Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Caraval

I was lied to, I saw things that weren’t even real, and I was forced to believe it was all a happy ending but, no. “It’s just a game” only applies to its actors, but its players suffer true consequences and Tella, the mastermind behind the troubles her sister and her new lover had faced, is no exception. I am literally SHOOK. I NEED to know what Tella bargained for, I need to know where their mother went, I need to know what this game really is.

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hannahmarkby's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with Caraval, but it’s been on my TBR for quite some time, and I was pleasantly surprised! I’ve been in a reading slump for the past several months, starting many books and finishing none, but Caraval was able to break that.

The first book was a lot of fun to read, especially since I couldn’t predict what was going to happen. Every time I developed a new theory, it was soon disproven, and Garber did an excellent job convincing me of a false story so that I was completely shocked when the true ending was revealed. Caraval itself was fascinating, reminding me of Wonderland and Holly Black’s version of Faerie, with deals that were too good to be true and magic that made it difficult to distinguish what was real. My favorite aspect of this was the way that secrets and time were the preferred currency, especially how time was transferred through blood (and the resulting scene between Scarlett and Julian).

There were definitely a few YA clichés sprinkled throughout, such as the abusive father/dead mother, the adultification of the eldest daughter, and Julian’s personality, but in general I did not mind. Scarlett and Tella’s quest to get away from their father at all costs added an extra level of depth to the story, and I really appreciated Scarlett’s personal growth as she learned to take risks and no longer be ruled by fear and overcautiousness. Also, I’m unashamed to admit just how much I loved Julian.

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dejxxh's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Such a good book. The author is amazing. The story really draws you in and it's so dynamic. There is romance, mystery, and fantasy and it takes you on a wild ride of emotions. I usually am not big on fantasy novels that are more fantasy than romance but even though there was less romance than I am used to it didn't feel lacking. Definitely one of my favorites.

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emmalynnn's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Felt like fan fiction - addicting but no real personality for the characters or plot that stands

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bbmaan's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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missmali's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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mysterybindsme's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

- Definitely intended for a younger reader (probably about 13-15)
- Main character is incredibly naive and has like two personality traits: protecting her sister, and having trust issues. Oh and the third trait of being incredibly quick to trust things she hears despite trust issues
- Becomes way more interesting about 2/3s in (which at that point is a bit late really)
- Far too many plot twists. Like I'm not kidding, past the half way mark the entire situation changes context about five times
- The ending ruined the entire thing. All the stakes were gone and it made me absolutely hate most of the characters (aside from Aiko who was genuinely helpful but there for like five seconds and Scarlett who was just a normal girl in an awful situation)
- Yes I'm planning on reading the next two books (unless the second one's worse). No I would not recommend
- The prose is beautiful tho

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