Caraval

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Type: Hardback
Read: 20th August - 23rd August 2017
Rating: 5/5
Published: 31st January 2017 by Hodder & Stauton

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved 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 far-away, 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. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

I have no idea how you even pronounce Caraval. But I wanted to be a part of it. It sounds so magical and amazing. The deathly part is a little freaky but I guess I could deal with it if I had to. This book had such amazing hype when it came out. I got so caught up in it. When released in hardback, the book has a hidden cover under the dust jacket. But then they decided to release like five different covers all hidden. So unless your super cheeky and looking through them, its a surprise at what you got. Mine was a tophat. It's pretty awesome.
 
Scarlett and Tella are two sisters who live on a remote island with their abusive father. Tella would do anything to escape and Scarlett believes marrying a count of whom she's never met will be their ticket out of there. Scarlett has been writing to Master Legend begging for his performers and Caraval to come to their island for years. Sending one final letter informing him that she is geting married and therefore doesn't belive in Caraval she finally gets a reply with three tickets included. But to go would surely mean the wrath of her father. Tella doesn't care. With a salior who has recently ported on the island, they manage to kidnap Scarlett and take her to the Legends private island where the game truely begins.

Not everything you see or hear is real. People are always out to trick you. But what happens when the game suddenly feels and becomes too real. Tella is kidnaped and Scarlett has a duty to find her along with many other people for the prize of a life time. A wish.

I loved the whole attention to detail in this book. I loved the feel of the magic floating around the story and Scarletts desire to find her sister. But is her mind playing tricks. How has her father managed to get onto the island as well. And can she really trust Julian. It's all so very exciting.

There are only five days to the game. Everything comes alive at night and you must be in your room when the sun comes up. Trying to work out the clues makes the book so much more fun. Caraval seems like a magical game with many twists and turns. Once you start thinking you get it, something changes your mind.

I am still confused on the ending and I hope this is cleared up in the next book. But Caraval is truely an enchanting fantasy to be told. 

Go Get it From: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Wordery
Follow @SGarberGirl