Source: library via Libby

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gallant is the first book I’ve read by V. E. Schwab, but it will not be the last! After seeing Schwab’s latest novel on lots of TBRs and all over the BookWeb, I was curious and decided this standalone novel was a good chance to check out a new author—especially since I could get it from the library via Libby.

I’m a little surprised Gallant is marketed as horror. I can see why, but while I’d call it a dark fairytale, I wouldn’t call it horror. I was never truly frightened. The spooky and creepy gothic atmosphere was fabulous, but not horrific. I think that’s a good thing.

In Gallant we follow Olivia, a mute young woman who has grown up an orphan. She can also see ghouls and is a remarkable artist. One day she receives a summons from a long lost uncle to come home to the Prior family estate, named Gallant. We learn that gallant means bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. Gallant the house is well named because it and the Prior family stand against a mirror realm of death.

Schwab does a great job with Olivia’s mutism. It adds layers to the character without defining her and the reader is asked to empathize with but not pity Olivia. Her struggles are not played as a maudlin means to tug heart strings, they just are. She also doesn’t dwell overly long on Olivia’s circumstances in the orphanage. We get enough to understand it was awful even though the matrons did the best they could. Schwab doesn’t resort to child abuse to get the point across.

Similarly, Schwab plays masterfully with the gothic atmosphere and creates two eerie but entirely believable worlds. Since Olivia is an artist, Schwab uses the vocabulary of line, color, and medium to juxtapose the two worlds. It’s very effective.

I loved and rooted for the characters. No one made foolish, irrational decisions. I didn’t find myself rolling my eyes. The plot was simple, but I was invested in how it played out.

I will definitely be reading more from this author. I’ve already placed A Darker Shade of Magic on hold at the library.