v2.
Rereading Caraval wasn't what I expected. I remember not loving, though not hating this book so I figured I'd enjoy a reread. I specifically wanted to revisit it to explore the descriptive language. It's funny, rereading my review now that I was unimpressed with that description. I didn't find it distracting this time or filling in a void for the story. With this read it supported the story and the worldbuilding.
I forgot how negative Scarlett is about everything, especially Julian. She decided he’s a scoundrel and from then on, whatever his actions or choices show about him, she refuses to let go of that judgement. I'm sure it made a difference that I remember the ending, at least a little. I didn't remember all of the climax, but I remembered that everything worked out well in the forest after. So her negativity really annoyed me. It didn't help that she’s incredibly naive, maybe with good reason because she grew up trapped on the one island. But she doesn’t listen to or trust the people that have proved themselves helpful and she totally trusts complete strangers. She’s told again and again it’s a game but then ignores that every time. I really think this would be a better book if the point of view character wasn’t so negative, naive and mildly annoying. And in some ways I think that's supported by my feelings toward her the first time around.
I still really like the scene where Julian saves her from the dress deal. In fact, knowing that didn't turn out so badly made the scenes leading up to it also more interesting. I think that's the turning point for Scarlet's character because even though she's occasionally negative after, it's less and the reader can see her trying to shift. The climax helps considerably when Scarlet hits her character arc because she likes Julian by then and plays it safe less.
This time, Donatella didn't bother me. Maybe because I agreed with her from the beginning in the barrel room in wanting the girls off the island, away from their father. Since I rejected Scarlett's whole “keep everyone safe all the time” mentality, it was more natural to align with what Donatella was trying to do.
I have to say I still don't love this book. The first two-thirds when Scarlett is, well Scarlett are a mix of annoying and interesting. But overall I liked it better the second time around.
v1.
I suspect the thing most people would say they like about Caraval is the world, the visual descriptions and the magic. And along with that the twists and turns in the story. I can't say I liked any of those things.
The world is definitely imaginative. But the descriptions were a bit too involved for me and pulled me out of the story more than they drew me in. In fact, for quite a while it felt like the book was more enthralled with its ability to describe fantastical things than an actual story. I don't think it actually got going until day 2 of Caraval.
The twists weren't that twisty. Granted, I didn't think Tella had actually died, but also didn't think Julian had died. I did think Dante was dead, which was disappointing. But overall I tended not to trust much of anything that was happening and see how it played out.
I think I would have enjoyed the story more as easy amusement if I hadn't disliked Scarlett quite so much. I found her obstinate and controlling from the outset. Annoyingly so. She's naïve and foolish and yet her bad decisions end up paying off for her in a way that makes other characters act like she's smart.
Even more than that, I despised Donatella. She's not in the story much, but in those little appearances she is nothing more than a selfish, naïve, ridiculous girl. Which undercut Scarlett's whole motivation to save her ‘beloved’ sister because there was nothing beloved about her in any way. There was nothing to like, let alone grieve in her death. And throughout the whole book I had no reason to want Scarlett to save her (to be fair I didn't think there was anything to save her from since it was just a game - Scarlett could have sat around drinking tea the whole time and at the end I'd expect her sister would saunter in and they'd sit down to decide where to go next).
The other characters really carried the story. I liked Julian and Dante and Aiko. I did like the rules of the world like the price of the dresses which created an interesting scene with Julian. I kept reading a bit from a sense of curiosity but more to see how it all played out with the other characters then how it played out for Scarlett and Tella.