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kitcatavo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It’s very clear from the start that we are meant to love and hate each of these characters. Obviously it add to the mystery of the story. However, I would’ve liked a bit more development for the redeeming moments of specific character. Just all of a sudden, Scarlett is In love with Julian. Oooooook…?
Overall I did the like plot twists and surprises in this book.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
steen19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The final ~15% of this was really fucked up. Like serious psychological trauma.
This book is like 80% telling and only 20% showing. The MC kinda just walks up on situations and people recount it all. There weren’t really game-like challenges or carnival ambiance.
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Death, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
gaietta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexism and Death
linnybear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Sexual content
ankiaisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Violence, Stalking, Suicide, and Vomit
ankiaisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Drug use, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
swiftie_bookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief
rylin_marie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
🎠~she imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out~🎠
-literal poetry. this line is just so pretty. it painted a picture in my brain. stephanie garber is literally the queen as describing things.
🎠~hope is a powerful thing. some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether.~🎠
julian is mine. i am his. i love him.
okay, i’m literally so happy. stephanie garber is a new favorite author. the acknowledgments made me smile. i love how the first thing she put was “thank you, God, for being faithful when i was faithless, for your love, and for every miracle that made this book possible.” i will forever love stephanie garber for this.
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, and Suicide attempt
annilane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and Physical abuse
Caraval is a really fun read. The world building is very creative and detailed, and the characters are likable and easy to root for. I found the twists in the narrative hard to follow / keep track of at certain points, but overall the book was even better than I hoped it would be.mariamizhys's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Idea of the story is basically the movie "The Game" with Michael Douglas, but with magic and in a circus-like atmosphere. Understanding that and being able to predict the general direction and idea of the plot made it much less exciting than it would have been for someone who didn't know, where this was going. It was a good rendition of that idea but the characters seemed a bit too immature for me to truly empathize with them. And thankfully I was never traumatized in the way Scarlett and Tella were. So I can't truly understand them. From an educational point of view, it's good to try to understand, what a person, who went through such trauma would feel. But I'm not sure that the author depicted that most truly and authentically and so I'm afraid that she didn't quite handle it with the care it deserved.
So I applaud her for including domestic abuse victims but I'm not sure she did the justice and that feels wrong. Like she used that for shock and as an excuse for flawed writing.
All in all, nice idea, and a very fun aesthetic, but a bit too much thoughtless drama and a bit of a lack of self-awareness.
I do not believe that I will continue with this series. At least not in the near future.
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Grief