A review by frenchtoast_n_books
Finale (Large Print) by Stephanie Garber

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This is the conclusion of Tella and Scarlett's story. The end all after Caraval exposed them to love and magic, Valenda lost their Empress, and the Fates have been unleashed on the citizens. Does love and goodness conquer? Do Tella and Scarlett get a "happily ever after"? 

Honestly, I was left frustrated by the frilly hyperbolic writing. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it if I were younger, but I couldn't take some sentences seriously. For example: "time was rushing faster than blood could pour out of a sliced artery." I work in surgery and I've seen how fast blood pours out of a sliced artery. It takes minutes for a sliced artery to kill or do irreparable damage . They had 4 days to stop a monster. I wouldn't call that equal comparisons. Now, maybe I'm being picky, but I just didn't like the hyperbolic writing. 

Then we get into the relationships and I could not handle the possessiveness of the love interests and what Tella and Scarlett let them get away with after either a lack of an apology or a flimsy apology was presented. I also don't care if magical immortality strips you of love, that doesn't excuse your sleazy behavior. There was also a moment that Tella fought for a good 100+ pages on an issue, and when she finally accepted the issue she was immediately denied that issue because of the very reason of her protests for the pervious 100+ pages. I threw my hands up, laughed for 5 minutes, and put the book down for a day or so. I didn't get it. I thought it was unnecessary. It was completely pointless tension between the characters and frustrated me to no end. (Now finishing the book, I do "get it" but I still felt it unnecessary and pointless.) 

A few other plot devices happened that I didn't care for, but they are too "spoilery" to mention here. 

I will get nit-picky again in regards to the end. It felt like a bad soap-opera in execution. There were moments when characters did something and I could imagine them smacking a hand to each side of their face, look directly into the camera in shock and say their line. It was comical, and not in the good way.
 
I must mention that some writing comparisons hit the mark and gave me exactly what the author intended. The relationship between Tella and Scarlett are serious goals, and the discussion of parentage not defining who you are made me ever so happy. Also, the insult "Don't talk to me, you duplicitous disappointment of a woman" may just make it into my favorite insults vault. 
Now, overall I did like the plot. I really love the world building and magic presented in the story. The fashion is mesmerizing, and I wish I could see the locations in real life, especially the Immortal Library. I did enjoy how everything wrapped up and how little hints of previous story elements made its way to the end. The story itself was a dream, the execution was just not my cup of tea. 

I feel like a quote toward the beginning of the book adequately reflects my thoughts to the story: 

"He was trying to dazzle her. But dazzle was a lot like romance - fantastic while it lasted, but it never lasted long enough." 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings