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Caraval (Caraval, 1) Paperback – May 1, 2018
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Welcome, welcome to CARAVAL, Stephanie Garber’s enchanting, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling fantasy debut about two sisters swept up in a mysterious competition filled with magic, heartbreak, and danger
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 attend. 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 whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, and her sister disappears forever.
Continue the adventure in Legendary and Finale―out now!
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFlatiron Books
- Publication dateMay 1, 2018
- Grade level7 - 9
- Reading age13 - 18 years
- Dimensions5.4 x 1.15 x 8.2 inches
- ISBN-101250095263
- ISBN-13978-1250095268
- Lexile measure830L
The Amazon Book Review
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Get to know this book
What's it about?
Two sisters attend a magical, immersive game where one is kidnapped, and the other must find her before it's too late.Popular highlight
Sometimes he gazed at her as if he wanted to be her undoing, but just then it was as if he wanted her to undo him.2,825 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
Every touch created colors she had never seen. Colors as soft as velvet and as sharp as sparks that turned into stars.2,485 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
But the lie had already buried itself inside of Scarlett, as lies that children are told often do.1,830 Kindle readers highlighted this
From the Publisher
![Caraval Stephanie Garber USA Today quote](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media-library-service-media/1a4a4248-c301-4afb-9c02-2a11af9aa98a.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___.jpg)
![Caraval Stephanie Garber Jodi Picoult quote](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media-library-service-media/a6ee3a01-74d8-4b8b-acff-077528729b10.__CR0,0,970,300_PT0_SX970_V1___.jpg)
Editorial Reviews
Review
NEW YORK TIMES bestseller
#1 Indie Next Pick
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Flying Start
ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List
YALSA Teens’ Top 10 Pick
TEEN VOGUE Best YA Book of the Year
“Impressive, original, wondrous.” ―USA TODAY
“A spellbinding tale of love, loss, and hope.” ―PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review
“A twisty, terrifically fun page-turner perfect for fans of THE NIGHT CIRCUS, STARDUST, and THE HUNGER GAMES.” ―SLJ
“THE HUNGER GAMES meets THE NIGHT CIRCUS in this tale of two sisters enmeshed in a deadly game.” ―ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (Top 10 YA Novel of the Year)
“I lost myself in this world and never wanted to come out.” ―Sabaa Tahir
“Beautifully written.” ―Renée Ahdieh
“Shimmers with magic.” ―Marie Rutkoski
“Like stepping into a living dream.” ―Stacey Lee
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Flatiron Books; Reprint edition (May 1, 2018)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1250095263
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250095268
- Reading age : 13 - 18 years
- Lexile measure : 830L
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 13.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 1.15 x 8.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Caraval
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About the author
![Stephanie Garber](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amzn-author-media-prod/fofgbm6vokjil0obtkgg82mssk._SY600_.jpg)
Stephanie Garber is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of the Caraval series, Once Upon A Broken Heart and The Ballad of Never After. Her books have been published in thirty languages.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book amazing, enjoyable, and sugary. They also say the characters are well-developed and phenomenal. Readers describe the world of Caraval as incredibly done and the premise has potential. They praise the writing style as descriptive, lush, eerie, and easy to get lost or confused. Customers also find the plot captivating, enjoyable and stay up all night kind of book. They describe the pacing as fast.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the plot captivating, magical, and intriguing. They also appreciate the book's play with reality. Readers also enjoy the romance and honest and caring heart.
"...The story is captivating from beginning to end and the magic of Caraval will give readers a sense of wonder that carries them above the clouds until..." Read more
"...One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how it plays with reality. What is real? What is merely part of the game? Whom can you trust?..." Read more
"...It was a stay up all night kind of book the best kind there is...." Read more
"...How could I resist a book that promises magic, mystery, drama, and just a touch of heartbreak?..." Read more
Customers find the book incredibly amazing, fun, and gorgeous. They also describe the magic as whimsical and the world as unique.
"...The last part of the book is fast-paced, thrilling, and full of tension that had me biting my nails and quickly turning one page after another,..." Read more
"...her character so strongly, but more than that, I think she’s a finely-drawn portrait of an older sister who has endured far more than she should..." Read more
"...I encourage people to get this book if they love adventure, fast paced, fun, and creative. This book was incredible to read...." Read more
"...There is a hint of romance, and it is very YA...." Read more
Customers find the writing style descriptive, bold, and courageous. They also appreciate the flow of words that sound nice. Readers mention that the descriptions are vivid, lush, and intriguing.
"...The writing is fairly strong yet simple, and it allows you to fully focus on the story and its characters without being distracted by overly-..." Read more
"...This book was incredible to read. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series! Stephanie Garber is an incredible and creative writer...." Read more
"...The prose is the epitome of lyrical, with descriptions that were nothing short of magical, and I devoured it all with a smile on my face.“..." Read more
"...they feel things deeply and complexly, again without rambling exposition or dramatic confusion...." Read more
Customers find the characters in the book likable, real, and phenomenal. They also say the book is beautifully written.
"...And the characters were well-developed, though they have much more room to grow and to mature, especially Tella...." Read more
"...What would Keats and Aristotle say? Great beauty of characters and plot...." Read more
"...While I generally felt the characters were well done, I found the main character's sister incredibly dislikable, which kept me from being overly..." Read more
"...this novel and had to check the authors bio as the pov character felt somewhat unauthentic. Her constantly fighting the narrative became tedious...." Read more
Customers find the world-building of Caraval very well done, inventive, and interesting. They also appreciate the well-crafted descriptions and the fantasy and mystery elements. Readers say the premise of the story has so much potential.
"...This book was a fantastic combination of romance, fantasy, adventure, and mystery...." Read more
"...the world of Caraval, and the magic of the story was both minimal and creative...." Read more
"...people to get this book if they love adventure, fast paced, fun, and creative. This book was incredible to read...." Read more
"...There is a lot about the book that I love. The world-building of Caraval is very well done...." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book fast and easy to read.
"...The last part of the book is fast-paced, thrilling, and full of tension that had me biting my nails and quickly turning one page after another,..." Read more
"...I encourage people to get this book if they love adventure, fast paced, fun, and creative. This book was incredible to read...." Read more
"...Caraval truly is a fast and magical journey that I can't help but recommend everyone take!..." Read more
"...written, I wasn't in love with the way that things seemed to move at a very fast pace...." Read more
Customers find the story original, different, and genuine. They also say the theme is very different and a welcome change.
"I loved this story. It was different and adorable. Yes, Scarlett is rather naive. But that’s understandable...." Read more
"...This book feels fresh, original. I love that!..." Read more
"..."Caraval" is entirely original, with plot twists I never saw coming..." Read more
"...love the dragna sisters have for each other was so well done and genuine- i want to hug and protect them at all costs!!..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the color scheme. Some enjoy the uniqueness of color portrayed throughout the book, while others say that the colors had no real significance to the story line.
"...Also I enjoyed the uniqueness of color portrayed throughout the book...." Read more
"...her fantastical imagery, and I really liked that Scarlett associated emotions with colors...." Read more
"...After a while, I hate to admit that I got sick of the color descriptions...." Read more
"...One more thing — I really loved the lyrical descriptions. Emotions are described in colors, colors described as scents...." Read more
Reviews with images
![This book is be far the best book I have read yet!](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/transparent-pixel._V192234675_.gif)
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You bet your cookies they were.
This book was a fantastic combination of romance, fantasy, adventure, and mystery. The writing is fairly strong yet simple, and it allows you to fully focus on the story and its characters without being distracted by overly-embellished diction. There were some moments of repetitiveness in detail and description, but these moments didn’t take too much away from the story. Also, the inclusion of letters within the text helped give the story an extra touch of characterization, and though I rarely notice this, the design of some of the pages are lovely and add to the magic of Caraval.
Stephanie Garber did a wonderful job in bringing her world of Caraval to life with an abundance of sensory details that envelop you and carry you deeper into the mysterious goings-on within Caravel. The author skillfully creates a world where magic is real and powerful, and it acts as an ambiguous force that is acknowledged, though not wielded by anyone and everyone. The magic of Caraval has its own set of rules by which it functions, and the characters taking part in the game soon learn that nothing is as it seems in this elaborate performance orchestrated by ringmaster, Legend.
Speaking of Legend, the characters are another strong aspect of this book. Scarlett and Tella (short for Donatella) share a strong sisterly bond in which they are willing to sacrifice themselves for one another. The two girls are similar to Marianne and Eleanor from Sense and Sensibility. Scarlett behaves as the sensible one while Tella is governed by feeling. Each girl has a particular strength of character, and their differing views of the world lead them into an adventure that shapes who they are and who they will become.
At first, I was not much a fan of Tella, for she seems selfish and self-centered (and also a kleptomaniac?). But my opinion changed (for the most part, anyways) towards the end, as I realized she simply wishes for both her and her sister to be free of their ridiculously cruel and abusive father and to live their lives the way they desire. As for Scarlett, I found her character to be the most relatable, and even though she is the “sensible” one, her thought processes and actions within the game were understandable given the circumstances. She made many mistakes, but they were somewhat forgivable as she made them all with good intent, the intent to save her sister.
Besides familial love, I loved the relationship between Scarlett and Julian (*SWOON*). Julian is an interesting character whose charm stems from his mysteriousness and severe lack of hero qualities. He is an enigma who holds an abundance of secrets that are slowly unearthed throughout the story. And though his words and actions are often questionable, it is hard not to love him for what/who he is. Both he and Scarlett are very independent and of their own mind, but their situation requires them to work together to achieve their differing goals. The connection between the two is not immediate and I fell in love with the slow-burn romance that formed between the two over the course of four or five days.
I was really surprised by the level of sinisterness the author incorporated to describe Legend and his grand performance of Caraval, which has an undercurrent of deceit and cruelty that is overshadowed by vivid color and dazzling magic tricks. As the competition goes on, Legend morphs into a faceless villain whose schemes come to a suspenseful head during a final act in which the game comes to an end and the truth is revealed. The last part of the book is fast-paced, thrilling, and full of tension that had me biting my nails and quickly turning one page after another, desperate to know how it all ends.
All in all, I loved this book. I thought the author did an excellent job in portraying a sisterly bond that is not entirely perfect, but is strong, as it is built on love. And the characters were well-developed, though they have much more room to grow and to mature, especially Tella. The story is captivating from beginning to end and the magic of Caraval will give readers a sense of wonder that carries them above the clouds until they are set back down on the ground in the stunning conclusion of this book. I can’t recommend this story enough. I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series!
Vaguely reminiscent of The Hunger Games and The Night Circus, Caraval is a massive game that is held by invitation only on a magical isle. The Caravel game is unique, however: it’s something like an enormous magical dinner theater in which the players are enveloped for several days. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how it plays with reality. What is real? What is merely part of the game? Whom can you trust? What are the consequences for choosing the wrong door, failing to be home before sunrise, or trusting your senses instead of the game clues? Scarlett and her sister Donatella are whisked away from their abusive father by a handsome sailor and brought to the island where Caravel takes place, but when Scarlett awakens on a raft near the island, she finds that Tella has been kidnapped and it is up to Scarlett to rescue her, with the no-so-convenient aid of the handsome sailor Julien.
The world of Caraval enchants and delights, but not quite in a Harry Potter sort of way: a carousel of roses spins faster and faster when the carousel-master sings songs, otherworldly pastries are available on street corners, and the past and future appear on the pages in a book of paintings, but there are dark edges to the magic. A dress in a shop costs a few days of Scarlett’s life, but (mild spoiler warning) life days can be exchanged in a manner almost reminiscent of the video game life-trading in the 2017 version of Jumanji. The dark elements in the book involve abuse, dismemberment, and murder, but I think that on average nothing is so graphic that it would sicken sensitive readers. The overly-cautious heroine from an abusive family endures some harrowing experiences, but perseveres with courage and determination. She is, in fact, one of my favorite literary females of all time, and one of my favorite things about the novel. In my opinion, it’s extremely difficult to write a good action novel heroine. Katniss was too much of a tomboy for my taste, as was Tris from Divergent. Meaning no disrespect to Stephanie Meyer, who has made infinitely more money than I have as a writer, Bella from Twilight was just boring. But Scarlett could be me. That, of course, is why I connect with her character so strongly, but more than that, I think she’s a finely-drawn portrait of an older sister who has endured far more than she should have had to in her young life and as a result has developed some particular anxieties about her sister and getting into trouble. For comparison, I enjoyed this book more than The Night Circus, although that novel had more literary polish. I never really connected with any of The Night Circus characters, and the plot of that novel, in my opinion, was not as interesting as that of Caraval.
There are two major difficulties I had with this book that prevented me from giving it five stars. The first is the ending, which uses magic to cheat fate in a happy but rather predictable way. That’s not horrible, but it’s not entirely great, either. Far more serious, though, is the fact that the hero of this novel, like the Beast from the Disney story, is a scary manipulator who turns out (spoiler warning) to have a heart of gold in the end. Or, in this case, whose heart seems to be turning into gold by the end. The problem I have with this is that I married one of these guys—a lying manipulator—and I thought it would be ok because I love fairy tales like this one and he, too, seemed to have a heart of gold beneath the grime. But in real life, unfortunately, lying manipulators tend to be just that, and they (usually?) don’t improve if you just give them love. In fact, in real life, such people often to take even further advantage of you if they think that you’ll just react by trying harder to love them. So in real life, naïve girls like Scarlett and I should stay very far away from guys like Julien. That being said, as long as the reader is well aware of this truth (real life bad boys generally can’t and shouldn’t be trusted) , the novel is highly entertaining and even deeply meaningful, as Scarlett tries desperately to break free from the abuse of her childhood, find her true nature, and rescue her sister.
What would Keats and Aristotle say? Great beauty of characters and plot. Some rather silly teenage swoon moments that mar the canvas a little, and one significant disturbing element plus the predictable ending, so pretty good for beauty and ok for truth as far as a YA novel is likely to go. With caveats, highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
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Top reviews from other countries
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After I saw so many negative reviews about Caraval, I had low expectations about it.
I'm glad I decided to start reading this book, because otherwise I would never have had this amazing experience. The more I read the story, the more it gripped me.
Seriously read Caraval and draw your own conclusions!!!
It was definitely one of the best books I read in 2021
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