They did it again, folks. Victoria really said "here, have fun" and boy, oh boy, did I! This is Secret Garden meets Coraline and it's so dang good.

Gallant is everything you could imagine and more. The gothic setting of a mirrored world where something sinister lies waiting is the perfect backdrop for a simple coming of age story about finding who you are and the power of love/family.

Olivia is an orphan who sees ghosts. All she has of mementos of her lost mother is a journal filled with odd passages and pictures. The last passage warns her to stay away from Gallant, but when she receives a letter from her long-lost uncle, she must decide if she should heed her mother's warning or reunite with the only family she has ever known.

Olivia is a spitfire, mischievous little girl, who has made peace with the ghost that haunt the places she lives. She is a fearless protagonist that leads us through the beautifully lush world of Gallant.

Victoria really does world-building like a pro. Her words spin a rich picture and left me wishing I could step into this world. Victoria has this amazing ability to make time completely stop with her writing, when you are reading their books, you are transported far away. You will put down Gallant and be surprised with how much time has passed with your reading and you didn't notice.

My only wish was for the ending to be a bit longer. I felt like a wanted one last something, in the end, it seemed almost rushed compared to the rest of the book.

This is a perfect Sunday afternoon read.

Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this ARC!

"One mad, the other absent, and she doesn’t know which to believe, but in the end it doesn’t matter. The letter might as well be a summons. And perhaps she should be afraid of the unknown, but curiosity beats a drum inside her chest. She is leaving. She has somewhere to go. A home."

This book of decadent description and dark, twisty moods is as enjoyable as the cover is beautiful. I found myself drawn to the main character, Olivia, and I loved the way in which the author creates and transforms her throughout the novel. I can see my students being so drawn to the world of Gallant and the characters and conflict within. I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the book with the spookiness of the story, full of ghosts & ghouls. Schwab is one of the Great Queens of YA Fantasy, and it was a true treat to get to read this book!

Gallant is a spooky emotional delight. As always, Schwab's writing is beautiful and dreamy and absolutely brimming with emotional depth. Through Olivia's eyes we see a world caught between shadow and light. As Olivia explores Gallant, we discover the mystery of the house where she unexpectedly finds herself. The story unfolds with the slow and creeping pace of a mystery perfectly unfurled before our eyes. There is always a question to be asked and a door left unopened to pull the reader further into the story. I could not put this book down. It would make an excellent class read along to keep students enthralled. The illustrations in the book are beautifully done and in combination with the excerpts from Olivia's mother's diary they allow reader to really slip into the world of Gallant as if we too are creeping behind Olivia along the dark hallways of an unfamiliar house. I highly recommend the story to all ages. Though it is categorized as middle grades I think it can be enjoyed by all ages.

Schwab crafts an enticing world with GALLANT. Olivia’s voice is immediate, her emotions tangible. The words entangle you in Olivia’s journey - couldn’t put this down for even a moment.

Rating: 5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Olivia has only ever know Merilance School as her home. An outsider who just wants to be loved, but when she receives a letter from her estranged Uncle she didn’t know existed gives her hope for her dream of a family. When she arrived at Gallant, she meets her cousin, and his two house staff. Oh and all the ghouls that live there. She can see ghosts but she can also see that Gallant isn’t a normal place. As she works to piece together her mother’s past and decide on her future, Olivia comes to face things she never thought were possible, including Death itself.

I absolutely loved this book! The dark academia vibes from Gallant were chilling. I love whenever ghosts are involved and this was no disappointment. Schwab has a way with describing her ghosts that make you feel like they’re watching you while you read.

I love Olivia’s character. She just at Merilance to survive. Her mother’s journal is the only thing she has of her mom’s. Olivia is seen as weird since she doesn’t talk. She uses sign language to communicate, but no one at the school listens to her. She is very cut off until she gets to Gallant, where Edgar knows sign. While her cousin Matthew may not want her there, Olivia is determined to figure out what happened to her mother before she left Olivia at the school.

There isn’t a lot of dialogue in this book. We see the story through Olivia’s eyes. While normally I wouldn’t pick up something that doesn’t have a ton of dialogue, it worked for this book. It adds to the haunting feeling. As though we’re floating alongside as a spectre.

This book is eerie and haunting and hard to put down. If you love Schwab’s Archived series then definitely check Gallant out when it releases March 1, 2022!

2.5 stars.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I think the main reason for this is because the main character is mute. While that is an interesting concept, I am someone that needs a lot of dialogue to keep the story moving for me and we didn't get a lot of that in this book. I found that the story didn't really get interesting until after 50% of the book was done. Nothing really pulled me in and want to continue reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an early copy of this book (both physical and ebook).

Victoria’s writing will always move me. The descriptions are vivid at Gallant. We slowly start to care for the characters. But I do prefer the complexity the story has when it's written as V.E. Schwab rather than Victoria.
As per her style, the characters are unlikeable by society but have this soft spot, that you can't help but love them. I feel like this book could not fully explore it's potential.

I just wish the whole plot was not given away in the synopsis of this book.
It’s quite whimsical and I had fun reading it.

Schwab once again draws readers in with skillful metaphor and nerve-wracking tension in this fulfillment of all of my expectations for the newest book in the Schwab repertoire. Gallant’s narration demonstrates a nearly perfect balance of metaphorical language and brevity. Many books I’ve read have an abundance of beautiful language but never seem to be able to use it to keep the plot going instead of stopping by the woods on a snowy evening and describing it for pages and pages, effectively boring readers to death. Schwab does a pretty good job, though it does get slow in parts, to keep the plot relatively quick-paced for me, which I found refreshing.

Olivia Prior is a clever orphan with no voice. She can sign, but no other children or adults bother to listen her, as it is implied in the story that they are too lazy and uncaring. Gallant starts with glaring familiarity to another story of an orphan, Jane Eyre, but Olivia has no angel to help soften her cynicism with kindness and carry her through the harsh world she will inevitably have to navigate. Though the book is said to have been “pitched as The Secret Garden meets Stardust,” I found the resemblance to Jane Eyre much more resounding. As our main character moves through the story and settles at Thornfield Hall/Gallant, she meets her boss/cousin Mr. Rochester/Matthew and begins an adventure involving parallel worlds accessed through The Secret Garden a door in the wall in the garden.

This is the Schwab book I’ve been waiting for ever since I first read The Archived and The Unbound, which are currently my two favorites in the Schwab codex. The main character is fabulous, supporting characters are amazing, writing is superb, and the conflict is deliciously spooky. What a perfect book for Halloween season this would have made. The atmosphere is so dark and haunted, much like the fantastical elements and atmosphere of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Unlike Addie, however, I found Olivia to be much more relatable. Though she wanted to belong, like Addie wanted to be remembered, Olivia makes the necessary sacrifices in order to show her mettle instead of asking others to do so for her. She is inspirational.

Additionally, and importantly, this book is actually YA appropriate; it contains no sexual situations and no foul language in excess. Mature middle schoolers can read this (if it’s okay with their parents, of course), keeping in mind that it is a bit violent and descriptive about wounds and such. There are many mentions of blood here as well.

One downside I found to the book was the evil school teachers trope just at the start of the book; are there any good people in positions of authority in the world? Or are they all inherently evil, like the matrons at Merilance? I find this stereotype occurs too frequently for my taste.

I’m so happy that my hopes were not dashed with this book. They were quite high, and I avoided reading as long as I could to keep an impression in my mind. I knew I would eventually have to pick it up, so I forced myself to, and found that once I did, I could not put it down.

My sincerest thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, for which I willingly give my own opinion.

So, let's start with the pros of this book: it has a gripping, exciting mystery that is carried oh-so well by V.E. Schwab's incredible writing style. Every word is written with care and excitement, and they are truly a master of mood and emotion- every word conveys what the author wants you to feel, where the author wants you focused and where the story demands you pay close attention. I cannot praise V.E. Schwab's writing enough- her prose is why she is an immediate pick-up and buy at the bookstore for me, and they've yet to disappoint with it.
That being said, this book is not a 5 star rating from me as Schwab's previous works, the Vicious series and Addie LaRue, have been. The book, though spectacularly written, does not suffer from a lack of good flow, but rather the pacing is quite odd; I noticed that the plot hardly, if at all, progresses until almost 50-70% of the way through the book. Though some do not like slow starts, a 'slow' start is worth it when it culminates into an exciting second half or even final third or quarter of the novel: unfortunately, by the time the book reached what I presume what the climax, the grand finale, it fell flat. I was left thinking there could have been more, or something else, to convey and meet the hype of the dark aesthetic and promising premise of this book.
A final point is that, yes, this book can be read for any age; indeed, the story- plot is that of a children's/ middle grade novel, with a more young adult setting and dark adult aesthetic. Unfortunately, though this mix of age ranges is nice to appeal to a wide array of readers, it does not lend itself in the best way to the enjoyment of this book. However, I do love that I can recommend this to any person of any age who enjoys dark themed novels and that discussion of this book is open to everyone of all ages.

I really liked this! Gallant was incredibly atmospheric, and VE Schwab has consistently demonstrated that she is one of the best fantasy writers out there. I loved the Crimson Peak gothic vibes. I wish it had been a bit longer, I feel the last third was very rushed and not super well developed. Same thing with the character Matthew, who was kind of just cardboard cutout, it would have been nice to get to know anyone beyond Olivia. I loved Olivia though, she was complex and well-written. I also would have really loved some romance, especially since it leaned very heavily into the gothic, I think it would have benefitted from it.

Ok I have an unpopular opinion: while Victoria Schwab’s writing is gorgeous, this story was not for me. It reminded me of the Hazel Wood and also the Haunting of Bly Manor and neither of those were my favorite things either. Perhaps, it was because I couldn’t get those things out of my head that I did not enjoy this story.

I gave it three stars because 1. Its Victoria Schwab and 2. Her writing is effortless. This was my first Victoria Schwab read and I have to say, it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed her stylistic choices.

The story is fine; again just not for me. I thought the ending was rushed and not explained clearly enough. It almost seemed “too easy”. I won’t say more and if you read the book, maybe you understand what I mean.

I really liked that the main character was mute. It gave more dimension to the character and the overall plot line. Also, I don’t feel like you see that very often in books and it was just refreshing to see a character use a potential flaw to their own advantage. In the end, it doesn’t matter why Olivia can’t speak, and she almost seems more powerful without it so I found that really inspiring and empowering.

That is really all I have to say. It was a fine book, but again, maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I struggled more than I usually do with what exactly to say for this review. This one didn't have quite the same feel as many others that I've read, either under the name V.E. or Victoria Schwab. That said, I didn't dislike it either, and by the second half of the book I rather enjoyed it.

I think it was something about the characters, maybe that they didn't feel quite as fleshed out and real as they often do in Ms. Schwab's stories? That said, I enjoyed very much that the main character was mute, and also that there wasn't some "miracle cure" for her by the end - those who loved her just needed to learn her language themselves to communicate.

The plotline was fantastic, and I was definitely still invested in it by about halfway through - I just wanted there to be more to it!

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚
“A secret garden story with ghouls and death itself!”

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
Gosh Schwab does it AGAIN! I am NOT a reader of creepy things but if it’s by Schwab my brain goes

“That’s DiSgUSTing….GIVE IT TO ME…NOOOOOWW!

This book was no exception! A story about a deaf orphan. She goes home after receiving an invite from her uncle. An invitation to the one place her mother warned her NEVER to go!

Oh and the she see ghouls that no one else can!!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the ⁣ chance to read this book :)

Did I gasp with delight when I checked my work email at the end of the day and saw an email from NetGalley saying my request to HarperCollins Children's Books for 'Gallant' was approved? - Yes. Did I immediately call home saying "my apologies mon cœur, you will have to fend for yourself for dinner! I got my first ARC to read and review!"? - Most definitely

I started reading the book as soon as I got home, and could not put it down.

When first starting the book part of me wished for physical copy instead of digital, and feel to creak the spine of a new book makes. Which is exactly why I not only will be buying a copy for my home library, but for my classroom library as well. I only hope they will love this book as much as I did.

I've read so many Fantasy books lately that have dealt with doors that lead... elsewhere.
--- but V.E Schwab take on this definitely has a unique twist. The beauty, darkness, and magic of this book exceeded my expectations! When I got to the end I found myself disappointed that there wasn't more.

Definitely will be reading this again sometime soon.

Content Warnings: Death, Grief, Suicide, and Ableism
Gallant by V.E Schwab is the story of a non-verbal orphan, Olivia who receives a letter from an uncle she's never meant inviting her to come live with him. When she arrives she finds a house haunted by ghouls and responsibilities. Armed with her mother's journal Olivia begins to unravel the dark mysteries of her family's history and the dangerous pact they entered into.

This is the first book I've read by Schwab and I really enjoyed it and will definitely be picking up other works by them in the future. I really love their writing style, I found it to be both lyrical and simple in a way that really fit with the overall feel of the story. Also as someone who isn't able to see mental imagines, I really appreciate their descriptive writing. It gives just the right amount so that it feels like a fully realised world but the story isn't bogged down by descriptions. Likewise the character work is very strong with each character feeling like complete and real people. Olivia is everything I love in a protagonist passionate, headstrong, and caring and Matthew has just enough brooding and tragedy to entrance the reader to continue reading . Also I absolutely loved the gorgeous artwork in this book. Very stunning and ethereal art that really capture the atmosphere of the story and I love how the connect back into the plot. I did however find that the pacing of the plot was a bit off in places with it feeling like it dragged along and was a bit repetitive in the middle as well as the ending, which I found to be quite rushed and a little too neatly wrapped up.

Overall this was a really delightful and quick dark fantasy read with beautiful imagery that really immerses the reader into the story. I would highly recommend this to YA readers who love urban fantasy and gothic and more character driven stories. Rating 3.5/5

I received a copy of this title in return for a fair review.

Growing up an orphan in a school for girls, Olivia only has her mother's journal as a connection to her roots. Not being able to speak has made the situation even more unbearable that it otherwise would be, and she is overjoyed to receive a letter requesting she join her long-lost family at their manor. Her joy lasts only until she arrives and finds that no one was expecting her and the last remaining family member wants her to leave. Things are not always as they seem, and one discovery after another leads her on a mysterious journey to another sphere, one where she must battle for her life and the family she has finally found.

This has plenty of atmosphere and and the world building was well written. There is plenty here for those who are looking for a eerie adventurous read.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint! I don't think I'll ever get enough of Schwab's writing style and her power to captivate readers with storytelling. I appreciated that the character was a younger teen, and this this novel fills a great need in YA for younger teen readers transitioning to the genre but still wanting substantial stories. I don't want to give away too much so you should definitely read this one for yourself. It had spooky vibes, heartfelt main character, and plenty of intrigue.

I enjoyed this book, and will indefinitely recommend this to students!

VE Schwab has such a way with words and such a brilliant mind. The premise of this book has so much potential, and keeps you hooked throughout the read.

This book disappointed me a bit. It's undeniable that it has an amazingly vivid atmosphere and awesome spooky vibes. Her writing is perfect to create those things and it worked well for this story.
However, there are too many things in the plot that just don't make sense, she created rules for how the "magic" is supposed to work, but then the story doesn't make sense. The characters don't act in a way that makes a lot of sense, and the side characters are not developed well.
There are many things that are mentioned but then don't really matter for the story and are forgotten.
I liked it okay, but I expected so much more.

VE Schwabs way of writing will always and forever draw me in and this did not disappoint. I loved her portrayal of characters and the world we enter. nothing is ever confusing, which is always been my worry when i go into a fantasy novel; however, i am never found with this worry when it comes to Schwabs. I found myself lost within the pages and absolutely captivated.

If you have read her other works, you will definitely get your fix of classic Schwab charm and eerie element she delivers in all her books.