A review by jaedyn
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

I enjoyed this book so much that I resent writing this review because it is keeping me from the sequel.

The writing + Worldbuilding

Caraval was a lot of fun. The writing was easy to read, and the descriptions were vivid. As I read, Caraval and all the performers came to life, and I was fully invested in the world. My favorite descriptions by far were of the magical dress that Scarlett wears! 

I wouldn’t call the writing whimsical—which is what I was hoping for—but instead, the world, plot, and magic lean towards the mysterious and dangerous, which is not a negative at all.

The Characters 

The story is told solely from Scarlett’s perspective. While Scarlett did grow on me, she was consistently annoying and often an idiot. I fear she is the epitome of the eldest sister, and while I resent how much I relate to her, I hope that if I were ever put into Caraval (please, God), I would not be as silly as she was. 

The love interest within this book was so fascinating. The relationship you build with him as a reader is interesting because you want to trust him, but can you? Do I want to?? He is another take on the snarky but charming MMC with a broody backstory, but I’m not complaining

The cast of characters who play and perform within the game bring the story to life! My personal favorite is Nigel (which is also my cat's name)

The Story

It took me a second to get into the story, but once I did, I flew through! I think the initial friction came because I knew that Scarlett and I wouldn't get on, however she did grow on me.

I loved that this was openly a mystery. I trusted no one and nothing that I read. I couldn’t even tell if Scarlett was an unreliable narrator because I was an unreliable reader. Whenever I thought one thing, the story went in a different direction. The only times I guessed correctly were when Garber deliberately set things up, just to stab me in the heart later. 

Conclusion: 

Ultimately, I loved it! I am itching to get to the next book, which is why this review is so all over the place; I have been rushing to write it so I can continue my read-through.