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A review by padmezing
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A fun read! A really interesting concept and the world of Caraval has so much potential, I just wish that Garber had reached more of that potential. While not revolutionary or really doing anything new, it was a good time and I enjoyed reading it.
It was easy to get into and I was invested in following the story to its conclusion. I also appreciated the explicit commitment to not whitewashing the cast. Although one could interpret the Spanish names and influences as purely European in nature, I personally read the setting as Latin American. Moreover, Garber describes Julian consistently and explicitly as "brown", so even if the European influences are present, they are not ubiquitous. I wouldn't call this ground-breaking representation, but at least it's explicit (which makes much of the fan art and fan-casting I've seen all the more egregious for its whitewashing).
With all that being said, the book ultimately left me underwhelmed. The story was intriguing but undeveloped throughout. Perhaps worse, the characterisations were very flat. It was a whole bunch of telling us who the characters were without showing much of anything to back it up. Even with the excuse that most of the cast is supposed to be mysterious, as Caraval should leave our lead questioning everything around her, there was little real mystery built up for the audience. We didn't know anyone's true motives, but barely anyone was on page enough for it to truly matter, and threads of mystery were tied up almost as quickly as they were introduced. Not solved, mind you, but left inconsequential or abandoned after the plot is done with it. This is often the way of plot threads in novels focused on immersing the reader in mystery - not everything is going to be important - but it really felt as though nothing really mattered. There were no real stakes.
Which brings us back around to characterisation. We are told that the stakes are high, that the lives of Scarlett and her sister rely entirely on the outcome of these few days, that is never communicated in the prose. The book did not leave me anxious, it did not leave me scared and disoriented along with Scarlett as she tries to navigate this mess. It was all a little dry, with no real depth given to Scarlett's fears in a way that lets us feel them with her.
Now, to be fair, this is a young adult (YA) novel. It is written in the same style as many YA novels. Not only that, Caraval is Garber's debut novel. It is not bad, nor is it lacking where the majority of the genre is concerned. In concept, I think it's a knockout, but in execution, it is just average.
One thing about the prose I did love, though, was Scarlett's Synesthesia. At first, it feels a little like a clumsy attempt at purple prose but it quickly becomes apparent that these descriptions are real to Scarlett. I actually think this is the best example of Garber giving us information and leaving us to come to our own conclusion. She doesn't explicitly state that Scarlett sees colour in feelings until more than halfway through the novel, and it is at a moment where the line is overshadowed by much more important revelations. I really loved this detail of Scarlett's experience, it made it feel a little more like I was living her point of view as I got to experience that unique way she sees the world.
The ending of Caraval is in many ways a masterclass in disappointment and perfectly encapsulates the problems I had throughout the novel. The twist ending was interesting and from a purely detached standpoint, I know I should love it. If the novel had more depth of character in its writing, I think I could have. Like everything else in Caraval I think it's an interesting concept that could have had me feeling the full throws of Scarletts grief, shock, and confusion. Instead, the emotional payoffs were sped through to their conclusions and happy ending at such a rate that it all felt hollow. The failure to fully communicate the claustrophobic paranoia of the setting and the emotional breaking point of our lead ruined the ending for me. I was surprised, sure, but I wasn't satisfied.
It felt as though the events of the entire book were pointless in the end, and the lack of emotional and interpersonal conflicts cemented that. Everything is fine and we can just forget about the emotional torture Scarlett went through! Great. Worst of all, I believed it. Despite the trauma we're told Scarlett feels it never becomes real to the audience, so rug-sweeping all the hurt away and moving on tracks perfectly with the rest of the book.
Unfortunately, my criticism of this book ultimately boils down to - I wish it was better. The concepts and characters, in my opinion, had the potential to be something phenomenal. Instead, it was just average. It's a real shame, but I still enjoyed the book and plan on finishing the series, so I don't want the critical tone of this review to make it seem as though it has nothing to offer. I would still recommend it as a quick and fun read for fans of YA.
It was easy to get into and I was invested in following the story to its conclusion. I also appreciated the explicit commitment to not whitewashing the cast. Although one could interpret the Spanish names and influences as purely European in nature, I personally read the setting as Latin American. Moreover, Garber describes Julian consistently and explicitly as "brown", so even if the European influences are present, they are not ubiquitous. I wouldn't call this ground-breaking representation, but at least it's explicit (which makes much of the fan art and fan-casting I've seen all the more egregious for its whitewashing).
With all that being said, the book ultimately left me underwhelmed. The story was intriguing but undeveloped throughout. Perhaps worse, the characterisations were very flat. It was a whole bunch of telling us who the characters were without showing much of anything to back it up. Even with the excuse that most of the cast is supposed to be mysterious, as Caraval should leave our lead questioning everything around her, there was little real mystery built up for the audience. We didn't know anyone's true motives, but barely anyone was on page enough for it to truly matter, and threads of mystery were tied up almost as quickly as they were introduced. Not solved, mind you, but left inconsequential or abandoned after the plot is done with it. This is often the way of plot threads in novels focused on immersing the reader in mystery - not everything is going to be important - but it really felt as though nothing really mattered. There were no real stakes.
Which brings us back around to characterisation. We are told that the stakes are high, that the lives of Scarlett and her sister rely entirely on the outcome of these few days, that is never communicated in the prose. The book did not leave me anxious, it did not leave me scared and disoriented along with Scarlett as she tries to navigate this mess. It was all a little dry, with no real depth given to Scarlett's fears in a way that lets us feel them with her.
Now, to be fair, this is a young adult (YA) novel. It is written in the same style as many YA novels. Not only that, Caraval is Garber's debut novel. It is not bad, nor is it lacking where the majority of the genre is concerned. In concept, I think it's a knockout, but in execution, it is just average.
One thing about the prose I did love, though, was Scarlett's Synesthesia. At first, it feels a little like a clumsy attempt at purple prose but it quickly becomes apparent that these descriptions are real to Scarlett. I actually think this is the best example of Garber giving us information and leaving us to come to our own conclusion. She doesn't explicitly state that Scarlett sees colour in feelings until more than halfway through the novel, and it is at a moment where the line is overshadowed by much more important revelations. I really loved this detail of Scarlett's experience, it made it feel a little more like I was living her point of view as I got to experience that unique way she sees the world.
The ending of Caraval is in many ways a masterclass in disappointment and perfectly encapsulates the problems I had throughout the novel. The twist ending was interesting and from a purely detached standpoint, I know I should love it. If the novel had more depth of character in its writing, I think I could have. Like everything else in Caraval I think it's an interesting concept that could have had me feeling the full throws of Scarletts grief, shock, and confusion. Instead, the emotional payoffs were sped through to their conclusions and happy ending at such a rate that it all felt hollow. The failure to fully communicate the claustrophobic paranoia of the setting and the emotional breaking point of our lead ruined the ending for me. I was surprised, sure, but I wasn't satisfied.
It felt as though the events of the entire book were pointless in the end, and the lack of emotional and interpersonal conflicts cemented that. Everything is fine and we can just forget about the emotional torture Scarlett went through! Great. Worst of all, I believed it. Despite the trauma we're told Scarlett feels it never becomes real to the audience, so rug-sweeping all the hurt away and moving on tracks perfectly with the rest of the book.
Unfortunately, my criticism of this book ultimately boils down to - I wish it was better. The concepts and characters, in my opinion, had the potential to be something phenomenal. Instead, it was just average. It's a real shame, but I still enjoyed the book and plan on finishing the series, so I don't want the critical tone of this review to make it seem as though it has nothing to offer. I would still recommend it as a quick and fun read for fans of YA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Physical abuse, Death, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault