A review by baexlee
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The world of Caraval is fantastical and mysterious and the perfect challenge for Scarlett, the more cautious of the Dragna sisters and our main hero. The tone and the pacing of the novel make it a relatively easy read to get on board with and the rich descriptions of the world make it easy to dive into the fantasy of Caraval once you step into the game world. 

Time in the world of Caraval feels a bit strange, and maybe this is why I was unable to fully get behind the timeline of some of the relationship developments but that was the area that I struggled the most. While I loved the romantic relationship and I enjoyed Scarlett and her own character growth, I felt like the relationships moved quickly, trust felt too easily gained or lost in some scenarios and overall the character development didn't feel like it had been earned, even after 200+ pages. 

Overall a fun fantasy read, I will likely continue the series but after coming off of another series that was heavy with character development the characters just felt like they left something to be desired. The world felt more vibrant than Scarlett herself. 
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