Stephanie Garber’s Caraval is a mesmerizing fantasy that is set on an Island called Trisda. There lived Governor Dragna, the father of two young women, Donatella and Scarlett Dragna. He is dangerous and unpredictable. His daughters fear him greatly. They’ve attempted to flee the island and escape his grasp once before, but their failure resulted in severe punishment not only for themselves but for any and all accomplices. Though Scarlet is wary, the two sisters manage to stage a kidnapping, using it as a cover to escape and live out Scarlet’s lifelong dream of attending Caraval with the help of a charming young sailor by the name of Julian. 

Caraval is a magical event orchestrated by a man whose birth name is unknown but is instead referred to simply as Legend. Legend is a man of mystery. No one has ever seen his face. No one knows who he is for sure. His identity, his life, is shrouded by secrecy. The only stories of Legend are just that; stories.

Scarlet has fantasized about Legend and the game of Caraval for years. Finally, here’s her chance. She can take part like she’d always wanted to. Instead, things quickly take a turn for the worse when Donatella is actually kidnapped as a part of the game. Scarlet knows it’s all just a game, or at least, it’s supposed to be. And yet, she can’t help but feel there’s something more sinister at play.

Whether Scarlet believes her sister’s capture was real or not, she must find Tella. Either to win the game or to win her life. She will do so with the help of her new companion Julian, who is as much a mystery to her as Legend himself. Julian confuses Scarlet immensely, often contradicting himself. Sometimes indifferent to Scarlet’s feelings, and other times being the first to self-sacrifice for her. 

Overall, the book is very charming and inexplicably well-written. Everything about the book is just so entrancing. The characters all have such depth and meaning. They all felt so real. Each and every character has a story. They have hopes and fears, dreams and feelings. It’s a cast that naturally elicits empathy from the reader. You really feel the full range of their emotions, however big or small. 

Garber’s word choice is something that was very unique to her and definitely should be noted. It stood out in the way that it was very versatile, which made the story all the more memorable. It really lends to the magic of it all. It somehow made already momentous and heartfelt moments, that much more beautiful. From the second Scarlet and Julian set foot on Legend’s private Isle, the entire book is a toss between magic and reality. For the majority of the time it was impossible to differentiate between the two, it left readers hanging onto every word.