Two sisters bound by love and a father they fear escape their tiny, secluded island for the wondrous performance of Caraval, where the audience plays along in a mysterious and magical game of determining what's real and what's fantasy. And where only one sister might be brave enough to win the ultimate prize of 'an impossible wish'...
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show. Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for lonely Scarlett, it represents freedom, an escape from her abusive father and from her own dark past. Still, Scarlett is too scared of her father to leave Trisda. Until she is kidnapped by her wild younger sister Donatella and a dangerous yet oh-so-seductive sailor named Julian and taken to the mystical Isla de los Suenos, the site of this year's Caraval.
When they arrive, her sister immediately disappears. Since protecting Tella is all she knows, Scarlett is forced to join forces with Julian and find her before the evil Master of Caraval does...
Review by Sarah McDuling
Caraval is a wildly creative, action-packed adventure full of magic and mystery. This is a touching story about two sisters set in a vividly imagined fantasy world, brimming with gorgeous imagery and complicated characters who are often not quite what they seem.
This book really gave me everything I hoped for and more. The plot is inventive and clever, the writing lyrical and lovely, and the characters endearing and compelling. There is also a very sweet romantic subplot and a pitch perfect ending.
As Caraval is the first book in a duology, I was concerned about being left on a terrible cliffhanger. Luckily, my concerns proved unnecessary. The story has a satisfying ending - and yet it still gives a tantalising hint of what lies ahead. I am definitely going to pounce on the second book as soon as it becomes available.
Caraval will whisk readers into a brightly painted fantasy world full of intrigue and whimsy, suspense and temptation, tricksters and curses and a very dangerous game...
Perfect for fans of The Night Circus!
About the Author
Stephanie Garber wanted to be an explorer until she realised most of the world had already been discovered. So she started creating her own worlds, which is why she now writes imaginative fiction. When she's not writing, Stephanie teaches creative writing at a private college in northern California. Caraval is her debut novel.
Industry Reviews
With CARAVAL, Stephanie Garber spins a spellbinding tale of sisterhood, love and betrayal. Like her characters, I lost myself in the dangerous, enchanting world she created-and never wanted to come out. -- Sabaa Tahir, author of New York Times bestseller Ember In the Ashes
Enchanting and mysterious, Stephanie Garber's CARAVAL is a story rich with sumptuous detail, beautifully written. -- Renee Ahdieh, New York Times No.1 bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn
In a book where nothing is at it appears, one thing is certain: CARAVAL is the darkly enchanting adventure you've been looking for! -- Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy and And I Darken
Intoxicating. Darkly magical. CARAVAL walks the knife-edge between fantasy and reality. Within mere pages, I gladly lost myself in this perfect labyrinth of a plot. Stephanie Garber doesn't just dazzle-she makes me believe. -- Jodi Meadows, author of The Incarnate Trilogy and The Orphan Queen
A tale of sisterly devotion painted in colors of cerise and shimmering gold. If you ever wondered how it would feel to step into a living dream, here's your ticket. -- Stacey Lee, author of Under a Painted Sky and Outrun the Moon
A decadent and enchanting tale. CARAVAL will sink its teeth into you, and you will not want to leave. -- Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen
CARAVAL shimmers with magic. This is an inventive, delightful tale with several aces up its sleeve. -- Marie Rutkoski, New York Times bestselling author of the Winner's Trilogy
[A] magnificent debut novel . . . intriguing characters, an imaginative setting, and evocative writing combine to create a spellbinding tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and hope. * Publishers Weekly *
I love this novel . . . It's a thing of beauty and the stuff of dreams. -- Cecelia Ahern
Like the Carousel of Roses at the heart of the party, the language is colourful, giddy and with the occasional barb.And like a fairy story, CARAVAL reveals dark truths behind a playful, glittering surface. * Daily Mail *
Advance word on Stephanie Garber's CARAVAL has been nothing short of ecstatic, and in this case, we're glad we believed the hype. It is a lush romantic fantasy, exquisitely written, inhabited by a cast of marvellously colourful characters. * Starburst *
Even after a brilliant year for the fantastical in literature, it remains a firm favourite. Earning early comparisons to The Night Circus, Caraval is far more than just more of the same magical showmanship - this is a wonderfully deft, mesmerising and beautifully told tale of love, loss and the impossible. Scarlett's search for her missing sister, and the truth behind the mysterious Caraval show, is one to savour * Netgalley *
