And this review is one I'm actually looking forward to!
So this is my review for Caraval, enjoy!
Caraval (Caraval #1), by Stephanie Garber
Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Genre: Mystery
Release date: 31st January, 2017
Pages: 402
Blurb: "WELCOME TO Caraval,
WHERE NOTHING IS
QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS.
Scarlet and Tella have never left the
tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for
the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year
week-long performance where the
audience participates in the show.
Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure.
When the sisters' long-awaited invitations
finally arrive, it seems their dreams have
come true. But no sooner have they
arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by
the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.
Scarlett has been told that everything
that happens during Caraval is an
elaborate performance. But she quickly
becomes entangled in a dangerous game
of love, magic and heartbreak.
And real or not, she must find Tella
before the game is over, and her sister
disappears forever."
My Thoughts
I was always going to be anticipating the new mysterious carnival story that promised to take you on a 'Is it real or not?' journey. And then I saw it in Asda for the minuscule price of £5, and I knew I had to get it and read it and enjoy it that same day.
Can I just take a moment to devour over this magnificent cover! It's certainly a cover to remember. It kind of explodes on the page, which makes sense because it's a firework behind the title, but it just looks so exciting and cool and amazing, it draws you into the idea of reading the books. It just looks so smooth and amazing, it stands out anyway it would be sold.
Now, moment over, and on to the actual book. What should I say first?
I really enjoyed Caraval. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it. Like I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I wasn't expecting it to be so addicting. I started reading this book, and next thing I knew, I was 50 pages in.
And on the back of the dust jacket, it reads: "Whatever you've heard of Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world."
Not surprising that I couldn't stop reading with a back like that.
One thing that I really liked about this book was that you were constantly guessing what was real and what wasn't. There were characters telling you to believe what you saw, and others who were trying to contradict them. You were pulled away on an impossibly magical adventure, and then they showed you the truth of what happens if you lean too far off the edge. You descend into madness.
This book was dark and that was the truth of it. It was nitty and gritty, and I loved it, it had been so long since I'd read something so dark and mysterious and so, dark.
Now the premise. This book is about two sisters: Scarlett and Tella who, ever since they were girls and their grandma told them stories about the great Caraval, a place where magic is achieved, have dreamed of escaping to this place, away from their abusive father. Then, when Scarlett is deemed to marry someone, a letter arrives, inviting them both to Caraval. What follows is a worldwind of darkness and adventure, in a place where the events and people are not what they seem.
The characters were good. Like I didn't completely fall in love with them, but the point of this book was for you to become invested with the mystery of the whole Caraval, not the characters, though I did relate to them, and was able to fall into their story as much as the Caraval mystery, which was good. Tella was the character that didn't really care for the consequences, she wouldn't let anyone stop her from doing what she wanted. Scarlett was the complete opposite- she was the worrier. I don't think I need to say more than that.
But what I did like about these two characters was that it was really easy to see how they changed throughout the course of the book. At the start, they were willing to blame the other to get out of a beating from their father, but as they made the journey to Caraval, and a whole lot of craziness happened, they really bonded together as sisters, and by the end, they would walk to the ends of the earth for each-other, and that was really evident in this book.
There was a sprinkling of romance in this book too. It wasn't flirting, but learning to trust each-other bit by bit, and I liked that the romance wasn't the beginning, middle and end, though through most of the book that romantic chemistry was there, but never the main focus, which I definitely liked.
I don't want to say too much about the plot because I want you to read it so I'm going to leave it there. But overall, if you are in the mood to read something dark and mysterious, yet also impossible wonderful, and above all magical, I highly recommend you consider picking this one up.
I haven't read many dark circus books, but this book makes me want to pick a whole clump of them up!
So, and I feel like I've said this a ton of times already, I totally recommend this book because it's SO GOOD!
So that was my review for Caraval, by Stephanie Garber! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
I hope you all have a wonderful day and I will see you on Monday!
Byeeeee!
-Abi xxxxx
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