Reviews with content warning for Animal death - Gallant

Olivia Prior is living in at Merilance orphanage. All she has from her mother is her old diary, in which Grace recounted her slow but sure descend into madness. Her father is but a shadow — she has no memory of him. There aren't many certainties in Olivia's life, but her mother made sure to leave her this message: "you will be safe as long as you stay away from Gallant". When a letter reaches her from her uncle in Gallant, inviting her home, surely this is her chance to be free? Except if her ghosts follow her to Gallant, and if scarier ones await her behind a wall in the garden...

For a book all about death and ghosts, I found it quite soft and pleasant. It was extremely atmospheric, being set in an old manor with a spooky crumbing wall in the garden, filled with ghosts and giving strong Autumn vibes despite being set in Summer. The heroin is headstrong but kind, and although I didn't find the book particularly original, it was precisely what I needed at this very moment and I'm very happy to have picked it up. The prose is simple but poetic, and I'm considering buying a second-hand copy in English one day if I come across a bargain, because I can see this becoming a cozy seasonal re-read.

Rep: non-speaking MC.

Content Warnings

jesselopod's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

This novel is like a dark and creepy fairytale for adults without the morality twist. It wasn’t deep tale but it was entertaining and enjoyable although

I would have liked a more conclusive ending, a greater resolution or even a better hook where my imagination could have run wild with what may have happened next

. It was exactly what I wanted to read right now, an easy to read, fast paced story which isn’t an epic multi-book journey but instead a self contained plot. The descriptions and atmosphere in the book are beautifully crafted, and I enjoyed it for the vibe more than the plot itself. The perfect thing to read after binge watching Sandman and then listening to the Stardust audiobook.

Content Warnings

katiieecat's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book would make a FANTASTIC movie!

Content Warnings

liviamello's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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sunnysummer's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

Content Warnings

anntharai's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective fast-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? Yes

4.75

The atmosphere of this book is phenomenally done. There are so many moments I would like to quote here, but in short this is a dark and truly haunting book with a good plot driving it and a plethora of horrific truths behind it.

I fell that this is another one from V. E. S. that I will be thinking about for a while.

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