Caraval

SYNOPSIS:

TW: parental abuse, physical abuse, physical trauma, suicide.

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.

REVIEW

(2 STARS)

I did not enjoy this book. I'm honestly a bit sad to say so because I had high hopes since everyone's been talking about it non-stop. However, it didn't work for me. The idea was amazing, but the characters and the plot didn't live up to their potential.

I want to start by talking about the characters and how dull they all were. There was no character growth, their personalities were unlikeable and their attitudes got under my skin. Unfortunately, I can't say I liked a single soul.

However, I must admit that the plot disappointed me the most: it was predictable and boring. The pace was excruciatingly slow, so much so that it felt like we were not getting anywhere, moving in unending circles. There were no mysteries or challenges, no surprises, no plot twists. Something that also didn't help was the author's need to use repetition to highlight certain aspects of the narrative to remind us of what had happened - she used it so profusely it became bothersome.

Lastly, I felt like I was reading this fairy-tale book in the sense that the characters didn't face any real consequences (which explains the lack of growth). Everything bad that happened, was magically undone by the author, wrapped up in the game's pretence. There were no consequences to their actions and no problem that remained unsolved. It didn't felt real. I know 'Caraval' is a fantasy book, but for every action, there must be a consequence. It's what helps us know that the world isn't completely arbitrary - it gives magic balance and grounds the story to the laws of nature. Garber's world made no sense to me so, I chose to not come back.