THE FINALE: A Caraval Novel (Caraval, #3)

by Stephanie Garber

All games must come to an end...

Sunday Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber takes us once again to the magical world of Caraval, where Scarlett and Tella Dragna must fight for their happy endings after a tragedy sends Tella on a treacherous path for revenge. . .

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun - with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything. Welcome, welcome to the Caraval's Finale. All games must come to an end...

Praise for the series:

'Extravagantly imaginative and enchanting . . . Pure magic and escapism' Cecelia Ahern

'Enchanting . . . [I] never wanted to come out' Sabaa Tahir

'Immersive and engaging . . . destined to capture imaginations' Kirkus

'An enchanting carnival of dreams and nightmares . . . beautifully and vividly written' SciFi Now

(P)2019 Macmillan Audio

• ISBN10: 1250157668
• ISBN13: 9781250157669
• Publish Date: 1 January 2022 (first published 7 May 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: THE BOOKHUT PUBLISHING
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 496
• Language: English

Reviews

[Hilarye]

It’s over & I want more.

Stephanie Garber is a master of descriptive writing. I was constantly blown away by how real everything was in my mind. I always had vivid pictures in my mind of how the fabric of the dresses felt, how the city of Valenda looked, & even how the character’s signature scents smelled. Reading one of her books is a fully immersive experience, & I LOVE IT.

Finale was less magical game where you can't tell the difference between illusion & reality, & more rounding out of the character’s storylines. Every single one of the main characters grew immensely throughout this last book, but not so much that they felt finished. I think SG gave just enough closure so fans wouldn’t riot, but also purposefully left a few dangling threads so she could revisit these characters in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed the HEA ending, but I also want more of Scarlet, Tess, Julian, Legend & the Fates. I want to know what happens next. This beautiful found family was just beginning when the book ended, & I need to know how the rest of their lives play out. I can’t wait to see what happens to Jacks in OUABH, & I hope there are more books to come. The rest of the Fates are far too intriguing to just let them go.

[pamela]

While I enjoyed Finale it was without a doubt the weakest book in the series, let down by an utterly lacklustre ending, and some really poor worldbuilding.

Where Legendary was a high point, with fun games, a mystery to follow, a clear direction, and some satisfyingly angsty love scenes, Finale instead opted to do away with the fun of Caraval and introduce a brand new villain and plotline for the final installation and not really bother to do any character development for them. Where I'd grown to love the side characters in the form of Caraval's players in the first two books, they're remarkably missing from Finale, instead, replaced by a cast of Fates who I didn't know, or particularly care about. There's also a deep mythos surrounding the fates that was never really explored, and a huge chunk of Legend's backstory that basically didn't exist in this story that I was hoping to get more of. (Come on Stephanie Garber! I want to know about the tattoos, what they mean, and more about Legend and Julian's childhood!).

But for me, the biggest flaw in Finale was the fact that the entire end of the book was based on a HUGE gaping pothole! (show spoiler)[When Scarlett travels back in time to steal a dress from her mother and try to imitate her to make the Fallen Star weak, she takes a dress newly collected from the dressmaker. The Fallen Star NEVER SAW PARADISE IN THAT DRESS! Garber tries to get around this by saying that he purchased it for her, but he wasn't there, and never saw it. Giving a dressmaker a design idea is not the same as recognising a garment that he'd literally never seen.] (hide spoiler)  Add to that the fact that the villain was overcome by what amounted to (show spoiler)[Scarlett just asking really nicely] (hide spoiler) and I was just spectacularly underwhelmed by how this series ended.

I still enjoyed reading Finale, and indeed the entire Caraval series, but I'm not going to lie; the end did leave me a bit disappointed. 

[ladygrey]

v2.

Finale is a good conclusion to the first two books. It lacks the world building of Legendary (because the world has been built well in that book--it simply continues in this one). Scarlett adds a new layer to keep things interesting. And while I liked the characters and the world, I found the plot a bit light. There are quite a few scenes where things happen but nothing happens. There are elements introduced that don't seem to play out worth much (show spoiler)[(like their mother waking up and then dying…Scarlett pretending to be their mother for 2 minutes…Legend and Tella looking for a book that never gives them information, I guess except for the knowledge that Tella married Jacks, but then that's dissolved before Legend finds out which could have been really interesting…Tella going to the trouble to trade a secret for information on Fallen Star…Scarlett trying to master her power to no use, or I guess a little use because she chooses not to use it on Julian).] (hide spoiler) But none of those things felt like they had weight in the story. Very little of the plot felt like it had weight or that it mattered. It was a lot of occurrences to keep them running around until the end.

Which I shouldn't complain about because the heart of the story then becomes those moments of character interaction.(show spoiler)[ The moments between Legend and Tella weighing love and immortality. The few moments between Julian and Scarlett pushing each other way and choosing each other. ] (hide spoiler) The brief moments with the sisters supporting each other. I like character driven books and I enjoyed these character moments. I think after Legendary, however, I hoped Garber might be able to balance good characters, sparkles of description with a bit more substance in the plot. Two out of three is nothing to complain about.

On the upside, like the first two books most of what bothered me when I first ready Finale didn't bother me upon rereading. Perhaps because I liked both Scarlett and Tella better coming into this book. Perhaps because I think I understood them better this time. I enjoyed Finale more this time around. 

v1.

I expected the duel point of view, because I was fairly sure there wasn't a third character to go with. I thought it mostly worked well and allowed more to happen in the story. (show spoiler)[But Tella eavesdropping on a few scenes just to get us info that wouldn't work with the pov felt a little flimsy. And there were parts that seemed completely unnecessary. Like why was Nicholas brought in at all to be there for one scene and then die? Was he just a temporary foil for Julian and Scarlett? With all the big things happening with Fates and empires changing rulers some long dismissed ex-fiancé was the way to go about that? And the same thing with their mother. Everything Tella went through to save her in Legendary and she just wakes up and then dies? Was it because she would have given her daughters too much information? Or what was the point of all that?] (hide spoiler)

(show spoiler)[Also, and this is a small annoyance but the scene with Esmerelda where Tella decides that if Legend can betray the person who created him, he can betray anyone, really? Like her giving him power is any way connected to him caring about her or that she matters to him in anyway? It was too ridiculously illogical for me and confirmed that Tella is still stupid in this book.] (hide spoiler)

(show spoiler)[Also I instantly hated their mother because the second she wakes up she starts making decisions for her daughters and doing things to control them “for their own good” which is completely toxic and I'm kind of glad she died if that's how she was going to act.] (hide spoiler)

There's more repetition in this book than the previous two. I thought Legendary did a good job of giving the reader vital information without rehashing the first book or being repetitive. Finale repeats not just what we've read in previous books but what we've read a few times already in this one. 

All that being said, I liked the mythology and the capriciousness of the Fates. (show spoiler)[I maybe thought the climax was a little convenient and off-kilter (Scarlett goes through this whole elaborate ruse to convince Fallen Star she's her mother and then abandons it like two paragraphs in?).] (hide spoiler) But Fates and magic and the rules of the world I thought were interesting enough to hold the trilogy up. And both romances created sparks when things started to get dull which kept it fun.

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: —> 5 STARS

BRAVA! BRAVISSIMA !

Ugh; I loved this SO FREAKING MUCH!

Finale truly blew me away. Incredible. Tears won’t stop, sap that I am.

RTC

[alisoninbookland]

Well, that was underwhelming. Part of the magic of Caraval and Legendary was the game. The game was enchanting and you never knew what was real. Finale had no game so the biggest chunk of magic simply wasn’t there.

Instead, the book focuses on The Fates. To me, The Fates (and that entire storyline) seems so detached from Caraval’s original story. I really had a hard time caring about that particular part of the story. Scarlett’s connection to The Fates really came out of no where. It just wasn’t for me.

The unnecessary love triangles are back in full force. The reader knows who Scarlett and Tella will choose so it’s just obnoxious to continually focus on the will-they-or-won’t-they storylines with the love interests. Honestly, I didn’t feel much in regards to any of the romance. I wasn’t cheering anyone on. I wasn’t grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. I was just ‘meh’ about it.

The story was engaging enough because I finished the book, I was just left wanting more from this glamorous world.

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[writehollydavis]

A great ending to a great series! I loved this book more than Legendary, though Caraval will always be the showstopper. Finale was filled with heart and drama and kept me voraciously reading to find out what would happen!

[nightingalereads]

I can't believe it's over! Finale was a great econclusion to the trilogy, though I did vaguely miss the structure of the game in this book. This book had two perspective, and I did prefer one over the other (I might've skimmed over a few scenes), but overall I'm satisfied with this ending. I know I'll revisit these characters time and time again. 3

My feelings about this book are quite all over the place. I enjoyed it a lot, I still love the world, but I also thought that some parts were just utterly ridiculous and I hated the love triangle that was so prominent in this last book.

I liked the fact that we got to see more from the Fates, they were interesting, but at the same time also a bit late to the party. I did not care about them that much because their threat was new, again. It felt a bit as with tv series that have a new bad guy every episode. At a sudden point, you stop caring about the villains.

Also, Tella's storyline was really intriguing in the beginning. Following Legend, searching if he was actually trustable, discovering his secrets. Oh, wait - there's Jack, and we transformed into a love triangle that did not stop until the very last page of the book. Normally I do not mind love triangles unless they take over the whole storyline, which was, unfortunately, the case in this book.

The ending felt rushed and ridiculous. All of these characters who love playing games truly believed that Scarlet could impersonate Paloma and make him love again? Seriously? Oh and then she forgave him so he started feeling again, I did not realize I was reading a fairytale. And the fated objects felt again very convenient for the plot, without any good explanation of how the magic system worked. I must admit, the magic system is a lot more clear than in the first book, but I wanna know more! Also, there is still no world building. There is a world, but at the same time there almost isn't? And Legend's questionable motives just get thrown away halfway through the book.

I get why people love this. Stephanie Garber has a very magical and intriguing writing style that few authors possess. You almost cannot help but love the book, even if you have a lot of remarks about it. It is highly enjoyable, but I get why people are upset about this ending.

[blackbibliophile]

3.5 stars! Nice closure to the trilogy.

[Kelly]

On the Isle of Trisda, siblings Scarlett and Donatella lived under the oppressive rule of their father until liberation arrives from Master Legend, an invitation to attend the Caraval festivities on his private island. Accompanied by debonair scoundrel Julian, Scarlett and Donatella are immersed in a game of illusion and intrigue, of performers and breathtaking adventure. The Caraval festivities have come to a closure and while Paradise slumbers, the city continues to mourn Empress Elantine as Legend prepares for his official coronation. The Fates are on the cusp of awakening from imprisonment within the Deck of Destiny and creating destruction throughout the city.

What Actually Happens In Finale?
Where Caraval and Legendary both surround the game of Caraval, Finale takes place beyond the confines of illusion and manipulation. Basically The Fates are escaping their enchanted Deck and while some appear to be allies, we see a villain emerge in the Fallen Star who really isn't all that villainous, just a little misunderstood. He's also murderous. His ultimate goal is to storm the city with The Fates under his control and become the next emperor.

Sisters Doing It For Themselves
Scarlett and Donatella Dragna have survived the whimsical Caraval, unveiled the illusions Master Legend has created and now forging their own destiny as two young women liberated from patriarchal oppression, who have matured and grown as individuals victorious of challenging the game and winning. Scarlett is practical and empathetic, fiercely protective and passionate. Scarlett feeling the ache of loneliness that brought her to Caraval, begins writing letters to her former fiancee Nicolas in Julian's absence. Oh my. She may be challenging Nicholas and Julian for her affections but her heart belongs to Julian, although the rivalry has certainly made him more attentive. It was cruel to allow Nicolas to believe she was romantically interested in pursuing him and he seemed like a decent chap.

Triangles, as far as the eye can see
Donatella is a young woman of determination and bravado, in love with a man who as an immortal, will never experience love only possession. After the revelations of Legendary, Donatella is no longer a courageous and assured young woman, the anguish her character carries is palpable and although Jacks is a Fate with sinister intentions, she seeks companionship and understanding, Legend unable to provide her with affection to fulfil her needs. In Jacks company, we see Donatella for the young woman she had become. Jacks challenges her ideals and decisions, a tentative truce that has allowed their friendship to blossom without the pressure of expectations.

Is This A Kissing Book?
Yes. Much kissing. With lots of people.

One of my favourite characters of the series is Jacks, the Jack of Hearts of the fated Deck of Destiny. He's conniving but also seemingly cares deeply for Donatella. He also asks for consent on multiple occasions before touching. I thought there was little difference between Jacks and Legend. Both created the illusion of romance although as immortals, neither can love a human. This small act of humanity leaves them vulnerable to then becoming human.

Julian may be human but he seemed to be oblivious to Scarlett's needs. Two men, seemingly experienced yet still can't figure out the basic needs of their significant others. Sounds about right. It also raises issues for both Scarlett and Donatella of their futures beyond Caraval and I loved that neither were willing to settle for less than what they wanted or deserved.

Read It
The Caraval series is absolutely lovely, beautifully written and incredibly opulent. The world Stephanie Garber has created is luscious and darkly imaginative, from the flirtatious and tantalising romances to the the magical illusions and dreamscapes, the series celebrates two young women who have grown into fierce competitors. They've always been capable of winning but I loved their journey towards confidence and strength.

I couldn't have asked for more from Finale as a finale, utter perfection.