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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to love this book. I even bought the whole trilogy off the bat thinking there was no way it would disappoint. HOWEVER, I found Scarlett completely intolerable. She’s sheltered, stupid, and just whiny. I swear if I heard “but i’m getting married” one more time i’d gag. And surprise, surprise… the groom of said arranged marriage wasn’t at all what she expected? I AM SHOOK. -_- I liked the setting and some of the magic but overall this book pained me to get through. I couldn’t finish it.
On second read through… and actually finishing it this time… I liked it more. If I stopped listening to the feeling colors stuff I liked it better. I still find Scarlett annoying, but I’ll give it 3-3.5
On second read through… and actually finishing it this time… I liked it more. If I stopped listening to the feeling colors stuff I liked it better. I still find Scarlett annoying, but I’ll give it 3-3.5
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Truly this was one big game of “fuck you” the whole entire time.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4 ⭐️ for story and plot, 5 ⭐️ for vibes!! I flew through this and was so very much enjoying the whirlwind!! To summarize all the texts I sent to Maria, the author did such a good job writing an entertaining story with fun characters, a unique magic system, and obvious villains (aka evil dad and Legend) that I was lulled into a sense of false confidence that I knew what was happening! But BAM the last quarter of the book pulled the rug out from under me and the secret subplot of the book came to light and it got so much more involved and intense! The real villains maybe weren’t who I thought they were, jk Dad is still evil and can go kick rocks, but Legend might not be as one dimensional as I thought he was!
I felt like I could really relate to Scarlett, we are both slightly paranoid older sisters who want the best for our younger siblings, but obviously only if they do things the way that we want…anyway, so it was really fun to read from her pov because I felt like I understood her character really well. She did get on my nerves a little bit because she didn’t think anything through until like 2/3 of the way through, but home girl did finally figure out how to think critically and put the puzzle pieces together! The ending was wild and I felt like I was getting whiplash trying to keep tabs on everyone’s literal pulse and who was who and where they came from, it was so fun! I do feel like the sister deserves more credit than she got, but maybe that will come in the next book!
I felt like I could really relate to Scarlett, we are both slightly paranoid older sisters who want the best for our younger siblings, but obviously only if they do things the way that we want…anyway, so it was really fun to read from her pov because I felt like I understood her character really well. She did get on my nerves a little bit because she didn’t think anything through until like 2/3 of the way through, but home girl did finally figure out how to think critically and put the puzzle pieces together! The ending was wild and I felt like I was getting whiplash trying to keep tabs on everyone’s literal pulse and who was who and where they came from, it was so fun! I do feel like the sister deserves more credit than she got, but maybe that will come in the next book!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The following review will have clear spoilers.
"It took 7 years to get the letter right."
Caraval opens with an intriguing hook in the epistolary form, but it takes quite a while to get its bearings. Immediately, the book establishes the dynamic between an abusive father and his daughters. While the frequent developments in the story helped to quicken the pace, they were often hampered by the constant flashbacks, which served as a breather away from the harsh realities of the real world.
It was only upon empathising with Scarlett that the pacing really started to speed up. Still, there was something about the world that seemed rather fictional--too fictional in fact--and rendered the story rather intoxicating. There was constantly something unsettling about the world's unfolding, including the numerous twists and turns between Julian and Scarlett's relationship, which made it feel like 2 exes drunk on love.
The constant shift in dynamics between characters was gripping and impactful the first few times, but by the time we reached the peak of the story, the numerous twists and turns felt predictable and slightly less captivating. There are only so many times one can be tricked, before they feel deceived, just as Scarlett was. "Her father seldom told the truth, but he also rarely outright lied. He saved his lies for when they would count the most." Even so, the book quickened the pace considerably by increasing the stakes with each turn, making it surprising each time, especially if you ignore the plot holes.
Speaking of plot holes, it was rather hard to grapple with the fact that Legend dated both Donnatella's Nana "Annalise", and herself. Also, Scarlett's resolute selflessness was definitely admirable, but also frustrating at times. "I would die for my sister!" was a sentiment addressed in more ways than one, and by the end, any reader would have been more than aware of this. Still, how is it possible for one to be as quick to forgive as Scarlett, who endured her sister's lies and constant acts of betrayal? Furthermore, the breaking of the game's initial premise--everything being a game--felt more like a cheap threat designed to make one feel a deep sense of injustice, rather than genuinely heartbreaking.
Still, even with the various flaws--a forced ending, hackneyed twists, and some plot holes--Caraval remains a compelling and fast-paced read due to the vivid atmosphere and mystery of the setting. The two sisters are certainly flawed, but not enough to make them outright unlovable, and in a world full of deception, that may have just been the highest compliment ever.
"It took 7 years to get the letter right."
Caraval opens with an intriguing hook in the epistolary form, but it takes quite a while to get its bearings. Immediately, the book establishes the dynamic between an abusive father and his daughters. While the frequent developments in the story helped to quicken the pace, they were often hampered by the constant flashbacks, which served as a breather away from the harsh realities of the real world.
It was only upon empathising with Scarlett that the pacing really started to speed up. Still, there was something about the world that seemed rather fictional--too fictional in fact--and rendered the story rather intoxicating. There was constantly something unsettling about the world's unfolding, including the numerous twists and turns between Julian and Scarlett's relationship, which made it feel like 2 exes drunk on love.
The constant shift in dynamics between characters was gripping and impactful the first few times, but by the time we reached the peak of the story, the numerous twists and turns felt predictable and slightly less captivating. There are only so many times one can be tricked, before they feel deceived, just as Scarlett was. "Her father seldom told the truth, but he also rarely outright lied. He saved his lies for when they would count the most." Even so, the book quickened the pace considerably by increasing the stakes with each turn, making it surprising each time, especially if you ignore the plot holes.
Speaking of plot holes, it was rather hard to grapple with the fact that Legend dated both Donnatella's Nana "Annalise", and herself. Also, Scarlett's resolute selflessness was definitely admirable, but also frustrating at times. "I would die for my sister!" was a sentiment addressed in more ways than one, and by the end, any reader would have been more than aware of this. Still, how is it possible for one to be as quick to forgive as Scarlett, who endured her sister's lies and constant acts of betrayal? Furthermore, the breaking of the game's initial premise--everything being a game--felt more like a cheap threat designed to make one feel a deep sense of injustice, rather than genuinely heartbreaking.
Still, even with the various flaws--a forced ending, hackneyed twists, and some plot holes--Caraval remains a compelling and fast-paced read due to the vivid atmosphere and mystery of the setting. The two sisters are certainly flawed, but not enough to make them outright unlovable, and in a world full of deception, that may have just been the highest compliment ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicide, Murder
Minor: Kidnapping, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated