Gallant by V. E. Schwab on March 1, 2022
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Disabilities, Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / General, Young Adult Fiction / Family / Orphans & Foster Homes, Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction / Girls & Women, Young Adult Fiction / Loners & Outcasts, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Bullying
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
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This was a very ghoulish atmospheric, gothic type book. If your looking for that vibe, this book will have you covered. I think this is a bit on the YA side as I feel like the plot and character development aren’t as mature as her other books. But I still enjoyed this one for the feel it had.
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?
I wish I would have looked in the back of the book to decode the pictures at the beginning of each chapter. In the back their is a bit of a glossary that will tell what type of chapter your heading into. And the pictures were pretty cool. I thought the book had a spooky vibe and I never knew what to expect. This is more for dark gothic fans. You can just feel the dead garden when you are reading this and the author is great at putting you in a setting. I was reading more to find out what would happen so the plot moved just enough to keep me interested. I would have liked a little more background on some of the characters, but I think we were kept in the dark for a reason. Overall, the writing is great and the story was good. I just always had a feeling of wanting a little more. But, I still enjoyed the story.