Escape into the mysterious reality of “Caraval”
By Katelyn Gomez
“Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game.”
Truly a game indeed! Stephanie Garber’s’ novel Caraval takes you upon the journey of a lifetime. Just when you think you might understand the story, the plot, and the characters, the world shifts beneath your feet.
A tale of definite twists, turns, revenge plots, and betrayals. Welcome to a land of magic and hoaxes, of mystery doors and tunnels, of flowing fountains and moving castles! Just like its characters in the story, the truth is never what it seems.
As the reader you must determine, untangle, and search behind layers of illusions to find the truth of a single moment, a single day or maybe even a single week for time works differently in a land full of games. Experience a world where your very eyes can fool you, your every word can hurt you, and your every action can lead you more and more into a mind of mental madness.
Garber’s story demands the justification of choices. The choice between exchanging a single day of life for the discovery of truth, trading fears for fortunes of the near future, and even sharing blood for tales of the past. It allows readers to question how far they would be willing to go to win a game? Then again, can a game every truly be just a game if the game is life itself? Discover a maze of clues, death, enchanted dresses, foods, and books.
Dive into Garber’s creation of a tale of justice, freedom, love, and most importantly secrecy. Get to know the tales of Legend, the unseen leader of Caraval, the man bestowed magic like the gods by a witch for the woman he loves in exchange for his soul. Marcello Dragna, the Governor of The Conquered Isle of Trisda, father of the two Dragna girls, a murderer and power hungry monster, the man who lives to torture those around him. Count Nicolas d’Arcy, a man of complete mystery hiding behind words in letters, promising a life of freedom and safety. Donatella, the youngest Dragna sister with fire in her blood, rebellion in her eyes, spirit in her soul and a plan to die like no other. Julian, a man with a tricky past, a tricky future, and a tricky family, a man with a difficult choice to make.
And lastly, the main character Scarlett Dragna. The girl on a mission. The girl who will make you question the very essence of this make believe world. The girl who has only ever seen the world through the experiences of childhood bedtime stories.
I said it once and I will say it again welcome to Caraval. Remember it is only a game… unless it is not.