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A review by li_reading
Gallant by V.E. Schwab
3.0
“Remember this. The shadows are not real, the dreams can never hurt you, and you will be safe as long as you stay away from Gallant.”
I, like many others, have highly anticipated V E Schwab’s take on Gothic mystery; and I am saddened to say that it fell short of my expectations.
I will begin by saying that Schwab has never failed to set the scene, and Gallant is no exception. I truly felt transported into the marvel that is Gallant along with Olivia and enjoyed every moment of it.
Schwab, more than anyone else, is able to write characters that stick with me, and the side characters of Gallant are sure to do the same; I only wish I could say the same about Olivia. Of all the characters, Olivia felt the least dimensional and I found myself aching for her next interaction with anyone else. I will say however, that Olivia is the first mute character I have encountered and Schwab's ability to make Olivia's feelings and intentions known without sacrificing this is commendable.
By far, my largest qualm with the book is that it does not go anywhere. The events of the book may as well have not happened. No progress is made from the beginning of the book to its end, and the few differences are undesirable. The narrative manages to be entirely circular, massively anticlimactic, and left me with a distinct feeling of disappointment.
The most interesting aspect of the book is the element of mystery, which sadly lacks balance. Just as things begin to piece together, the answers are given outright, robbing the reader of the satisfaction of uncovering the mystery themselves. Furthermore, while many elements of the story are explained explicitly, there are several features of the world and narrative that go entirely unexplained. Rather than feeling like the narrative is open to interpretation, it gives the impression that the book is unfinished.
Overall, I feel overwhelmingly neutral towards Gallant. Readers who seek books that are beautifully descriptive and place little emphasis on plot are likely to enjoy Gallant (e.g fans of The Night Circus). However, I cannot help but feel that anyone picking up Gallant in hopes of tension, mystery, and resolution, will be left unsatisfied.
(TWs: Death, Death of Parent, Violence, Animal Death, Ableism, Child Death, Suicide, Self Harm)
I, like many others, have highly anticipated V E Schwab’s take on Gothic mystery; and I am saddened to say that it fell short of my expectations.
I will begin by saying that Schwab has never failed to set the scene, and Gallant is no exception. I truly felt transported into the marvel that is Gallant along with Olivia and enjoyed every moment of it.
Schwab, more than anyone else, is able to write characters that stick with me, and the side characters of Gallant are sure to do the same; I only wish I could say the same about Olivia. Of all the characters, Olivia felt the least dimensional and I found myself aching for her next interaction with anyone else. I will say however, that Olivia is the first mute character I have encountered and Schwab's ability to make Olivia's feelings and intentions known without sacrificing this is commendable.
By far, my largest qualm with the book is that it does not go anywhere. The events of the book may as well have not happened. No progress is made from the beginning of the book to its end, and the few differences are undesirable. The narrative manages to be entirely circular, massively anticlimactic, and left me with a distinct feeling of disappointment.
The most interesting aspect of the book is the element of mystery, which sadly lacks balance. Just as things begin to piece together, the answers are given outright, robbing the reader of the satisfaction of uncovering the mystery themselves. Furthermore, while many elements of the story are explained explicitly, there are several features of the world and narrative that go entirely unexplained. Rather than feeling like the narrative is open to interpretation, it gives the impression that the book is unfinished.
Overall, I feel overwhelmingly neutral towards Gallant. Readers who seek books that are beautifully descriptive and place little emphasis on plot are likely to enjoy Gallant (e.g fans of The Night Circus). However, I cannot help but feel that anyone picking up Gallant in hopes of tension, mystery, and resolution, will be left unsatisfied.
(TWs: Death, Death of Parent, Violence, Animal Death, Ableism, Child Death, Suicide, Self Harm)