Caraval (Caraval, #1)

by Stephanie Garber

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems...

'If you ever wondered how it would feel to step into a dream, here's your ticket' - Stacey Lee

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.

When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

A mesmerising, magical and stunningly imaginative debut novel for anyone who loved The Night Circus.

• ISBN10: 1250095255
• ISBN13: 9781250095251
• Publish Date: 31 January 2017 (first published 6 December 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Flatiron Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[liz089]

Re-read 2019.
I thought it was only one year ago, but apparantly it has already been over two years since I was first enchanted with Caraval. It took me a bit to get into it again, and I was a bit more critical ( I wanted to see more this time), but I still didn't know what would happen ! Love that. And now finally on to Legendary !!


First Read 2017.
I really loved this novel and had a lot of trouble putting it down. It was so magical and mysterious, it had me completely hooked. Loved it. Loved the MC, loved how I had no idea how the plot would go or what would happen next, loved the originality, loved how I did not know who to trust, who was lying, who was real. Just a lot of awesomeness in one book.

[bookishzelda]

The circus has always been magical to me. When I was a kid we would go to Circus World in Wisconsin and even in the off season when the place was a ghost town. There was something about it. Caraval definitely captures the magic that I think of when I think of a circus but infuses it with also intrigue and suspense. I found myself flying through the pages until the very end.

At the root of the story is the two sister, Scarlet and Donatella. Both suffer the abuse of their horrid father who uses their love for one another as a weapon. Scarlet is the older and more cautious of the pairing. While Tella is more eccentric and risk taking. Although Scarlet sees her upcoming wedding as an escape, Tella sees it as moving from one prison to another.

Once they reach Caraval the story focuses around Scarlet as she searches for Donatella. You really see her character develop as she starts to let loose a little. Not to a crazy extent but she starts to really see even herself in a different way. The Caraval allows her to get a window to her own soul.

I loved the romance. It’s one of my favorite kind. I loved how the characters play off each other. I liked all of their interactions.

Caraval reminded me of Halloween. People use it as an excuse to throw common sense and propriety to the the wind. Everyone's true colors are on display because they believe there are no consequences for their actions. Which also makes it very unpredictable and exciting. You never know what is around the next corner. Good, bad or otherwise. I could see how people would be easily caught up in it...of course you have to remember it’s only a game.

I can’t wait for the next story. I had mixed feelings about the books ending. Not because of the writing and plot. I thought it was fantastic, it was more about the characters. I kind of felt like I was in Scarlett’s body going ohh hmm. So it will be exciting to see where it goes!

[Chelsea]

Actual rating - 3.5

The biggest thing I loved about Caraval was how magical it was. It wasn’t that magic was used so directly but that everything that happened had a little bit of magic in it. The outfits our characters wore were magical, the places they saw were magical, and even some of the other characters they met were full of magic. The magical aspects are what really held this book together for me because otherwise, I don’t think I would have finished.

“Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find yourself magic in this world.”
Caraval was not a bad book, I just found that I was interested in knowing what would happen without being attached to anyone or anything. I think one thing readers should know before starting this book is that it’s more of a romance than it is a fantasy book. I was desperately hoping for more fantasy elements to pick me up and blow me away but that didn’t happen. It’s also very much a young adult book. Some YA books can be written for older teens but this one felt a little too young for me sometimes.

I think my biggest issue with Caraval was the main character, Scarlett. I couldn’t connect with her at all. She took everything too seriously and overthought everything which started to drive me crazy about half way through. It’s hard to enjoy reading a book when you don’t feel anything for the characters. From the way the summary of the book is written, it makes it seem like this is a book about two sisters, one of which needs to be found. While that’s exactly what happened I didn’t feel the connection of these two sisters like I was expecting. Scarlett kind of floated between finding her sister and falling in love but feeling guilty about it. Her character was all over the place and I couldn’t keep it all straight.

Speaking of being confused, the whole concept of the clues in Caraval threw me off. Scarlett was given a list of clues to find her sister but when she checked them off they didn’t make any sense to me. I figured the clues would be something like locating a place or a person and they were but in a completely roundabout way that didn’t actually make any sense to the clue in the first place. It honestly gave me a headache trying to figure them out.

I think the author was trying to be vague on purpose which can work in some books but not this one. I had a hard time imagining the characters and places because the details we were given weren’t the right ones. There would be a paragraph explaining in detail what dress Scarlett was wearing but only a sentence about the place we were at. With all these magical places and people written into the story, I was expecting a lot more description and way less of the irrelevant narrative. Needless to say, I’m disappointed with this one.

[Kelly]

On the conquered Isle of Trisda, siblings Scarlett and Donatella live under the oppressive rule of their father, a callous man who has betrothed Scarlett in order to keep her complacent. Scarlett is aware that her only escape is to become a bride, until an invitation arrives from the Master Legend, inviting Scarlett and Donatella to his island to participate in Caraval. Scarlett and Donatella have a turbulent relationship, although care for one another deeply. Their father cruelty contends his daughters against one another, often abusive and suppressing their freedom. After deliberation, the siblings are assisted by Julian on their journey to the island of Caraval, where Donatella is taken hostage under the guise of entertainment and the game has already begun.

I enjoyed the slow progression of the tentative friendship between Scarlett and sailor Julian, despite Julian's secrecy and Scarlett's reluctance to compromise. What emerges is a slow burning and sultry romance. Sexy, sexy romance. Scarlett is feisty and often judgmental but ultimately yearns for freedom, especially for sister Donatella. Julian's character is enigmatic and an opportunist but to find Donatella, Scarlett must place her faith in Julian's ability to navigate Caraval.

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

Scarlett is betrothed to a man only known through his penmanship, torn between her developing attraction for the arrogant and flirtatious sailor while anxious not to anger her quick tempered father. He's incredibly violent and rather than punish Scarlett, he will physically assault Donatella and Scarlett is determined to protect her sister.

One of the loveliest aspects of Caraval is the atmospheric beauty. Lyrical and exquisite, I was enamored by De Los Sueños, the private island where Caraval is held while shrouded in magic and an enchanting illusion of adventure. Beneath the surface, the island threatens to expose the sinister nature of Caraval. Deliciously dark, the world building is breathtaking, mature and refined.

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or performance. It's the closest you'll ever find yourself magic in this world.

Reminiscent of the lyricism of Laini Taylor, Stephanie Garber's debut made my heart flutter with delight. Caraval is wonderfully atmospheric, beautifully lyrical and an absolute pleasure to have immersed myself within the pages.

[Beth C.]

http://vampirebookclub.net/early-review-caraval-by-stephanie-garber-caraval-1/

Scarlett and her sister Tella live with their father, a brutal man ever since their mother disappeared years ago. He has killed when people did not do just as he desired. He does not shy away from beatings of the girls, usually attacking the sister who didn’t make him angry, in order to try and use their loyalty to each other as a lever. Scarlett has spent her life dreaming of Caraval—a magical performance that only happens once a year, and the participants are the audience. When she and her sister end up there, she finds that Caraval is more than just magic—it is real…and it can be deadly.

The setting was interesting, as so much of it revolved around secret tunnels and magical items. Think circus, but a whole town made up that way. The descriptions are colorful and lively, and really manage to bring the place to life. Places change from hour to hour, and items can be purchased with secrets…or with even more macabre ways.

The characters were interesting—my favorite being Julian, the sailor who took the girls off their island and to Caraval. Scarlett was decent, though a bit annoying in her continual fear of breaking out of her box. Tella didn’t feature as much in this book as I would have thought, so that makes me wonder if she will be the focus of book two. However, some of the most important parts revolve around her. Legend, who I would have thought would be a bigger presence in the book, was notable for his mysterious absence. Regardless, the characters were pretty well drawn out, and were certainly human in their motivations.

This definitely has a romance, though I shan’t give away who romances whom within the story. As is usually the case, it is a rocky event, and by “rocky,” I mean death may be involved. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would certainly want to finish the duology with the second book. While there was definite closure to this part of the story, there is also a cliffhanger that yearns to be solved. And how it shall be solved is just one more bit of the mystery and magic that is…Caraval.

[Rinn]

I don't get the hype. I really, really don't.

[Sam@WLABB]

This book was hyped, and it lived up to the hype in my opinion.

This is a magical story of two sisters, who are looking to escape their oppressive lives. They've dreamt of Caraval as young children, and right when they had given up hope of ever being part of the magical experience, they received an invitation to be part of the festivities and the game.

This wasn't simply a story, it was an adventure. Garber created such a magical world for the characters to explore. I found her descriptions quite vivid, and I was easily pulled onto the island. The story unfolded beautifully with perfect pacing. I loved the way Garber revealed the pieces, and kept me wanting more. She also created wonderful characters. I found myself very invested the outcomes, and felt sad/mad/glad/etc when appropriate for Scarlet and Tella. Caraval really had so much to offer. It was a story of redemption, a romance, a mystery, a beautiful story of sisterly love. I must also say, that I loved Garber's writing. It was beautiful and flowing and descriptive, but I never felt it was overdone. I think that balance is difficult to find, and she did it stupendously.

Overall: a magnificent adventure filled with romance, mystery, and magic.

Closer to 3.5

[Joséphine]

August 30, 2017

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Rereading thoughts: I loved the atmosphere as much as I did the first time round I read Caraval. As before, I'd love to see this book made into a film. It would be amazing to see that setting come to life. At the same time, there were some parts, mostly related to the romance, that made me like the book a little less than before. Despite that, the originality and setting still managed to capture my attention, hence the unchanged 4.5 star-rating.

Also, some pointers I want to add with regards to the abuse — there are graphic descriptions. If this is a trigger for you, please note that. For those who're unsure or have DNF-ed the book, do know that while at first, the victim does believe they deserve it, they grow less naïve, and they become convinced that they do not deserve to be abused.

_________

January 17, 2017

Full book review is now up on Word Revel.

_________

November 6, 2016

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Initial thoughts: Caraval is the very definition of twisted. I expected a magical book that would sweep me off my feet with its exquisite setting. Technically, that's exactly what I got. However, what I didn't expect was that it would be quite so morbid. Life and death, time, perception, lies and reality were put into question from the beginning right through the end, making it a mad ride. I thought all these elements came together exceedingly well, leading me to my only gripe: reading a review copy ahead of its release means I have to wait all the longer till I get to read the sequel to Caraval.

Note: I received an advanced reading copy from a local distributor in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[nightingalereads]

I'm so glad I gave this series a second try.