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apple0loving0shinigami's review against another edition
4.0
Enchanting, and full of promise — that was my first impression when I finished the first part of Gallant.
Then things started to be repetitive. I understand that this book is meant for younger audiences, but the amount of times the author had to over explain things that she once explained was astonishing.
Oftentimes I felt like I was rereading the same things over and over again.
The story was full of potential, an air mystery loomed over from the very beginning. But as things started to unravel, I was a bit underwhelmed. Gallant is by no means a "new" story. Rather, I enjoyed reading V.E.'s take on this kind of a plot.
This may have easily been one of Neil Gaiman's novels, If you ask me. Everything that makes Neil's writing special is neatly packed between V.E.'s pages. I've only read three of V.E.'s book and Gallant is my fourth one, and I find each and every one to be different. I like how diverse she is in terms of topics/themes/plots.
Speaking of diversity, Gallant has a MC who doesn't speak and can only use sign language to communicate with others. So yay for inclusivity! I haven't read any other book with such an interesting protagonist who was also differently-abled.
Yes, when it comes to fleshing out characters, Gallant has very well flashed out protagonist and some of the side characters aren't bad either. They are not, however, well-explored, but they are fine, nonetheless.
With that being said, I can conclude that If Gallant ever becomes an animated movie, I'll be scared as heck to watch it. Coraline scared me when I was young and it still freaks me out, but Gallant would be so much creepier.
Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐
Then things started to be repetitive. I understand that this book is meant for younger audiences, but the amount of times the author had to over explain things that she once explained was astonishing.
Oftentimes I felt like I was rereading the same things over and over again.
The story was full of potential, an air mystery loomed over from the very beginning. But as things started to unravel, I was a bit underwhelmed. Gallant is by no means a "new" story. Rather, I enjoyed reading V.E.'s take on this kind of a plot.
This may have easily been one of Neil Gaiman's novels, If you ask me. Everything that makes Neil's writing special is neatly packed between V.E.'s pages. I've only read three of V.E.'s book and Gallant is my fourth one, and I find each and every one to be different. I like how diverse she is in terms of topics/themes/plots.
Speaking of diversity, Gallant has a MC who doesn't speak and can only use sign language to communicate with others. So yay for inclusivity! I haven't read any other book with such an interesting protagonist who was also differently-abled.
Yes, when it comes to fleshing out characters, Gallant has very well flashed out protagonist and some of the side characters aren't bad either. They are not, however, well-explored, but they are fine, nonetheless.
With that being said, I can conclude that If Gallant ever becomes an animated movie, I'll be scared as heck to watch it. Coraline scared me when I was young and it still freaks me out, but Gallant would be so much creepier.
Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐
kellycoburn37's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
5.0
lyssaczernek's review against another edition
3.0
Galant had a slow start and spent a little too much time setting up the story. Things really picked up around 60% and my attention was grabbed. However, because things started to get interesting so late into the story, I felt like the ending was rushed. I wasn’t as satisfied as I usually am by Schwab’s writing. I wanted more drama, more chaos, just more overall. Still a solid read, just not amazing like her other books!
evarey's review against another edition
2.0
I found it boring and I was not interested in reading the book. I finished it because it was relatively short, but there was nothing that made me curious about the plot or the characters or the end of the book, so, yeah.
finglishknits's review against another edition
4.0
Will I ever read a V.E. Schwab book I do not like? Don’t think so. Loved everything about this.
aenora's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
anotherbooklady's review against another edition
5.0
Home Is A Choice
I have never read a book by V.E. Schwab-I’ve had “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” sitting on my TBR shelf for quite some time, but thanks to an Audible sale and great reviews, I decided to read THIS book first. Several readers actually stated that this stand-alone novel was actually a great introduction to Schwab’s writing.
The book had me at the dedication: “To those who go looking for doors, are brave enough to open the ones they find, and sometimes bold enough to make their own.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I could feel the promise of an unforgettable story.
Olivia Prior is 14 years old and has lived the majority of her life at the Merilance School for Girls. Her only connection to her past is the green leather-bound journal that belonged to her mother which appears to show a woman falling into madness. One day a letter arrives at the school, inviting Olivia to come home to Gallant-the family home. When Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her, but she is determined to stay, to become a part of a family. Her cousin, Matthew, doesn’t want her there, there are half-formed ghouls lurking around every corner, and secrets that no one is willing to share with her.
I don’t want to share anymore, because this story is SO good and there is so much to uncover. The writing is beautiful and detailed. I think Olivia Prior is going to be another favorite character. I’ve never read another protagonist like Olivia and I don’t think I ever will again. Olivia felt REAL, that’s just how incredibly developed she is as a character. V.E. Schwab definitely took her time piecing this story together. The plot is just so fleshed out, the story is so complete. My only (slight) criticism is that I would have loved a little more background on the characters of Hannah and Edgar, but that’s more of a “me” thing and absolutely does not take anything away from this story. It’s a scary book, without being scary-if that makes any sense at all. This has been my favorite spooky season read so far this year, actually one of my favorite books this year-period.
The illustrations by Manuel Šumberac are also incredible and I found myself constantly inspecting the images-they tell their own story and they blend in so beautifully. I HIGHLY recommend reading along with the audiboook. The reader, Julian Rhind-Tutt gives an incredible performance and sets a perfect tone and mood to the story.
I have never read a book by V.E. Schwab-I’ve had “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” sitting on my TBR shelf for quite some time, but thanks to an Audible sale and great reviews, I decided to read THIS book first. Several readers actually stated that this stand-alone novel was actually a great introduction to Schwab’s writing.
The book had me at the dedication: “To those who go looking for doors, are brave enough to open the ones they find, and sometimes bold enough to make their own.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I could feel the promise of an unforgettable story.
Olivia Prior is 14 years old and has lived the majority of her life at the Merilance School for Girls. Her only connection to her past is the green leather-bound journal that belonged to her mother which appears to show a woman falling into madness. One day a letter arrives at the school, inviting Olivia to come home to Gallant-the family home. When Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her, but she is determined to stay, to become a part of a family. Her cousin, Matthew, doesn’t want her there, there are half-formed ghouls lurking around every corner, and secrets that no one is willing to share with her.
I don’t want to share anymore, because this story is SO good and there is so much to uncover. The writing is beautiful and detailed. I think Olivia Prior is going to be another favorite character. I’ve never read another protagonist like Olivia and I don’t think I ever will again. Olivia felt REAL, that’s just how incredibly developed she is as a character. V.E. Schwab definitely took her time piecing this story together. The plot is just so fleshed out, the story is so complete. My only (slight) criticism is that I would have loved a little more background on the characters of Hannah and Edgar, but that’s more of a “me” thing and absolutely does not take anything away from this story. It’s a scary book, without being scary-if that makes any sense at all. This has been my favorite spooky season read so far this year, actually one of my favorite books this year-period.
The illustrations by Manuel Šumberac are also incredible and I found myself constantly inspecting the images-they tell their own story and they blend in so beautifully. I HIGHLY recommend reading along with the audiboook. The reader, Julian Rhind-Tutt gives an incredible performance and sets a perfect tone and mood to the story.
gabitheaustrian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
leolikestoread's review against another edition
3.0
3.5✨
It was my first V.E. Schwab book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Despite loving the writing, the story itself was ok. It was a YA horror/thriller that for sure left me scared a few times (specially when reading at night
It was my first V.E. Schwab book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Despite loving the writing, the story itself was ok. It was a YA horror/thriller that for sure left me scared a few times (specially when reading at night