“Remember it’s only a game.” Caraval is set in a world in which magic, love and games all combine into one. The author, Stephanie Garber, creatively uses the ultimate world of an amusement park, a Venice city and a game show all at once to paint the world of a gothic circus. There are men and women in magical gowns, which change color along with their mood, and who are searching for clues that can win them a wish. We follow Scarlett and Donatella in their trip to Caraval, a carnival that comes to town once a year. However, Scarlett is in need of the wish more than the others.
Scarlett has lived on a tiny island for all of her life. She and her sister, Donatella – known as Tella – constantly lived under the iron fist of their father. Tella likes to test her father and everyone around them. Scarlett, however, likes to keep peace and is desperate to protect both herself and her sister. Scarlett gave up her childhood dream of attending Caraval – a magical performance that is combined with all aspects of the arts and games, which offers a choice of resigning her arranged marriage with a count and an escape from their father.
SPOILERS AHEAD
When an invitation to personally invite Scarlett and Tella arrives from Legend, the mastermind of Caraval’s magic, Scarlett’s world turns around. Scared to tell her father and not obey his wish, she decides not to go. Tella however forces Scarlett to abandon her plans of the arranged marriage and follow her dreams of attending Caraval. It soon becomes clear that Legend has other intentions besides tending to his special guests. He kidnaps Tella and makes finding her the prize of Caraval, leaving Scarlett no choice but to win the game.
Scarlett knows from the start that everything that is experienced at Caraval is only a game – part of the performance - but the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur, especially when she begins to fall in love with a sailor named Julian. Like everyone she has encountered, he doesn’t look like what he seems – however, she can’t resist his want of help or company. As the nights continue, she begins to sink in deep into the games magic and further from the safe future she wants to grasp. By the end, she loses her mind and sustains an aspect of a reality she believed is real.
Scarlett has become one of my favorite heroines in a YA novel. Her courageous love and bravery at times seems prudish, prim and even resentful towards her sister. I loved reading her thoughts and how much of a struggle it was for Scarlett to come to terms with accepting magic’s evil side. I wish I could experience the magical world that Caraval is. The game, the world it enthralls your mind and I found myself finding it impossible to leave this world. In a way it was like walking through Disneyland, where magic seems to be real at every corner.
The one problem with this world that I had was the fact that this whole story is character driven. There is no knowledge of why Caraval happens, or why Caraval's magic exists. Nothing really makes sense in that point, however, with beautiful world that we see through Scarlett's eyes, we get to experience the now of Caraval. We do, however, get insight to why Legend has become some sort of evil person - we someone break your heart, all you want it to take that love away! I love the sisterly love the most! Scarlett refuse to leave Tella behind and pulls through to the end.
Now don't get me started with the end! Oh my lord how I was so angry how it finished. I know for sure that it was confirmed a second book will be coming, but oh my god that juicy ending keeps me wanting so much more of this world.
