Read + Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Scarlett Dragna and her sister have never left the tiny island of Trisda, where they live with their cruel and forceful father. Now her father has arranged a marriage for her and she thinks that her childhood dreams of seeing the magic of Caraval, the faraway, once-a-year performance, are over. However, this year her long-dreamt invitations finally arrive, and with the help of a mysterious sailor, she and Tella are whisked away to the show. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens in Caraval is just an elaborate performance, but she is still put through a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.

It was a well thought out story consisting of awe-inspiring detail, that created a spellbinding tale of sisterhood, love, and betrayal. The story was exceedingly engaging, and like the characters, I was lost in the dangerous, and enchanted world of Caraval. I enjoyed all of the plot twists in the book that made me wonder what was going to happen next, and added to the mystery and suspense of the story. The one thing I disliked about this book was that it did not have any humor to contrast from the overall writing style.

One memorable thing about the book was the immense amount of detail that the author included when describing all of the extraordinary things inside of Caraval. This made the book so hard to put down, and I felt as I was experiencing all of the situations alongside Scarlett.

Reviewed by Ilakkiya, Grade 7, Twin Hickory Area Library