Gallant

Gallant resists being categorized. It’s a middle grade book that feels like a literary adult novel. It’s a horror story, but also a gripping coming-of-age tale. It’s about ghouls, ghosts, and Death, but also found family, self-sacrifice, and acceptance.

A wonderfully Gothic atmosphere pervades this melancholy book, yet there’s hope in this story of a family called to give everything to protect the world from a great evil. And did I mention the young protagonist never says a word?

Beautifully written in a way that makes me jealous of the author’s skill, its haunting effect lingered with me for weeks… show more.

I've always loved V.E. Schwab's writing and the evocative ways she weaves words. In this book we follow Olivia Prior a mute girl who grew up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. The book starts with us seeing firsthand how the other girls torment her due to her lack of speech, and others in position to help, like the nuns, don't bother learning her sign language. Since Olivia lives a pretty terrifying life as a homeless orphan, who sees ghouls, this additional barrier to… show more.