How are you all today? I hope you’re well!
I’ve just finished reading Caraval and I bloody well LOVED it!!!
5 Stars!
It centres around two sisters, Scarlett and Donnatella or Tella. They have an abusive father, so they want to escape to a different place. When Tella hears of Caraval, a traveling circus like show she’s eager to go to try to escape. Scarlett is the more pragmatic of the sisters. She wants to escape but thinks it’s impossible. She’s also engaged to someone she’s never met, someone her father selected. She wants to escape this too. They both venture to Caraval, the place of dreams, where they experience dreams and desires amongst the most desirable. Can they win the competition aspect and escape their father? I’ll let you read for yourself but I HIGHLY enjoyed the plot, to the point of finishing the book within 24 hours!
The main part of the plot of Caraval follows Sc arlett as she tries to find her sister who gets lost right at the start of the 5 day Caraval spectacular. The book is broken down into parts, each night of Caraval. This made the plot easy to follow. I thought a lot of aspects to Caraval were like “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern, which I highly enjoyed when I read it a few years ago! Scarlett to Caraval with a boy called Julian. He protects her as best he can or does he? I’ll let you read for yourself but I enjoyed their romance.
I read Caraval for one readathon, which was:
Reading Rivalry - Young Adult - Now, I haven’t read a YA novel in a hot minute but I ended up loving Caraval. It wasn’t too YA, which was nice, but it’s classified as such on Goodreads.
Caraval is a YA novel as I noted above. It’s therefore fine for anyone to read.
Spoilers Below…
“I don’t know what my sister has told you, but I would think you saw what was at stake the other day in the barrel room. When I was younger, I wanted to experience Caraval. Now I just want my sister and me to be safe.”
“Don’t you think your sister wants the same thing?” Julian stopped rowing and let the boat drift over a gentle wave. “I may not know her well, but I don’t think she has a death wish.”
Scarlett disagreed.
“I think you’ve forgotten how to live, and your sister is trying to remind you,” Julian went on. “But if all you want is safety, I’ll take you back.”
Julian nodded to a speck in the distance that resembled a smallish fishing boat. Most likely the vessel they’d use to travel there, since their current raft was obviously not built to combat the seas.”
This is Scarlett in a quandary about what to do. Should she go back to her abusive father, or should she stay at Caraval and find her sister, Tella. Julian offers to take Scarlett back. He goes on to say, “You spend a week on this isle, and see if she’s right about some things being worth more than safety,” which to me spoke volumes that he’s not afraid to take risks. I love this in a character as it opens them up.
Other characters do play a role in Caraval, but most of the plot is centred abound the sisters and Julian. Scarlett and Julian got far more page time than I was expecting. I really liked this though, as it paved the path for more romantic moments, which you know I love. The main plot is focused on Scarlett trying to find Tella, who gets lost before they even get to Caraval. Tella, therefore, while not present for a lot of the plot is in the thoughts of her sister. I wonder if Legendary, the sequel to Caraval will tell Tella’s story as Caraval told Scarlett’s.
Overall then, I LOVED Caraval. It had everything I look for in a good book, an uncomplicated world to explore and great and witty characters who sometimes surprised me. I can’t wait to go onto Legendary at some point in the not so distant future! That’s why I’m giving it 5 stars!
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