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fcsmith's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Ableism, Blood, Suicide, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, and Grief
atlas_shruggs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is such a vibe, I felt like I was right there in Gallant, right next to Olivia as she went through the story. I loved seeing a non-verbal main character and the way V. E. Schwab portrayed the issues that follow most people not being able to understand you. I felt so connected to the family and the house, and the story fully immersed me. It felt warm and soft, and also reminded me so much of watching Coraline.
I loved Olivia's energy and fire, and Matthew's quiet love and devotion, and Hannah and Edgar and their undying commitment to this family.
I loved Olivia's energy and fire, and Matthew's quiet love and devotion, and Hannah and Edgar and their undying commitment to this family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Death, Grief, and Bullying
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Ableism, Animal death, and Blood
writingcaia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
An abandoned 2 year old baby, a mute girl that grows in a orphanage with only her mother’s cryptic last diary as company, until one day a letter arrives and she finds she truly has a family but to be with her family she goes against her mother’s last written advice on the journal. Still, it’s her chance of a new life. Of course, things aren’t as easy as all that. When are they ever? First there’s only one actual family member, and begrudging at that, second there’s the haunted house, wonderful though it is, and third there’s the family curse, but what does it matter when she can finally find her past, discover her roots and her true power.
As always the writing is poetic, captivating and transportive, it carries you to a time without time where haunting manors exist, vines can kill, roses have no scent, darkness comes at night, there’s fear in the walls, wails in the eve, and ghouls about.
The plot is simple but there’s intricacy in its details, however the whole story happens in a few days and there’s little room for character arc and growth, and with such a potential in the magic and in the antagonist I really feel it could have been grander, and I guess I hoped it would have, also the end… I wish it had been less dark.
I read the book in one night, it was easy, entertaining, and a beautiful read but I expected a bit more than that. It’s what the author gains for giving me such high expectations from all her other books I’ve read and loved (all of them except the middle grade ones), and that’s why I’ll keep automatically buying any new YA and adult book she releases.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Mutism
Moderate: Child Neglect, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Abandonment and Nightmares
Minor: Child abuse
As always the writing is poetic, captivating and transportive, it carries you to a time without time where haunting manors exist, vines can kill, roses have no scent, darkness comes at night, there’s fear in the walls, wails in the eve, and ghouls about.
The plot is simple but there’s intricacy in its details, however the whole story happens in a few days and there’s little room for character arc and growth, and with such a potential in the magic and in the antagonist I really feel it could have been grander, and I guess I hoped it would have, also the end… I wish it had been less dark.
I read the book in one night, it was easy, entertaining, and a beautiful read but I expected a bit more than that. It’s what the author gains for giving me such high expectations from all her other books I’ve read and loved (all of them except the middle grade ones), and that’s why I’ll keep automatically buying any new YA and adult book she releases.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Mutism
Moderate: Child Neglect, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Abandonment and Nightmares
Minor: Child abuse
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, and Death
Nightmares, mutismarys_library's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was my second V.E Schwab book I’ve read, and much like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, this gets 5 stars! I read this as an ebook borrowing it from my library, but I want to get a physical copy so badly now, especially to stare at the beautiful artwork throughout this book.
V.E Schwabs writing style is so unique and I think the majority of people who don’t love her books, don’t like her writing style. To me, her style is so beautiful and graceful, it’s slow burning and so full of imagery. Fans of Coraline, this might be the book for you.
Honestly, it’s hard for me to think of the words for how much I loved this book, it’s something that deserves more that simple words. This book was phenomenal and powerful and otherworldly. To me, it was perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Blood, Child death, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Violence and Abandonment
eve_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ V.E. Schwab's writing style never fails. As always, it's lyrical and elegant but creates an atmosphere unique to this story and world alone.
⁕ I adore Olivia's character! Her emotions are so big and real. She's not the typical morally righteous, brave main character that you see in every middle grade novel. Sure, those things are part of her, but she's also fallible and has needs/motivations outside of doing the right thing just because.
⁕ This isn't a book to read if you want in-depth world-building and plot development. It's not meant to be. It's character- and emotion-driven, meant to make you feel more than anything else.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online/
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ V.E. Schwab's writing style never fails. As always, it's lyrical and elegant but creates an atmosphere unique to this story and world alone.
⁕ I adore Olivia's character! Her emotions are so big and real. She's not the typical morally righteous, brave main character that you see in every middle grade novel. Sure, those things are part of her, but she's also fallible and has needs/motivations outside of doing the right thing just because.
⁕ This isn't a book to read if you want in-depth world-building and plot development. It's not meant to be. It's character- and emotion-driven, meant to make you feel more than anything else.
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online/
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Death, Ableism, and Abandonment
hayleygray's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
V.E. Schwab is a magical author. I find myself truly absorbed in her words, worlds and characters. With each of her novels, I have never read another one like it and I am mesmerised, each time. This book was dark, twisting and extraordinary with an incredible protagonist – young woman who cannot use her voice to speak – and the true meaning of home. Incredible!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Child death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Abandonment, and Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Body horror, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
lunajcano's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Como concepto me parece excelente. La traducción siento que le resta un poco lo retorcido a la historia. En comparación con otros títulos de la autora este es más middle grade pero cumple. Me encantó que Olivia no hable y como describe no poder hacerlo, querer gritar y no poder, recurrir a expresiones físicas de dolor, pena o furia porque no puede comunicarlo de otra forma. No sé pero me gustó muchísimo, quizá la trama no tanto pero la construcción de la novela es un 10/10.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment
arthur_ant18's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Child death, Abandonment, Ableism, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Blood, and Self harm
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars
As may others who listened to this book, I feel that a female narrator would have done better in conveying Olivia's emotions. Don't get me wrong, Julian Rhind-Tutt DID A FANTASTIC JOB with pacing, creating tension and atmosphere, but his particular style, in my opinion, did not match perfectly to Olivia's character.
Although I say all of this, I don't think the audiobook is flawed or a flop by any means; the 3.5 stars are deserved.
In this YA fantasy- mistery (closer to middle-grade actually), we follow Olivia Prior- a mute girl from Merilance School for Independent Girls as she receives a letter from an uncle(Arthur Prior) telling her she needs to come to Gallant.
The themes present in this novel are: loneliness, the overbaring weight of the PAST GENERATIONS ON NEWER ONES, family and familial bonds/found family, heirlooms an their many forms,etc.
I think that V.E. Schwab has amazing ideas, and for most of the time, her execution is great for me; but this time, I felt that she held back on consequences: we have real danger and tragic stories rooted in the main conflict of the book, but without the usual unconcious understanding of all this by our main character. Olivia is very much preocuppied with unraveling the mistery her mother is. The journal motif is over-utilised(in my opinion), and it comes a sort of obsession that instead of adding a layer of melancholy and dramatism, it comes off as a distraction from the plot. (I'm not sure how this is possible, given the fact Olivia, the journal, her mom and the danger are all connected...>.>)
Things I think were very much needed and extremely important, but somehow, they did not come of right: use of Gallant description, the fantastic element of this book...I feel it could have been better employed to strengthen the bond in the family...at it was done...Olivia is separated once again from her family...the irony...>..>
Besides the mistery element, we also have a romantic one that doesn't include Olivia in a direct way(thank God). This element is my second problem...I would have wanted more explanation, especially as it has a giant connection to the rest of the plot; it lacked development, or better said, it lacked the necessary unfolding of info in the final part of the book. In the current form, it just feels like a plot device...unfortunately...:(
My final complain...the bad guy...felt kind of cartoonish not gonna lie...>...>...maybe this is appropriate for the age range this book is targeting, but it was still kind of jarring...
Enough with the negativity! Good things worth mentioning!: THIS IS A 100% V.E. SCHWAB BOOK, albeit for a much younger audience! GREAT ATMOSPHERE LIKE ALWAYS, you can feel the emotions exuded by the MCs (Olivia and her cousin Mathew and their lack of understanding...both stranded on their own little solitude island :))); the concern from Edgard and Hanah :) )
If I was to give a number from 1 to 10 for components...here they are :
Characters: 6
Atmosphere: 8 (great but not the best ever)
Writing: 7
Plot: 7
Intrigue: 6
Logic: 7
Enjoyment: 7
Content Warnings: forcibly restraining someone to a bed; graphic imagery of dead bodies; death, mental ilness developed under constant stress for long periods of time and slow mental degradation described on page; animal death, mental torture.
Representation: mute MC.
In conclusion, this book is great for anyone enjoying V.'s writing style, but head's up to the age range! I also think this is a great read if you are new to fantasy-mistery/ a little bit of horror elem. I will recommend this book to people enjoying young MC's who look for found family, mistery/horror, and supernatural component as a glue holding everything together!
Enjoy
As may others who listened to this book, I feel that a female narrator would have done better in conveying Olivia's emotions. Don't get me wrong, Julian Rhind-Tutt DID A FANTASTIC JOB with pacing, creating tension and atmosphere, but his particular style, in my opinion, did not match perfectly to Olivia's character.
Although I say all of this, I don't think the audiobook is flawed or a flop by any means; the 3.5 stars are deserved.
In this YA fantasy- mistery (closer to middle-grade actually), we follow Olivia Prior- a mute girl from Merilance School for Independent Girls as she receives a letter from an uncle(Arthur Prior) telling her she needs to come to Gallant.
The themes present in this novel are: loneliness, the overbaring weight of the PAST GENERATIONS ON NEWER ONES, family and familial bonds/found family, heirlooms an their many forms,etc.
I think that V.E. Schwab has amazing ideas, and for most of the time, her execution is great for me; but this time, I felt that she held back on consequences: we have real danger and tragic stories rooted in the main conflict of the book, but without the usual unconcious understanding of all this by our main character. Olivia is very much preocuppied with unraveling the mistery her mother is. The journal motif is over-utilised(in my opinion), and it comes a sort of obsession that instead of adding a layer of melancholy and dramatism, it comes off as a distraction from the plot. (I'm not sure how this is possible, given the fact Olivia, the journal, her mom and the danger are all connected...>.>)
Things I think were very much needed and extremely important, but somehow, they did not come of right: use of Gallant description, the fantastic element of this book...I feel it could have been better employed to strengthen the bond in the family...at it was done...Olivia is separated once again from her family...the irony...>..>
Besides the mistery element, we also have a romantic one that doesn't include Olivia in a direct way(thank God). This element is my second problem...I would have wanted more explanation, especially as it has a giant connection to the rest of the plot; it lacked development, or better said, it lacked the necessary unfolding of info in the final part of the book. In the current form, it just feels like a plot device...unfortunately...:(
My final complain...the bad guy...felt kind of cartoonish not gonna lie...>...>...maybe this is appropriate for the age range this book is targeting, but it was still kind of jarring...
Enough with the negativity! Good things worth mentioning!: THIS IS A 100% V.E. SCHWAB BOOK, albeit for a much younger audience! GREAT ATMOSPHERE LIKE ALWAYS, you can feel the emotions exuded by the MCs (Olivia and her cousin Mathew and their lack of understanding...both stranded on their own little solitude island :))); the concern from Edgard and Hanah :) )
If I was to give a number from 1 to 10 for components...here they are :
Characters: 6
Atmosphere: 8 (great but not the best ever)
Writing: 7
Plot: 7
Intrigue: 6
Logic: 7
Enjoyment: 7
Content Warnings: forcibly restraining someone to a bed; graphic imagery of dead bodies; death, mental ilness developed under constant stress for long periods of time and slow mental degradation described on page; animal death, mental torture.
Representation: mute MC.
In conclusion, this book is great for anyone enjoying V.'s writing style, but head's up to the age range! I also think this is a great read if you are new to fantasy-mistery/ a little bit of horror elem. I will recommend this book to people enjoying young MC's who look for found family, mistery/horror, and supernatural component as a glue holding everything together!
Enjoy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Confinement
Moderate: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Suicide, Grief, and Torture