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A review by hangsangareader
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
After years, I've finally gotten around to reading Caraval. It was talked about a lot on booktube years ago. I heard it was great and overhyped. I enjoyed it a lot, especially in the last 200 pages, where all the unraveling happens. Actually, it's so much more complicated than that. You think the story is going in one direction, and then it takes you in another.
This endless spinning the plot had me go through was what made me hooked on it, above anything else. In a way, we are part of the Caraval experience, not knowing what could happen next or what is real.
Parts of it were expected. The romance was typical, and it did not blow me away at all. But it was cute enough, and it checked a box. Some of the turns of the story were foreseeable, but not all. I enjoyed how the story made me think I knew where it was going and then it took a different route.
I also liked how the author writes with colors. Every emotion our MC, Scarlett, has or perceives is associated with colors. It makes reading so much nicer, as we can picture them as we go along. It helps to imagine the different scenes.
As far as characters go. Scarlett is a great MC, she has motivation and true growth. Her sister disappears for most of the story, so we are mostly left annoyed at her. She will be the MC in the 2nd book I believe. Julian is as great a romantic interest as any other. Legend, now this si the character I am most interested in. Hopefully book 2 will spill many more secrets about him and his motives/story.
This endless spinning the plot had me go through was what made me hooked on it, above anything else. In a way, we are part of the Caraval experience, not knowing what could happen next or what is real.
Parts of it were expected. The romance was typical, and it did not blow me away at all. But it was cute enough, and it checked a box. Some of the turns of the story were foreseeable, but not all. I enjoyed how the story made me think I knew where it was going and then it took a different route.
I also liked how the author writes with colors. Every emotion our MC, Scarlett, has or perceives is associated with colors. It makes reading so much nicer, as we can picture them as we go along. It helps to imagine the different scenes.
As far as characters go. Scarlett is a great MC, she has motivation and true growth. Her sister disappears for most of the story, so we are mostly left annoyed at her. She will be the MC in the 2nd book I believe. Julian is as great a romantic interest as any other. Legend, now this si the character I am most interested in. Hopefully book 2 will spill many more secrets about him and his motives/story.