Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Pages: 403

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Fantasy / Mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains violence, sexuality, and mature scenes

The Back Cover

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful and cruel father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

Caraval is a game wrought with danger and intrigue, where high risk reaps big rewards. While Scarlett has dreamed for years of participating, she’s not prepared for the stakes when her sister is taken and rescuing her is the only way to win. The writing is heavy with descriptive prose and metaphors. The plot is inundated with twists and turns, misdirection, and deception. Nothing is what is seems. Scarlett’s relationships are tested; who can she trust? This is a dark tale with mystery, adventure, romance, and magic, as well as passion and desperation. The end wraps up nicely but with a tantalizing invitation to the next game.

Best Part: the shifting dress

What isn’t good?

The cover description gives too much away so the readers end up waiting for things we already know are going to happen. The story would have been much better served if the teaser had been as mysterious as the story. While I like the character of Scarlett, her constant wavering gets annoying, her romance is over-dramatic, and her traits are inconsistent. The world-building is disappointingly vague and character development is minimal.

Worst part: When Scarlett tells Donatella, “You can’t be in love with someone you just met,” yet Scarlett is in love with some she just met. Did I miss something?

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻ ☻ (3.5/5)

I really did enjoy this book, but it also felt like it was lacking in so many ways. I was never bored, yet I was often annoyed by inconsistencies, strange metaphors, or missing explanations. The plot is fueled by lies and deception so the twists and turns are dizzying, and in the end, the overall intention isn’t clear. Perhaps the other two books in the series make everything clearer.

Garber, Stephanie. Caraval. New York: Flatiron Books, 2017.