A review by thevioletfoxbookshop
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Caraval... what to say without giving too much away? It IS all about the mystery. And the game.
Caraval is the perfect mix of adventure, mystery, romance, and magic. If The Night Circus and The Hunger Games had a child, it might be Caraval. The world and the writing are incredibly rich and immersive. It's a page-turner - packed with action and tense with suspense. 

I found the characters a little bit frustrating at times, but reminded myself that they are teenagers under a lot of stress, so their decision-making realistically would be frustrating! Plus, there are things the reader doesn't get to know about until the end... and that ends up explaining quite a bit. 

I don't want to say much more because uncovering the mystery that is Caraval is half the fun, but I will say this... if you're reading Caraval, prepare to read the next couple books in the series right after it. You won't be able to stop at just one.
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