It’s that time of year everyone! The birds are starting to chirp, the weather is getting warmer…and Finale is hitting shelves in just a few weeks! So, to take part in all the excitement, I’m posting my thoughts about reading Caraval for the second time. Flatiron Books on Twitter is doing a wonderful Caraval Reread (they’re currently on Legendary) to help prepare for the release of Finale. I can barely contain my excitement for this world and the final book (though I will admit I am sad to see the story end).

Title: Caraval

Author: Stephanie Garber

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Pages: 407 pages

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Summary:

Remember, it’s only a game…

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.

I haven’t read Caraval since November 2016, a couple months before it hit shelves. I was enamored with the world Stephanie Garber brought to life. I became a starry-eyed girl that fell in love with Caraval and the players and the magic and the sisters. It was a world I wanted to live in, a world I could easily see myself getting lost in. A little over two years later, and here I am re-reading Caraval. And let me tell you – the magic does not disappear the second time around. I’m actually a firm believer the magic will never disappear from this beautiful world.

My friends and family members know how much Caraval means to me and how much I absolutely love the story. The story didn’t just remind me what it’s like to dream about magic and live a life of adventure; Caraval helped reignite my love for writing and for that, I will always be grateful of the world Stephanie has created.

I wanted to find a book that was filled with magic and adventure, and Caraval was exactly that for me. The magic leaps off the pages and the world reminded me what it was like to be a kid and believe in impossible things. Caraval brought back the magic I’d lost while growing up and showed me that magic is in everything we do and it’s worth believing in, even if you are an adult.

Caraval tells the story of two sisters: Scarlett and Tella. Scarlett has always wanted to attend Caraval, so when she receives tickets to attend, she’s beyond ecstatic, but also weary. She just never expects her sister and their companion, Julian, to kidnap Scarlett and bring her to Caraval. And that’s where things start to take a turn: Tella becomes the prize of winning Caraval, so Scarlett has no choice but to play if she wishes to rescue her sister.

Even though this story is filled with magic and romance and mischief, the heart of the story is sisterhood. And though I do not have a sister, I can understand what it could be like to have that bond through Scarlett and Tella. It’s such a magical and beautiful thing to witness through the pages of Caraval. It reminds me of the relationship I have with my brother; it’s probably not similar to the relationship sisters share, but I am thankful for a brother who would protect me the way Scarlett protects Tella.

Caraval will always hold a special place in my heart and it will always be a book I’ll reread. If you have not read Caraval by Stephanie Garber, I highly recommend, especially if you like magic!