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A review by theespressoedition
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"I believe there are far more possibilities than happily ever after or tragedy. Every story has the potential for infinite endings."
She did it, friends. Stephanie Garber wrote another absolute masterpiece that will most definitely be considered a classic in just a few years. This book was everything I could have possibly hoped for and more.
I'm a massive fan of Caraval. Most everyone knows that by now. I love the magic, the escapism, the true whimsy that is woven throughout every piece of that story. I knew I would enjoy Once Upon a Broken Heart, especially after my most recent reread of the original trilogy -- but I didn't expect to enjoy it quite as much as I did! I thought it would be great, but not quite live up to how much I adore the previous three. If anything, this book may have topped Caraval, which blows my mind to even write down right now.
It held true to the magic of the trilogy, with forgotten stories, cursed towns, poisons and potions, and even a couple of beloved characters. Jacks was always one of my favorites from Legendary (and Finale) and I so looked forward to reading more about him. His sarcastic, self-deprecating, moody demeanor was just as alluring and comical as it felt the first time around -- but this time we even saw his heart (or what's left of it). It just gave me more reasons to love him.
Evangeline. Ohhhh, Evangeline. I just adore this character. She's bold and reckless, with a creative and sweet side accompanied by just a smidge of naivete. At the beginning of the book, I found myself getting frustrated with how desperate she was for love. However, aren't we all? Wouldn't we all do just about anything for those who we think we love and who love us back? I know that I'm quite guilty of this and if I were to look back at my life, I'd shake my head just as fiercely at myself as I did at Evangeline as she made ridiculous decisions (like gulping down poison or freeing a vampire). She's incredibly relatable!
This book was the perfect combination of phenomenal plot + beautiful world-building + incredible characters and it all equated to being one of the best books I've ever read! It was my most anticipated for the year and it not only lived up to my expectations but it far surpassed them in every way. I can't wait for book two!
She did it, friends. Stephanie Garber wrote another absolute masterpiece that will most definitely be considered a classic in just a few years. This book was everything I could have possibly hoped for and more.
I'm a massive fan of Caraval. Most everyone knows that by now. I love the magic, the escapism, the true whimsy that is woven throughout every piece of that story. I knew I would enjoy Once Upon a Broken Heart, especially after my most recent reread of the original trilogy -- but I didn't expect to enjoy it quite as much as I did! I thought it would be great, but not quite live up to how much I adore the previous three. If anything, this book may have topped Caraval, which blows my mind to even write down right now.
It held true to the magic of the trilogy, with forgotten stories, cursed towns, poisons and potions, and even a couple of beloved characters. Jacks was always one of my favorites from Legendary (and Finale) and I so looked forward to reading more about him. His sarcastic, self-deprecating, moody demeanor was just as alluring and comical as it felt the first time around -- but this time we even saw his heart (or what's left of it). It just gave me more reasons to love him.
Evangeline. Ohhhh, Evangeline. I just adore this character. She's bold and reckless, with a creative and sweet side accompanied by just a smidge of naivete. At the beginning of the book, I found myself getting frustrated with how desperate she was for love. However, aren't we all? Wouldn't we all do just about anything for those who we think we love and who love us back? I know that I'm quite guilty of this and if I were to look back at my life, I'd shake my head just as fiercely at myself as I did at Evangeline as she made ridiculous decisions (like gulping down poison or freeing a vampire). She's incredibly relatable!
This book was the perfect combination of phenomenal plot + beautiful world-building + incredible characters and it all equated to being one of the best books I've ever read! It was my most anticipated for the year and it not only lived up to my expectations but it far surpassed them in every way. I can't wait for book two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Murder