About the Book
Book Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Series: Caraval
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Fantasy
Published: January 31st, 2017 by Flatiron Books
Pages: 407
Format: Physical Book
Source: My local bookstore
My Rating: ★★★★★
Disclaimer: This is an unsponsored review. I purchased my copy of this book from a local bookstore with my own money. All opinions expressed are my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Summary
For most of her life, Scarlett Dragna has dreamed of attending Caraval, a magical interactive performance put on once a year by a mysterious man who calls himself Legend. Unfortunately, her dreams are about to end, as her father has arranged a marriage for her. Her hopes of seeing Caraval are almost lost until her sister Donatella teams up with a mysterious sailor to take them to see the show. All is not well however, as upon arrival, Donatella is kidnapped by Legend himself. Determined to save her sister and to get home before their father notices their absence, Scarlett is forced to participate in all that Caraval has to offer.
My Review
Going in, I was a little scared that this book would not live up to what I had heard about it. This book is one of the most hyped books in my niche, and I was terrified that all the talk was just talk. Man, was I in for a treat. Not only did this book live up to my expectations, it exceeded them. This book was a blast, with twists and turns at every corner.
When I first added this book to my TBR, I heard somewhere that this book is best if you go in as blind as possible. That is definitely the case. If you would like to experience this story and world at its highest potential, please pick up this book ASAP then come back and read what I have to say. I won’t spoil the book in this review, but I really think it’d be best if you read it first. That being said, I fully recommend this book. 5/5 stars, I’ll see you after you read the book.
Alright. Now that you’re back (or maybe you really want to see what I have to say, and I appreciate that), let’s get into some more detail about what I thought.
First up, let’s discuss the world building. The world of this book is magical and mysterious, that’s all I can describe it as. It felt a lot like an interactive theme park. It’s really hard to describe, but trust me when I say it’s almost worth reading for the world building and atmosphere alone. I also loved how the author describes things using colors that represent emotions. It really added a layer of depth to the story.
Next there are the characters. Scarlett herself was a little disappointing, but not enough to dock a star from my ranking. She has a one track mind at the beginning of the story, but she has some pretty amazing character growth. The other main character, Julian the sailor, was a treat! Julian starts out almost antagonistic towards Scarlett, but as the two play the game that is Caraval, things warm up between them.
Speaking of Julian and Scarlett, let’s discuss the romance. The romance between our two leads was brilliant. I’m a sucker for quirky nicknames and sassy quips between couples, and this book had that in spades. If I had any complaints, the romance was a little bit rushed for my taste. It wasn’t a huge problem, but I’m more of a slow burn fan. There was also no spice, which I appreciated.
Last but not least, I want to discuss the mystery and the plot itself. The plot of this book was very game-like. At every turn, the characters had to face riddles, puzzles, and more in order to solve the mystery. It felt like a Dungeons and Dragons game of the best kind: one where you’re so engulfed in the game that you forget what time it is.
In conclusion, this book was great! It was a refreshing yet exciting read from start to finish. I completely recommend this book 5/5 stars.
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