I received this ebook from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

Confession time - VE Schwab’s books have historically been pretty hit or miss for me. But when I heard about Gallant, and then attended a virtual Q&A where she enthusiastically spoke about it - I was sold.

Gallant is a fresh take on the gothic horror genre, complete with an old spooky manor and the classic orphan trope. Schwab did a great job making these all too familiar elements feel fresh and new. And yet at the same time, it made me feel a bit nostalgic for one of my favourite childhood books. Funny how that happens. 

It’s safe to say that this book has become one of my new favourites. I obviously loved it, but I do wish that Schwab had spent more time in the story exploring the history of the manor and how the Prior family had become entangled with it. Actually, that would make a fantastic prequel…

I'm a massive Agatha Christie fan, but the marketing for this book was a bit deceptive - she's barely in it. To be frank, I would have given this a higher rating if Christie had been removed completely. Nan's story is a strong one, and would have been a great read on its own. Trying to stick this story into the real-life mystery of Christie's short disappearance in 1926 was just awkward, and threw off the pacing. 

This is a brilliant book that explores the dark world of the PT Barnum era of 'freak' shows. Macneal has created a world both dark and glittering, showing both the brutality of the industry, as well as the hopes and dreams of the performers. 

The story moves at a slow but steady clip, and is told through 3 different POVs. I've never hated a character before, but damn, I absolutely despised one of the them - kudos to Macneal for getting me that emotionally invested!