Stephanie Garber's "Caraval" follows 17 year old Scarlett Dragna and her sister Donatella Dragna, both desperate to escape their abusive father. The girls finally get an opportunity to escape when they meet a sailor and find themselves with three tickets to Caraval, an enchanted carnival that occurs once a year. The tension builds as the sisters are separated, leaving Scarlett with the sailor, now desperate to be reunited with her sister before the game ends. Scarlett's emotional development and strength adds depth to the plot as she faces conflicts between reality and illusion. While some readers may find the slow-paced beginning to be a bit boring, the intensity of the storyline builds throughout the book. About halfway through, the romance subplot starts to develop and suspense start to rise, making it hard to put it down. Overall, Caraval is the perfect novel for teenage fans of fantasy and romance, especially those who enjoy mysteries and twists.
About This Book
A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.
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.
