Gabriel and The Swallows: Esther Dalseno | Review | Faith

A lonely farm boy.
A girl with swallow’s wings.
An ancient city buried in a volcano.
A mystery old as blood and bone.

There is more to Gabriel than the life he’s ashamed of – the son of peasant winemakers, bullied relentlessly on account of his disabled mother. For Gabriel has a secret: the elaborate dream world he descends into at night – a grandiose, vivid existence – is becoming more real than his waking life.

Everything changes for Gabriel when he rescues a wounded creature – a miraculous girl with swallow’s wings – from the voracious pursuit of Alfio Gallo, a dangerous old enemy. Aided by the beautiful and mysterious Orlando Khan, Gabriel is conflicted by unanswered questions: who is the Dark One that dwells in the medieval tunnels beneath their city? Is he just a figment of Gabriel’s powerful imagination? And is the foundling really who she says she is?

Wrestling with manhood whilst beckoned by ancient rites and foreign lands, Gabriel is about to make a deadly decision that changes the course of life as he knows it…as long as he can decide which reality he’s in.

- Goodreads Synopsis

This review WILL be SPOILER-FREE.

This book was sent to me by Oftomes Publishing for review.

I was sent Gabriel and The Swallows by: Esther Dalseno from Oftomes Publishing. Going into this book, I did not know what to expect. I usually don't read the synopsis of a book just because I like things to be revealed as I read. I just like to have an open mind.

As you know, this book was for review. When I read books for review I tend to think and look differently at a book. I critique it more than I would if I was just reading for my own enjoyment. The first I noticed was the writing of this book. I would not say that I loved the writing style and I wouldn't say that I hated it. I was indifferent about it.

Everything in this book is so heavily detailed. With the different writing style and the description of things it definitely took some getting used to which is perfectly normal for me. The narration of this book is what sets this book apart from other typical voices in YA literature. It is a breath of fresh air. There was so much depth in the character's voice, and that is a factor that I love seeing in books.

Gabriel and The Swallows was very different. We see so many corrupt futuristic dystopias and fantasy in Young-Adult books now a days, and sometimes they will be quite similar. This book was so unique, and I feel like I am going to be saying that a lot in this review because it's true.

Something that I wasn't really expecting from this book was how it was almost haunting in a way. Each chapter was mysterious and you didn't really know what was happening. In a sense it was like a dream. You know that fogginess you experience while you're having a dream? That's what it felt like while reading this book, it was enchanting.

In the beginning, I was very hesitant about how I was going to feel about this book. It took me a while to fully grasp what was happening in this book because I found that it wasn't that gripping in the beginning. At first I found it a little bit scattered and disorganized, I also thought that there was too much narration of the dialogue but those are little things I could get past.

There is a certain book that I never thought I could compare anything to. While reading Gabriel and The Swallows I discovered that this book was as enchanting, mysterious and beautiful as The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. 

You really have to look and read this book in a different perspective or else you're not going to see the beauty it holds. I went into this boo being very, very skeptical of what was going to come. I came out of this book feeling very refreshed and moved.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was so unique If you are a fan of The Alchemist by: Paulo Coelho, I would suggest you should go pick this book up. You will not be disappointed. There were a few bumps in the road for me, but I really, really loved reading this. It was an awesome and exciting experience. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. 

Don't forget to check out Oftomes Publishing

Also, I interviewed Oftomes author Joel Lawrence for his new and upcoming book Tears of Time! The interview will be posted on February 28th, 2016.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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