new favorite, but I still had a great time reading it.

Thank you for the arc in exchange for a review!

Welp. The goodreads synopsis tells you almost the entire book, so there's that.
While the writing itself is beautiful, I struggled with the story. It just didn't pull me in like I hoped it would. I mean, the main character is a mute orphan with some special abilities, so you'd think it would be great, but it's missing something to me. 🤷‍♀️

I love V.E. Schwab and this book did not dissapoint. I enjoyed the mystery intertwined in this ghost story. A young girl searching for family, identity and understanding about where she came from. The story leaves you on the edge of your seat guessing what is actually happening and trying to unwind the story along with the main character. I will definintley recommend this one to my students.

3/5

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and the gothic style theme of the setting. I also liked the early introduction to the ghouls milling around and the fact that their bodies are half missing. My favorite part of the book was the journal entries. The journal was very well done showcasing the madness the mother was falling into with each entry and the ink blot artwork was very good.

After about 20% of the novel, the story gets really slow until it picks back up at about 60%. I wish there were more events in the first half to keep my attention but I had to take quite a few breaks because I was losing interest and knew nothing wasn’t going to happen for a while.

Overall, the end was interesting but the story felt very middle school then a YA novel. I will always love V.E. Schwab’s writing it is always amazing but I feel like this was such a unique idea and wish she expanded it and made it more dark and adult fantasy/horror.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows orphaned Olivia Prior who receives a letter inviting her to live at the Prior family home, Gallant. With her mother's journal, the only piece she has of her, she heads to Gallant. Once there, she finally feels like she belongs. One day she stumbles upon a place that's like Gallant but not quite, in a gross state of decay.

This is my first VE Schwab book, and I must say loved the gothic atmosphere she creates in Gallant. An old crumbling houses and ghouls feature prominently in this book, giving it a real haunted house story vibe. I liked Olivia, a mute who struggles to fit in. I also liked Matthew a lot, despite the fact that he's quite awful to Olivia. The only thing that confused me was whether this is a YA or middle grade book. I thought it was YA, but it read more like a middle grade book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. I enjoyed this book and loved the artwork therein.

I can’t rave about Gallant enough, this novel was everything I wanted and more! It is no secret that I love Victoria Schwab’s work, so I was pretty ecstatic that I was able to read this book early. This book is geared towards a younger audience, but I think many adults will enjoy it.

Oliva is an orphan that has grown up at the Merilance school for girls, the only trace of the mother that she has never known is her journals, which seem to be the ramblings of a woman slowly losing her mind. Suddenly, Olivia is invited via a mysterious letter to live at Gallant, with a family that didn’t even know she existed. She soon discovers that there are many secrets and ghouls abound at Gallant.

I loved Olivia’s character. She has a very strong personality and is incredibly brave, even though she is just a young girl that longs for a place to belong. She is very lonely at the beginning of the novel and as a reader you just want her to find a safe place with people to love her. Will Gallant be that place?

This book was seriously the right amount of creepy and dark for me. There are ghosts and dark events that happen in the book, but nothing over the top scary. There are also a couple different mysteries to be discovered about her family. The unraveling of those mysteries was really well done and kept me on the edge of my seat. This book is perfect for dark fantasy readers.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so vividly depicted and delicately put together that you have to give huge props to Schwab! The imagery was so detailed, and the gothic setting and style was incredibly fun to follow. Schwab created a story that was thrilling, full of elements that were so real and yet distant that you felt just as haunted as the characters.

I enjoyed the characters as well, although I think I would have liked to see more depth to some of them, especially Matthew. I also would have liked a bit more of a resolution to Olivia's arc than what was given. I'm still coming to terms with the ending, and I absolutely enjoyed the fast pace that kept me on the edge of my seat, but I think the conclusion was a bit rushed.

However, this was an incredibly unique and brilliant read, and if you're like me, it'll keep haunting you even after you're done reading!

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Greenwillow Books in exchange for an honest review.

GALLANT starts off slow, but stick with it because once Olivia starts to explore Gallant, things really pick up. Schwab will make you look at the shadows lurking in the corners differently, because maybe there really are things hiding in them. This novel is perfectly creepy and intriguing and exactly what I've come to expect from Schwab's writing. Gallant, the house, is just as much a character in this novel as the people in it.

Schwab's stylistic choice to include illustrations as well as space for readers to experience Grace's journal help to make readers feel fully submersed into the narrative. Readers are next to Olivia as our eyes scan the pages of Grace's journal watching her descend into madness.

The final battle is the perfect climax to how the plot has been building and while the ending is satisfying, I definitely want more story to know what happens next. GALLANT was hard to put down and I really really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Greenwillow Books, and Ms. Schwab for the opportunity to read an ARC of the title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I just love Ms. Schwab’s work and this is yet another wonderful book. I saw this described in another review as a lovely, dark, gothic fairy tale and I would agree with that.

Olivia, who is mute but not deaf, is called ‘home’ by her uncle after spending her entire life in a home/school for orphaned girls. She hated the school and almost everyone in it, so, despite her new house being a little creepy and her cousin being distinctly unwelcoming, she is ecstatic to have her own room, family, and a new start. Bit by bit she explores her new home and discovers that something isn’t right about it, and keeps digging until she uncovers the truth.

This story does not have the uplifting, hopeful feeling that <i>Addie LaRue</i> did. There is a distinct overtone of doom gradually darkens Olivia’s outlook and settles over the reader. Nonetheless, I was still saddened by the ending, for all of the individuals involved in it. It was a truly bittersweet resolution. (Also, and this is me and my practicality and logic that is just so hard to turn off: I sincerely hope that the Priors had some whopping investment account somewhere, because it’s not like they can go out and get a job. How do they keep food on the table? How do they keep the electricity and the water on? LOL. Adulting. What can I tell ya.)

A beautiful story and recommended to Ms. Schwab’s fans and anyone who likes fantasy and/or gentle horror.