Growing up, Olivia could see ghouls no one else could, and once at Gallant she discovers why. Gallant creates a very interesting world with Death at the center of it. Being told through Olivia’s point of view only adds to the uniqueness of the setting, as she focuses on small details that make the world come alive. In Gallant, she creates a very atmospheric setting that pulls readers in. Schwab’s writing is, undoubtedly, what made this novel shine. This means the book has little dialogue, but Schwab takes care never to make Olivia’s inner monologue boring as she narrates her tale. She is very attentive to body language and does her best to adapt to the characters around her in order to express herself: with few she signs, with most she writes out her thoughts while with one she sketches.

Despite each new revelation pushing her away from Gallant and its past, she perseveres until she’s wormed her way into the residents’ hearts. Being mute in a world with little care towards her disability has led her to be constantly frustrated but very resilient, and she has had to find creative ways to communicate which makes the book a very interesting read. When Olivia arrives at Gallant, she is determined to learn its secrets and make it her home, despite everyone’s objections. 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? Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant - but not. Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. 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. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home - to Gallant. 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. A seam, where the shadow meets its source. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. Schwab, Olivia Prior has always longed for the home she finds in Gallant but she is unprepared for its dark history.Įverything casts a shadow.

Gallant book