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.
Caraval was the narrative equivalent of an Old Spice advertisement!
Plot? Barely.
Character development? Zero.
YA tropes? Overflowing.
Internal logic? Forget it.
But still, I found myself oddly engrossed. Was Caraval good? No. Magic was constantly used as a plot crutch, and the narrative hinged almost entirely on outdated gender stereotypes and how attractive its characters were. But did I have fun reading it, regardless? Yes.