From the Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and A Darker Shade of Magic comes a standalone novel where The Secret Garden meets Stardust.
Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she's never met, her father's older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don't go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate's western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her bloodâŚ
âA haunting and beautifully tilled garden of darkness, Gallant unearths the shadowsâwebs of family history, the price of deadly bargains, and the secrets we guard â a triumphant tale that can't be missed.â DHONIELLE CLAYTON, bestselling author.
PRAISE FOR V.E. SCHWAB
âSchwab tells a swashbuckling tale with lip-smacking gusto and infectious verveâ
- The Guardian
âSmart, funny and sexy⌠the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jonesâ
- independent
âThese rich, lifelike characters draw the reader in and make this well-realised fantasy impossible to put downâ
- Kirkus
âIt's a multiple split-screen adventure, with an engaging hero/heroine pair at its centerâ
- The Wall Street Journal on a Darker Shade of Magic
âThis is how fantasy should be doneâ
- Publishers Weekly
âFascinating, well developed characters and well excellent worldbuildingâ
- SF Signal
âReminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Diana Wynne jonesâ
- We Love This Book
âSnappy dialogue, lively characters and excitingly written derring-doâ
- SFX
Fleur
26/11/2023
beautifly written and an easy read but at the end it feels somewhat unresolved, unfinished. slightly disappointed just because of the ending.
Amber
18/07/2022
3.5/5 The writing style and artful choice of words paint a vivid picture of Gallant, but the flow of the narrative eventually leaves one feeling somewhat unsatisfied. Meaningful character development is sparse, perhaps because the story spans only a few days. In essence, a captivating and highly entertaining read of not all that much substance.
Annika
15/05/2022
Spannend en avontuurlijk, ik zat er direct helemaal in. Goede vertelstem đ