A review by highladyofdelulu
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

4.0

My song for Caraval: Wonderland by Neoni

’Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people don’t wake up,’

This review includes quotes that could be considered spoilers

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This book stressed and confused me and I loved it.
Up until the very end I had no idea wtf was happening. I’m still not sure I understand everything.

It’s the kind of story that ropes you in, makes you question everything.
Like Caraval meddles with the minds of its participants, so does the book with its readers. I remember being surprised I was already halfway through the book when it still felt like I’d only just embarked on the journey.

’Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.’

Much like Scarlett, the FMC from who’s perspective we experience the crazy adventure that is this book, I always felt not just quite ready for what happened next.

Scarlett is a character I struggled with quite a bit in the beginning. She seems naïve and blind to what is happening around her. That is until I had to admit that I, too, didn’t know what was right and what not. Before I even had the chance to realize, before she did too, she changed and adapted.

”No one is truly honest. Even if we don’t lie to others, we often lie to ourselves. And the word good means different things to different people.”

All other characters are hard to grasp, which might be considered deficient writing. Except it was not only intentional but also so much more crafted and layered than I thought. Because nothing is as it seems and that is probably the only thing you can be sure about when you enter the world of Caraval.

’He teasted like midnight and wind, and shades of rich brown and light blue. Colors that made her feel safe and guarded.’

There is a love story, beautifully interwoven and just as elusive as everything else in the book. And there’s definitely no shortage of allure. And I personally truly struggled a bit with whom I want to be the love interest – which is rare.

The book is well written and I very much enjoyed the audiobook. For a world so chaotic and ever-changing, the descriptions and visualizations were amazing. There’s a distinct Alice-in-Wonderland vibe to the fantastical and impossible and the way it lures and sucks you in. And the world building is brutally effective and as fun as it is intense.

”Do you always focus on what you’re giving up, rather than what you’ll be gaining? Some things are worth pursuit regardless of the cost.”

I will definitely dive into Legendary next, although I still have no idea what to expect of it or what it will even be about. In Carval, nothing is as it seems and I wonder if the same is true for the other two books of the series.