My Thoughts on Caraval

I have seen so much hype surrounding this book from friends online and in real life. So, of course, I had to read it. Thanks to my aunt, I got the whole series for my birthday this year, and I was eager to sit down and finally see what all the fuss was about. In this post, I’ll be talking about my thoughts on it, what was done well and what I wish were done differently, and, ultimately, sharing my opinion: did it live up to my expectations?

Scarlett Dragna is a cautious and caring older sister to Donatella “Tella” Dragna. Caraval is a magical game that promises excitement and, this year, a wish granted to the winner. When Scarlett receives an invitation after years of writing to Legend, the master of Caraval, she’s not as excited as she once was. But Tella and her new beau, Julian, kidnap her and force her to play. The story is filled with twists and turns, slow-burn romance, and magical mysteries.

Initially, I found the story to be a little slow. There wasn’t much mystery towards the beginning of the story, and it took some time to warm up to the characters. However, once the pace picked up and we learned more about Scarlett and Julian, as well as this fantastical island of Caraval, my interest in the book grew.

I think the book’s crowning achievement is the character development of Scarlett Dragna. At the beginning of the book, we see her as a cautious, even anxious, girl who is willing to settle for a man she doesn’t know than take a risk and go on an adventure.

Throughout the book, we begin to see a shift happen. She starts to fend for herself, to advocate for her and Julian, and yet, she doesn’t become jaded or hard-hearted. Her love for her sister still fuels her motivations, but she learns to love and take risks as well. When we see other players become corrupt with competition, we see her earnestly trying to save her kidnapped sister. She doesn’t desire a wish, she only wants to know her sister is safe.

The other wonderful thing about this story is the plot. Garber does an excellent job of subverting expectations and writing plot twists that shock the reader, yet, still make sense with the story. Not only does the plot keep the reader guessing, it also drives Scarlett’s character development perfectly. And in the end, it all culminates to set the stage for book two, providing a satisfying ending yet a hint at a new challenge for the characters to face.

I have very few complaints about the book. One of those is the dialogue, which, at times, felt forced and unnatural. There are times the characters speak like we do every day in the 21st century, and other times they speak in a more formal way (though I wouldn’t necessarily call it old-fashioned). At times, banter seems forced or unnatural, but, overall, it can largely be overlooked.

My other complaint were the descriptions Garber used to give us a vision for Caraval. Some words or phrases used to describe it didn’t quite make sense or convey any meaning to me. I am also not a very good at envisioning things when they’re described to me, so perhaps that’s just an issue I have taken with the book.

Finally, did it meet my expectations? Yes. More than meet, it surpassed them, leaving me still enchanted a day after finishing it. Scarlett Dragna is an incredible character, and I believe a perfect example of a strong female character who actually captures what it means to be a woman. Julian is charming and mysterious, and I am excited to see more of Donatella in book two.

Overall, this may be my very first five-star rating I’ve given to a book. Stephanie Garber did an excellent job and created such a beautiful world that I cannot wait to continue exploring.