Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber #BookReview #FantasyRomance #YoungAdult #Magic #Mystery

My Rating

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Book Review

First that beautiful cover image and second the most exciting blurb of an adventure treasure hunt involving magic. Caraval kept popping up on my recommendations everywhere and nominated for numerous awards with the uproar about a possible movie in the making, it was hell difficult to ignore this book even though I did not want to start off another trilogy with a number of sequels yet to be completed already in my TBR.

Nevertheless, I’m glad I did get to this incredible work by author Stephanie Graber. Magic just flows from the author’s fingertips and the visualization she brings forth to the fantasy world was utterly rich in details that one can’t help but be immersed in this part fantasy part romance and part adventure story. The brightest element of the plot was the author’s adept handling of the scenes in the story, most chapters begin and end with such intense events that it was honestly hard to let go. There was no absolutely no way to guess what kind of game was being played, who was a friend, and who was an enemy, Julian and the mystery that surrounds him, everything kept running at a rapid pace at some places and a sluggish pace at some other points which keeps the reader on their toes.

The sisters Tella and Scarlett and their abusive past living with their father was heartbreaking and probably the reason why Scarlett has no other thought in her mind other than getting to her sister Tella. Honestly, after a time I was as exasperated as Julian with Scarlett’s single minded focus on only Tella and loved the push and pull between Julian and Scarlett.

It is clearly evident why the book has been chosen for a movie and I would be happy to see it on the big screen, especially with all that magic being shown in the story, but if you ask me, whether I am running to read book #2 that focuses on Tella and the master legend who runs the yearly Caraval, I would say NO. Book #1 was extravagantly lush and descriptive with its major plot points unraveled coz of which I feel going into further exploration with this plot would hamper my excitement.

Be enamored with Caraval!

Book Blurb

A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

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. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.

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Originally published at http://rainnbooks.wordpress.com on July 25, 2023.