I really wanted to love Gallant. As a huge fan of V.E. Schwab, I went into this book with high expectations, but unfortunately, it just didn’t land for me. Read on to find out why.
The 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?
The Book Review
The novel starts strong, with Schwab creating a haunting and mysterious tone that perfectly suits the gothic setting. Schwab’s prose is, as always, stunning. Her writing captures an eerie, gothic atmosphere that feels like stepping into a dream—or a nightmare. Olivia is an interesting protagonist, with her fierce determination and unique perspective as a non-verbal character. I appreciated the thoughtful and well-researched inclusion of ASL representation.
But beyond the atmosphere and representation, the story itself felt lackluster. While the premise promised mystery and intrigue, the plot was thin and left me wanting more. Gallant felt more like a collection of ideas than a fully fleshed-out novel. The relationships, especially between Olivia and her cousin Matthew, were surface-level. Matthew’s abrupt shift from hostility to protectiveness didn’t feel earned, and the supporting characters, like Hannah and Edgar, existed purely to serve Olivia’s story without any real depth of their own.
The ghouls—seemingly central to the story’s supernatural element—drifted through the narrative without much purpose, and the stakes never felt as high as they should have. I kept waiting for a twist or revelation that would tie everything together.
The dual-world concept held so much potential, but the execution was disappointingly simplistic. What you read in the synopsis is essentially the entire story. There are no twists, no significant character growth, and no deeper exploration of the fascinating elements introduced. Instead, Gallant meanders through its pages, more focused on atmosphere than substance.
Overall, Gallant had all the ingredients for something great: a haunting premise, Schwab’s signature writing style, and a protagonist with a unique voice. But without a stronger plot or more dynamic character development, it fell short for me. I’m still a huge fan of Schwab’s work, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark.
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