Caraval

Caraval

by Stephanie Garber

Scarlett has one dream: to attend the magical Caraval - a magical interactive performance. But now that her father has arranged for her marriage to a mysterious count, she has another wish: to get her and her sister safely away from their abusive father. One day, tickets to Caraval mysteriously arrive in the mail and she finally sees a way for all her dreams to come true. However, when Caraval turns out to be far more dangerous than she expected, Scarlett embarks on a journey of self-discovery that makes her reevaluate her dreams.

This book was selected for my book club and, having heard mixed reviews, I was skeptical about wanting to read it. However, I was surprised to find myself engaged and eager to read more. From the beginning, I doubted Scarlett's fiancee was going to be the knight in shining armor who saved her and her sister from her abusive father. However, I enjoyed watching Scarlett grow to the point where she realized she could save herself.

Unlike other reviews, I actually liked the worldbuilding. I found it as mystical and confusing as Caraval itself. And while the prose might have been a little purple, I think it worked to help add to that mysterious magic.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the sequel. I would rate this story five quills and place it on my top shelf.