Gallant

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For a girl living in a quiet world, conversing with ghoul-like creatures through nods and gestures is a blessing and a curse. Olivia is drawn to the power of secrets and magic. What is real, what isn't? When she meets her cousin Mathew, she begins to learn more about the mystery, the hidden garden, and the wall beyond the path. She holds on to a journal written by her mother, trying to piece together the story of her family and her mother's past. A dark tale of grief, death, and unravelling, Gallant was unexpectedly poignant and emotional. It is full of the sting of loss and the yearning for a place to belong—a mystery with a Faustian bargain at the centre. Many reviewers found this book to be creepy/scary, but I would call it gothic fantasy. It's not a romance, but a story of fighting death, literally. I kept thinking of the movie Coraline and The Secret Garden while reading Gallant. These two movies together were a unique vibe I was able to conjure. She has lived her entire lonely life as an orphan at a strict school for girls, the only one who can see ghouls under the beds and in dark corners. She hasn't made any friends, as the other girls imbue her permanent silence with distrust and distaste.

If I had to compare all of them, I can barely think of any differences. They all act the same way, say the same things, and none of them form any lasting female friendships with other characters. In fact, this is pretty much the only kind of female characters I see in Schwab's work. Ones who are dethatched from their emotions and act in a 'traditionally masculine' way. All of Schwab's plots are similar, centered around death, and all of them have the exact same kind of female protagonist; one who is 'unique', 'special', and 'not like other girls'. Its annoying how the character archetypes are so similar; Lila Bard, Kate Harker, Sydney, Serena and Addie, to name a few.

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I also enjoyed the unique character that Oliva is and appreciate that Schwab didn't end up relying on the old stereotypes and tropes that frankly everyone is tired of seeing from a mute character. In fact, the absence of Olivia's voice will force you to hunt for answers outside the characters. It keeps the visual aspects of things in Gallant going strong. There’s a lot to like in Olivia Prior. She doesn’t speak, she’s never been able to, but there’s plenty to glean from her character besides dialogue. Schwab does an excellent job finding ways for her to express herself without uttering a single word. With bottomless curiosity and a ferocious streak when provoked, Olivia is the quintessential Schwab heroine. Unlikeable and an outsider to the society she lives in, but easy for the reader to root for. There are glimmers of some of these qualities in other characters in the book, but none that feel as fully developed as she is. Gallant, by V.E. Schwab is my seventh book by this author. I didn't really have high expectations when I went it to it, as the premise didn't grip me as much, but I had not anticipated to dislike this book so much. I had hoped it would at least be a 3 star read, but the book left me completely uninterested and unbothered. I did not enjoy it at all. For so long, Olivia has longed to be wanted, especially in a place like Merilance... until one day she receives a note from her uncle, Arthur Prior, about coming to live in Gallant--a mysterious, large estate. However, once she gets there Olivia realizes Gallant is not all what it seems to be and there was a reason her mother warned her away from it...

And dreams can never hurt you. That’s what her mother said. Of course, she knows now it isn’t true. Dreams can make you hurt yourself, dreams can make you do so many things, if you’re not careful.”

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In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world. Everything about Gallant reads like a cliché YA book. It has nothing unique to offer, apart from the representation. It felt like a typical Schwab story.

Also, BIG shout out to Manuel Šumberac, the illustrator, because the illustrations were absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Seriously, I think this may be the prettiest book I own and that’s completely fine with me. But there are lower powers, stranger ones, and there in the dark, behind the door, she prays to them.We also have a villain who doesn't get introduced until 60%. The villain was meant to be terrifying and scary, but he too had no personality. As someone who is not familiar with Schwab's works, her writing does hold lot of talent and I do see what the hype is all about. But Gallant could not impress me enough. There was no plot whatsoever (until like over halfway), but in general I don't even care 99% if there isn't one as long as I'm invested in the characters. Which wasn't the case at all here. The relationships among the characters were very surface-level. Hannah and Edgar only existed to help Olivia. Matthew changed as the book went along, but not in a way that felt organic. He switched from being hostile to treasuring Olivia more than anyone else, and did so across the span of a few days. They didn’t even spend that much time together. I get that he was distant because he wanted to protect her, but the change was so abrupt that it felt shallow. There's nothing wrong with characters like that! I love reading about them! But if they are the only characters that appear in Schwab's work, its a bit disheartening, especially because the 'traditionally feminine' characters are always painted in a bad light, either as the 'bullies' or the 'annoying girls obsessed with make-up and dresses'.

The writing style was the only saving grace of this book. I've never had complaints with Schwab's writing, and fortunately this was no exception. 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" This book was SO good and I truly am in love with V. E. Schwab’s writing. They write like a painter creates Impressionism - eloquently and filled with striking, beautiful details. It’s impossible to not be blown away. Would I say read Gallant? Absolutely if you’re a Schwab fan, but I probably won’t have to tell my fellow Schwablins that. If you like old gothic mansions, ghosts & the paranormal and a quieter, creeping kind of magic, then you may enjoy this as well. But I’m still on the hunt for that incredible fantasy novel of 2022, and though I had hoped this would be that book—I’m going to have to keep looking. I want Schwab to try out writing different characters and stop presenting the exact same thing to us. I'd love to see some amazing female friendships as well, because I don't see that in Schwab's work either.

Olivia Prior has always hoped for a place to belong and a family that cares for her. Instead, she’s isolated at Merilance School for Independent Girls, with its strict matrons, shunned by students who ostracize and torment her for being mute. Olivia uses sign language, taught to her by a now-departed matron (although nobody else signs); treasures the journal belonging to the mother she doesn’t remember; and can see ghouls. When she receives a letter from her uncle, Arthur Prior, inviting her to live at his manor, Olivia leaps at the chance. However, instead of the big, welcoming family she imagined, the opulent yet run-down Gallant only holds Matthew, her irritable cousin, and kindly caretakers Hannah and Edgar. Olivia unravels the ominous secrets of both her family and the house, where ghouls lurk around every corner and the dilapidated garden gate calls to her. The evolving relationships between Olivia and her found family shine, and themes of freedom, the self, and belonging are well depicted. The gripping writing and effective incorporation of horror elements, including haunting, inky artwork, are satisfyingly spine-tingling. Olivia’s use of sign language and her artistic talents, part of the exploration of the importance of communication, are skillfully incorporated into the overall story. Olivia and the main cast are White. The plot is slow for the larger part of the book but I personally don’t mind that as long as the main character is fully developed and intriguing (which Olivia is). Olivia Prior captured my heart and soul and I really love that even though she was mute, she still found a way to communicate with everyone around her. She didn’t just feel like words on paper and V.E. accomplishes that every time with her protagonists. The side characters (especially Matthew <3) were equally amazing, although I do wish we had more information about Hannah and Edgar. Anyway, I’d describe the plot as The Secret Garden meets The Haunting of Hill House/ Bly Manor , so if you like either of those, I highly reccomend Gallant. I also have a bias against books where the main female characters have no meaningful relationship with other girls her age. And in fact, they are shown to be jealous, petty, and mean towards her even if she’d done ‘nothing wrong’. Like, can we put a stop to this girls-hating-girls trend in YA? Thank you. Given that up till this day, it took me ages to finish The Invisible Life of Addie Larue for how boring and repetitive it is, it’s a surprise that I find myself enjoying this one! Despite the praises, I still find the book to be overly simplistic and uninspiring in comparison to the buzz surrounding her work. When I first read the summary, I had a different impression than after reading the outcome which pivots more on Olivia unearthing the Gallant. I also wished for the supporting characters to be given more substance, but alas was just there to fit as a piece to the story.