Week 52 Review: Gallant

From Goodreads:

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.

#1 New York Times–bestselling author Victoria Schwab weaves a dark and original tale about the place where the world meets its shadow, and the young woman beckoned by both sides. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak in this stand-alone novel perfect for readers of Holly Black and Neil Gaiman.

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?

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab crafts a vivid and lush novel that grapples with the demons that are often locked behind closed doors. An eerie, standalone saga about life, death, and the young woman beckoned by both. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Melissa Albert, and Garth Nix will quickly lose themselves in this novel with crossover appeal for all ages.

My Review:
I loved reading this book! I love Olivia, she was an amazing character, and I loved watching her learn about this world, about her family and their past. And of Gallant, and what it does, what purpose it serves. It was such a great read! 

Olivia can't talk, and given how her life has gone up to this point, given that she basically grew up in an orphanage, she's pretty bitter about the world, and has developed some pretty sharp thorns to protect herself from it. And she has this sprinkle of I don't care about the rest of the world, which is just utterly understandable!

We were told what her mom's journal said. But it didn't make any sense, because we didn't know about this world. And when we did, and we had that section where we could read those pages as they were written, not talked about, and with the drawings, it just made everything snap into place, and I loved that reveal! 

That ending though? That was just a little bit evil! More than a little really. That hurt, but given what they were facing, it does make sense. This is a book about love and family obligations, and sometimes things don't end happily ever after. It was satisfying but boy did not hold back its punches! 

Loved reading this book, it was a really fantastic read! 

Author: V.E. Schwab
Read: December 29th, 2021
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Love her writing so much and it sounded really great, and it's a SAC 2021 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Expected Publication: March 1st 2022

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars