Olivia Prior grows up in the restrictive Merilance School for Girls, isolated by her inability to speak and her visions of silent, gray ghouls. Her life changes when she receives a letter from an uncle she never knew, inviting her to his ancestral estate, Gallant. Upon arrival, she finds her cousin Matthew is the only living relative left, and he demands she leave immediately. Olivia discovers a physical wall on the property that serves as a border between the living world and a decaying, shadow-filled realm ruled by a skeletal Master. She uses her mother’s old journal to navigate the family’s history of protecting this threshold from an encroaching void.
This story serves readers who appreciate gothic fiction centered on atmospheric horror and macabre imagery. Fans of dark fantasy seek this book for its focus on finding a sense of place when family history is stained by inherited burdens. The audience learns how a character navigates isolation and physical disability while confronting predatory external forces. Readers walk away with a specific perspective on how a home can be both a sanctuary and a dangerous cage, ultimately finishing a narrative that prioritizes mood and sensory details.
Balanced in tone; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
Insights from Gallant
“Tout a une ombre, même le temps.”
Olivia parle avec ses mains dans un monde qui ne l'écoute pas. Son silence est une force incroyable face aux ombres du manoir.
“Tu seras en sécurité tant que tu resteras loin de Gallant.”
Le journal de sa mère ressemble à un avertissement sanglant. On sent l'urgence de ses dessins gribouillés sur les pages jaunies.
Le mur de jardin sépare deux mondes identiques mais opposés. Traverser cette limite change l'air même que l'on respire.
“La mort est là. Elle attend à la table.”
Le maître de la maison grise attend derrière le fer forgé. Sa présence glaciale donne l'impression que la mort a un visage.
- Published
- 2022
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- ISBN
- 9780062835772
- Language
- FR
