Brief Synopsis
“Gallant” follows the story of Olivia Prior, a mute orphaned girl whose life changes forever when she receives a letter from her uncle inviting her home to Gallant. But all is not what it seems: her uncle claims he never sent the letter, and half-formed ghouls roam the house’s halls. What secrets is Gallant hiding?
Content Warnings: Death, References to Suicide, Violence (PG-13)
What Do I Think?
To me, young adult novels tend to fall into one of three broad categories. First, there’s the pseudo-romances: the novels that, if they had a little more sex, would be placed in the adult category. Secondly, there’s the genuine literature: novels that have a clear focus on their plot and whose writing is elevated above the typical. Lastly, there’s the action stories: novels whose focus is more plot-focused, often in a direction that features magic, dystopias, or a combination of both.
“Gallant” desperately wants to be the second.
The first, and most obvious tell of this, is that the novel is told in present tense instead of the usual past tense. It causes the story to immediately stand out, and for the first few pages it genuinely engages you just by being different. Combined with an eerie, tense tone meant to keep you constantly on the edge of your seat, the book starts out incredibly well.
Unfortunately, that solid beginning is quickly sidelined by a bland protagonist who never seems to have any agency of her own. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of having a mute protagonist who must find different ways to communicate with an often-hostile world is a fascinating concept. But the problem is that there isn’t anything else to Olivia Prior. She’s a sort of blank slate, incapable of taking any real decisive action for herself. Olivia’s mute nature causes her to be very introspective, this is true, but it is clear that the author didn’t have much planned for her personality outside of the plot – as a result, her most inward thoughts tend toward the route of a record player: repetitive, antiquated, and overlarge unnecessary.
It is very obvious that V.E. Schwab wanted to write a young adult novel that was literary – something to capture the imagination and leave readers thinking about it in the future. True, I’m still thinking about it right now, but the problem is that it is not the manner in which the author intended. Despite an overall fantastic tone, a bland protagonist, lack of a plot, and whimper of an ending guarantees this book won’t be more than a footnote in literary history.
Jacob Ryckman 