Caraval

This book had me hooked from the first page to the last. With a story full of twists and turns and loveable characters, it's a book I wasn't expecting much from but got way more than I bargained for.

The World
If you don't like metaphors and interesting, sometimes eccentric description, this book isn't for you. Me, I enjoyed it. Some reviewers have commented on things like “how can you taste midnight?” but I get it. It's not so much taste midnight, it's the all-around experience of it. If you take everything you read literally, this book won't be for you. Scarlett also had an ability, similar to synesthesia, but with a more magical, empath-like twist, where she could experience her emotion in the form of colours, and it was interesting to read what colour combination matched the emotion.

The broader world was a tad tropey, but not so much that I didn't enjoy it. Part of me wants to know more about the world as a whole, part of me thinks everything is about the setting of Caraval, and the point is the rest of the world is supposed to fall away until Caraval is everything. At least for a few days.

“The sky was black, the moon visiting some other part of the world, as Scarlett took her first step into Caraval. Only a few rebel stars held posts above...”

The Plot
I don't even know where to begin here. This is almost a story told from the point of view of an unreliable narrator, but it's not really her fault. Anything and everything the characters experiences could be completely fake or it could be real, and it's nigh on impossible to know which is which. And just when you think you've figured it out, and there can't be another twist you're not prepared for, something will hit you. Sometimes books like this annoy me. The twists seem random or not thought out. Caraval was different though. Caraval seemed well thought out. Nothing was there without a purpose and the author had a way of telling the story that drew you in so you experienced everything right along with Scarlett.

There was one problem with experiencing things along with the main character though, you're left out of the loop a lot. The magic system is... magic? These systems are supposed to have limits that are defined. If not, what's the point? Anyone can do anything and it's all ok? I'm hoping this is explained more in future books otherwise the stakes might seem less concerning if someone can click their fingers and undo all the bad that's happened.

“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”

The Characters
Scarlett

Scarlett is the main character, whose point of view we experience Caraval. In the beginning, she was mildly annoying, a weak female character who I wanted to give a nudge to fight for herself. But that's where we get the growth. Once she gets over herself at the start of the book, she becomes a character I enjoyed reading about, and one I could eventually cheer for. Her personality could've been more in-depth, with more story than a missing mother and abusive father, but overall, she was just about good enough to carry the story. I can only hope she grows more and is fleshed out better in further books.

Julian

The somewhat predictable love interest, but still my favourite character in this book. After all, without Julian, where would Scarlett be? Dead, probably! Julian is an enigmatic character. I'm not sure we ever find out who he is for 100% certain, but that's one of the reasons I actually like him. His story is clearly complicated, but he's likeable and I was rooting for Julian throughout.

Donatella

Donatella is Scarlett's younger, more irresponsible and out of control sister. Although I think there's a secret heart of gold hidden under the insecurity and madness. The whole plot is centered around her, but you don't get to actually see much of her. Scarlett clearly cares deeply for her, though, and it sounds like she's important for future books, so I'll be interested in reading more about her.

Would I read it again? If I didn't have thousands of other books on my list, sure. This isn't one of those I'd pick up as a “comfort read” though.

Will I be picking up the next in the series? Yeah, eventually. I'm great at starting series and never finishing them. I'll get on it eventually.

Would I recommend it? If you like a lot of metaphors, a little bit of romance and a magical setting, you should definitely give this one a go.

Is it going on my favourites shelf? Not quite. I enjoyed it, but not at that level.

The two people that kept the story going were not as annoying as Tella alone, or Tella and Scarlet combined. I enjoyed it enough in the middle to read it fast enough, but also not enough to have liked the cop out ending. Either the explanations should have been better off there should have been some other way to end it without undoing the climax part. Good, but not enough. Also, this would have worked fine as a stand-alone.

I still haven't written my review for this book (because I'm over 40 reviews behind oops), and I'll probably never will. I read this book a month ago, and I literally remember almost nothing that happened. And the things that I do remember, I don't remember how they played into the plot.

The only thing I got out of this story is that the sisters are selfish and horrible to one another. Also one of them was a ninja turtle. I don't remember which one? I think the purple one? And the writing had colors.

So, anyways, because of this, I am lowering my rating from four stars to three stars.

This was a lot of fun! I listened to this on audiobook from my library and really enjoyed the narration as well as the story.

Caraval seems magical and crazy, and just the kind of place/event I love reading about in fantasy. I loved the mystery of legend and this book had entertained all the way through.

I do have to admit I did initially hate Tella, and almost put the book down when Scarlett found her but luckily I pushed through my frustration and the end of the book was worth it!

4 stars from me, would re-read and can't wait to continue reading the series!

The main character was not my favorite, she annoyed me at the beginning of the book with her “oh poor me” attitude. I was pleased with the character development in the story. I enjoyed the plot and thought I knew where it was going but was pleased with the twists thrown in. I am intrigued to know what happens and will read the second book when it comes out

I listened to this book for the very first time on audio and I have to say it was a blast! I flew through the story (just like I did when I first read this book, back in 2017). I still realllllly enjoy this story, the whimsical settings, Julian, Dante, Scarlett. Can't get enough of this world, to be honest.

Dioss estoy tan furiosa con este libro que nisiquiera me tomaré la molestia de hacer una reseña en inglés, porque solo quiero sacar mi frustración...

Que libro más esquerosamente malo, sin sentido, a la Scarlett quería yo darle un zopapo a ver si se le removian las únicas dos neuronas que parecía tener, y la obsesión con la hermana ya me tenía HARTA! como personaje principal: aburrido, plano, soso y asquerosamente estúpido.

Por otro lado lo del juego estaba de flojera, y dioss despues de que vio morir a todos sinplemente acepta que todos reviven POR FAVOR QUIEN SE CREE ESO!!!... flojera agena, las pistas vacías y de 3 centavos... ni a pesos llegaban, la trama totalmente estúpida, hubiera estado 1000 veces mejor que si Legend las quisiera matar, para vengarse la de abuela, y si al final lo conseguía iba yo a celebrar, porque la Donatella igual se sentía insulsa y descerebrada....

La estilo de escritura de lo mas normal, y de la disque adicción que me iba a dar el libro de lo bueno que estaba ni que decir, lo terminé porque soy masoquista y no me gusta dejar libros a la mitad.... pero oh por dios como sufrí.

Quería leer erase una vez un corazón roto pero después de leer esta novela de la escritora.... lo estoy dudando MUCHO!!

This book felt like going into Wonderland, but Alice has a sister and she is kidnapped by a crazier and apparently murderous version of the Mad Hatter... until the last 5 chapters (aprox).

If there's one thing I liked about this book it's how it kept me guessing. I love trying to figure out whats gonna happen next in books and when one breaks every single of my theories just to plant another seed of doubt, it has my fully undivided attention.

I guess that's what fist person POVs do, right? You just get one single perspective into a much more complicated setting and that just messes up with were your thoughts go (that's why I prefer multiple POVs).

But anyway, it was definitely a fun read and the epilogue left me wondering what will happen between the next two main characters. So count me in to keep on reading this series!

3.5 stars

This one was a wild, whimsical ride. I wanted more from it. The vibes, the atmosphere, and the world were pretty interesting. The mystery surrounding Caraval was great.
However, there's a lot that isn't explained, which IMO is intentional, and there's not much character development. I was still immersed in this strange world anyway.
I'll continue with the series.

This is a debut novel and the first book in what is rumoured to be a new series of novels. Written by Stephanie Garber, Caraval is a magical novel with a mysterious and fantastical setting which has set the Young Adult world alight this year. I had to, therefore, give it a try and see if all the hype around this book lived up to the reality.

SSet on the fantasy Isle of Trisda, we meet sisters Scarlett and Donatella. Brought up by their father the governor of the Isle of Trisda we become aware that is is a calculating and cruel man who controls his daughters by punishing them physically when they disobey him, but adds his own twist to this by punishing Donatella when Scarlett steps out of line and vice versa, meaning the sisters know that if they disobey their father their sibling will feel the physical pain of his displeasure. Scarlett has had a marriage arranged by her father to a mysterious Count whom she has never met and her marriage is due to take place within a few weeks but she has never met her future husband.

Scarlett has been writing her whole life to a magical and mysterious figure called Master Legend who runs a magical game called Caraval. Caraval is a festival to which you have to be invited and if invited you are allowed to participate or simply watch the game in progress. The game takes place over 5 nights and you follow a series of clues, almost like a scavenger hunt, which will lead you to a prize beyond your wildest dreams. Scarlet and Donatella have been dreaming of going to Caraval since they were children and suddenly a few weeks before her wedding, they receive invitations from Master Legend himself to attend as his special guests.

With the help of a young sailor called Julian, Scarlett and Donatella run away to Caraval which is being held on Master Legend's private island. When they get there, however, Tella is kidnapped and Scarlett quickly learns that the item everyone participating in the game needs to find that year is her sister. All the clues will lead them to Tella. The prize at the end will the granting of one wish by Master Legend. Scarlett and Julian must, therefore, work together to try and reach Tella first but the mystery of Caraval is that whilst you must take it seriously you must never be so swept away that you forget it is just a game.

Garber has created a really fantastical world in Caraval, it is magical but has a certain darkness to it. Things are mysterious but you never know whether you can quite trust them to be real. The characters themselves are often hiding secrets and you are never sure which of the people are actors within the show and which are genuine participants. Behind it all, we learn that whilst Caraval is just a game a young girl died there a few years before when she became too swept away and people warn that Caraval can drive you mad. Master Legend himself is said to wear a different face each game and finds it fun to make girls fall madly in love with him.

I loved the writing within this book, Garber uses really good descriptions to set her world of Caraval, using lots of food related descriptions of the world around her such as the sand looking like spun sugar or the sky appearing a buttery texture. She makes it feel full of mystique and her characters are described really well and she focuses a great deal on the elaborate costumes and places that Scarlett visits. You lose yourself in the wonderful world you are reading about.

I found the first half of the book to be a little slow as it took a time to build up the actual setting for the book and therefore most of the action was packed into the second half. I also found myself getting frustrated with the lead character as she became too bogged down in the romantic entanglements she found herself in and lost focus on the game of Caraval itself and the actual goal she had, which was to find her sister. I would have preferred less romantic focus and more action and twists and turns in the game of Caraval instead.

The ending of the book frustrated me a little as well as we build up lots and lots of tension and emotion in events at the end of the book which are then negated a few chapters later as just being “part of the game”. It felt like the toils and turmoil Scarlett endured were suddenly worth less than we had invested in them as a reader. It was nice to have resolution but a little of it felt too easy.

The ending is clearly setting up for the next book in the series but it's unclear as yet whether this will be one book, making this a Duology or whether we can expect several more books to take this to a full blown series. I will absolutely read the second book as we have too many unanswered questions and relationships that I would like to spend more time immersed within and we still have much to learn about Master Legend himself which I feel is going to be an ongoing theme to a climax later in the writers story. In fact on reflection this book appeared to be a great deal about creating the setting and the stage for the books that will follow and it has certainly done that and created many many fans along the way.