Caraval

Caraval

By Stephanie Garber

 

This is your first clue on the road to find her.

The others will not be so easy to retrieve.

Some will make you question your sanity and all that you believe.

 

Clue number two you’ll discover in the rubble of her departure.

Number three you must earn.

Number four will cost you something valuable.

And number five requires a leap of faith.

 

Most of you will fail,

But one will surely succeed.

 

You have five nights to find the four remaining clues and then the girl, and Legend’s wish will be yours.

    This is fantastic!!! The setting, the plot, the pace…I’m mad. I know lots of people loves this book, but at the same time, I also read a lot of negative reviews, so I’m a bit terrify that I’d be disappointed. Cause even though I know not much about this book, I somehow highly anticipated it. But…no fear, I love it. I can read the story so vividly as if I was in the Venice’ carnival; in the setting of Love Never Dies, the colony island; a fantastic, dangerous, magical world in Once Upon a Time. Somehow, the image of Caraval went right through my mind and I can no longer pull out.

 

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

 

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or performance. It's the closest you'll ever find yourself magic in this world.

    What is the first thing that catches my eyes? The cover, definitely the cover. I have no shame to admit I’m all judge-the-book-by-its-cover person. When the book was released, the UK edition definitely catches all the eyes of bookstagrammer. The different, gorgeous inner hardcover that lure all of us to its attention. And it succeeded. It definitely caught a phenomenon among the post. I’d love to order an UK copy myself to see what I get as well. But, since I don’t have the luxury now, I’d stick with my US edition, which I receive from Owlcrate and with a signed bookplate!!!!!

 What a better gift a bookworm hopeful??? I definitely love Caraval and Daughter of the Pirate King I received from Owlcrate and it’s the best thing that they both come with signed bookplates!!!!! Now, back to my gorgeous-as-well US cover. Although the inner cover of US edition Caraval isn’t as luxury as the UK edition, it is still gorgeous. With little details on the book covers and the little drop on the front…it’s adorable. But that’s not just it, the page designed was simply fantastic. I love the exquisite details on the pages and the decorations. It makes the reading feel so good. Besides, the patterns really matches the era when the book was.

 

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

    But of course, I won’t love the book so much just for the beautiful cover, and there are indeed several reasons why people are so obsessed over this book. It isn’t just the cover, but the relationships, the adventures, and the changes within the characters. At the beginning of the book, we readers found the two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella. At first, they’re just like any normal sisters, blaming their own fault on others. When I first saw Tella blamed her own fault on Scar, I was like

 How can you do that??? She is your sister!!!!! And then…here comes an unexpected twist…she was actually protecting Scar. It’s quite a twist to me that how brutal their father is…and such a jerk. And throughout the entire book, you’ll found that their sister bound is really admirable. They care for each other so much that it tears our hearts. I couldn’t name a time that I wasn’t wow by the twistes of the sisters’ actions, especially till the end. It’s…

It's better this way, sister. There's more to life than staying safe...

 

Scarlett was not fond of fate. She liked to believe if she were good, good things would happen. Fate left her feeling powerless, and hopeless, and with an overall feeling of lessness. To her, fate seemed like a larger, omnipotent version of her father, stealing her choices and controlling her life without any regard for her feelings. Fate meant that nothing she did mattered.

    Although the two sisters seem to be both important in the book…Caraval is mostly narrative by Scarlett. Donatella disappeared at the beginning of the book and…here we go! This year’s theme of Caraval—looking for Donatella. To be honest, Scarlett isn’t the most attractive character. She isn’t that brave…it takes time for her to take up her courage and participate the Caraval. There is always a push behind her, urging her to act, to move, to step out of comfort zone. And yet…since the theme of Caraval is about Donatella, and it seems, nothing else in the world matter more than Tella to Scar, she picked up her courage and fight for her sister. But of course, it won’t be so nice without several obstacles right? She faced her deepest fear, her death, others’ death…and so many thing that seem brutal to play a game, but with a heart only to set her sister free, she managed to do so…yet…the outcome…

 

What happens beyond this gate may frighten or excite you, but don’t let any of it trick you. We will try to convince you it’s real, but all of it is a performance. A world built of make-believe. So while we want you to get swept away, be careful of being swept too far away. Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won’t wake up.

    To some readers, if you separate all those events in the book. it might not seem surprising or innovative among the YA novels. However, it’s how Stephanie Garber portray the story makes it fantastic and magical. It lure magic inside the words, inside the world of Caraval, and eventually, into our mind. Let’s say…Julian!

 

She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out.

    Julian’s true identity isn’t a huge surprise at all (Umm…it might be? If I didn’t spoil myself)…but without him, Scarlett’s journey won’t be so interesting. He is just like all the other boys in YA, dark, mysterious, full of secret…and caring.

 Nothing special right? Oh! And full of lies.

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.

Yet…I can’t help but full for him throughout the book. Their adventures together make the entire Caraval more magical and enjoyable. The scene they depart…my heart…it hearts. (Even though I know the ending…it still hearts.) And there are so many part of Julian that I can’t name make this book a hundred times better. It won’t possibly be the same without him.

 

Hope is a powerful thing. Some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether. Elusive, difficult to hold on to. But not much is needed.

    Now, our little Donatella. She is the causes of all the trouble…or should I say, opportunities? It seems to the reader that Tella first appeared as naïve and careless. Reckless and selfish. But then…with her disappear through the entire book and appeared in the end, it’s shocking to see how she as a schemer and what she had paid for all those things to be happened. It’s unbelievable and heart worming, although there are indeed a lot of stupid decisions and unchangeable risks. If one part goes wrong, all will fall. However, after finish Caraval, I can’t wait to see wait will happen to her in the sequel and I have faith that this time, she will be the one narrating.

 

Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game.

    Welcome…and beware. Every word you read might be a game.

 

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