Scan barcode
A review by sarahgabriellereads
Gallant by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The opening chapter was a wonderfully written one - it set an eerie tone for the rest of the story and drew a great opening image of Olivia and her life at Merilance School of Independent Girls. Olivia’s ability to see half-formed ghouls from a young age darkened the general feel of the book and piqued my curiosity from the get-go.
We learn of Olivia’s mother Grace’s journal full of cryptic letters, drawings and a warning to avoid Gallant. Uncovering the meanings behind these letters is what fascinated me the most throughout my reading of the story - it was a clever element added by the author that brought another mysterious layer to the entire tale. Olivia finding her mother’s second journal and finally piecing parts of her writing together was, in my eyes, the most significant landmark event. This is where I began to understand on a larger scale the meaning of Gallant and how it played such a big role in Olivia’s past and present life. The second journal brought clarity to the jumbled ramblings written in the first, and allowed Olivia to understand her mother (and father) that little bit more.
Our introduction to Gallant brought Hannah, Edgar and Matthew into the story, along with an array of questions about Grace Prior, why she warned Olivia against Gallant and why Matthew was so adamant that she leave.
Olivia finally experiencing “not Gallant” beyond the wall was an eerie affair. Seeing death itself personified and the unearthly version of the Prior home sit in silence and ash and grey drew a sinister and unnatural picture of the place that threatens to destroy the last of her family.
Overall, I found Gallant to be a beautifully crafted story with the perfect balance of life, death, sound, silence, light and dark. I will absolutely be rereading this book in the future.
We learn of Olivia’s mother Grace’s journal full of cryptic letters, drawings and a warning to avoid Gallant. Uncovering the meanings behind these letters is what fascinated me the most throughout my reading of the story - it was a clever element added by the author that brought another mysterious layer to the entire tale. Olivia finding her mother’s second journal and finally piecing parts of her writing together was, in my eyes, the most significant landmark event. This is where I began to understand on a larger scale the meaning of Gallant and how it played such a big role in Olivia’s past and present life. The second journal brought clarity to the jumbled ramblings written in the first, and allowed Olivia to understand her mother (and father) that little bit more.
Our introduction to Gallant brought Hannah, Edgar and Matthew into the story, along with an array of questions about Grace Prior, why she warned Olivia against Gallant and why Matthew was so adamant that she leave.
Olivia finally experiencing “not Gallant” beyond the wall was an eerie affair. Seeing death itself personified and the unearthly version of the Prior home sit in silence and ash and grey drew a sinister and unnatural picture of the place that threatens to destroy the last of her family.
Overall, I found Gallant to be a beautifully crafted story with the perfect balance of life, death, sound, silence, light and dark. I will absolutely be rereading this book in the future.