Review: Gallant by 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.

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?

• Title: Gallant
• Author: V.E Schwab
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Gothic 
• Targeted Age Range: YA
• Content Warnings: Ableism & ableist language, Parental abandonment, Child abuse & neglect, Mutism, Nightmares, Alcoholism (implied), Blood depiction, Death of a brother by knife violence recounted, Death of a mother & father mentioned, Death of a cousin, on-page, Murder, Knife & sword violence, Strangulation, Bullying, Graphic animal death (crow, cat), Ghosts, Horror elements
• Rating: ★★★★

I admit, the only reason why I picked up Gallant was because it was included in my monthly Illumicrate box, but boy was I pleasantly surprised! As a newbie to the gothic genre, Gallant was a great introduction. I think avid readers of the genre will agree that it has a lot of the elements fans love in classic gothic literature, while making it enjoyable and easy to read. Gallant follows Olivia Prior, a mute orphan who can see ghouls. With only her late mother’s journals to aid her, Olivia is summoned by her uncle to Gallant, or so she thinks. Suddenly thrown into a world she didn’t know about, with a family she didn’t know existed, Olivia must overcome several obstacles, and resists succumbing to madness like her mother before her.

Like I said above, Gallant was a pleasant surprise. It is full of intriguing moments, keeping readers interested from start to finish. It’s the perfect level of scary: enough to be a little bit scared, but not enough to keep you awake nights on end. Tied up in 300 pages, Gallant is small but mighty, and is filled with an adventure I can’t stop thinking about. I think what makes this book so successful is the writing. Schwab has created a lush world that feels cozy, intriguing and a little bit unsettling. Everything feels slightly off, and as the plot continues, readers are treated to explanations as to why that is. You feel as if you’re there in Gallant Estate with Olivia, exploring different corridors and rooms and other areas that you know are forbidden. To make the reading experience even better, there are illustrations and journal entries throughout the book. These two added touches made Gallant even more exciting to read, and I loved seeing what I was reading come to life in that way.

Olivia is a wonderful protagonist. She’s strong, stubborn and curious: three traits that lead to an interesting story. Olivia is mute, so she relies on signing. Hannah, the resident housekeeper in Gallant, cares deeply for Olivia, and wishes no harm to befall her. It’s spoken loudly in the lengths Hannah goes to make sure Olivia feels welcome at Gallant, and the lengths she goes to keep her safe from what’s lurking beyond the wall. I loved reading about the growing relationship between Olivia and Matthew, the cousin she never knew she had. Resentment turns to acceptance throughout the course of this book, and I loved seeing Olivia finally get the family she has always longed for.

My one complaint about Gallant is that the ending feels a tad rushed. We get this amazing and mysterious build up to what could be behind the wall, or what would happen if what is contained beyond the wall is let out, for it to wrap up in about 10 pages. While it wasn’t unsatisfying, I think I would’ve personally liked it to be dragged out just a bit longer. Otherwise, I adored a lot about this book! I think this book would’ve been better through  audiobook, and maybe that would combat the issue I have with the ending, but I was simply too impatient to wait for the book to be available from the library. However, my hold still stands, and I am eager to reread with the audiobook in mind. 

Overall I think Gallant is a great introduction to gothic fantasy, and a great contribution to the YA paranormal genre. V.E. Schwab does a great job in creating a world that is intriguing, mysterious, unsettling and interesting, leaving the reader desperate for more time between the pages to explore and discover Gallant’s secrets. I cannot wait to reread this book when the weather gets a bit colder, and the nights get a bit darker, because I think it will add to the atmosphere beautifully. In my opinion, Gallant isn’t one to miss. I will acknowledge that I am not mute, so I can’t speak for the representation in this book and whether or not it is accurate. I will be linking Own Voices reviews as they are published. 

Links for Gallant: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | IndieBound