Review - Finale

Caraval trilogy with Tella and Dante print

Title: Finale

Series: Caraval (Goodreads)

Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Group: YA

Source: Waterstones (purchased)

Review

The magic of Caraval has finally come to an end and it could not have been more magical! What I loved about Finale was the dual narrative, we finally got to see from both Tella and Scarlett’s perspectives in the same book, and their individual journeys became one final adventure.

Caraval has always been a story about the love of two sisters and Finale does not disappoint because it never forgets that what started the adventure was the love of these sisters. Of course what also remains exciting is the romances, good and bad, I mean who can resist a bad boy!

‘Tonight he was smiling like a wicked prince, escaped from the stars, ready to spirit her up into the heavens. Uninvited butterflies took flight in Tella’s stomach. He was still the most beautiful liar she’d ever seen.’

This is a trilogy that started with the games of Caraval and has given readers more than they could have imagined, the game is bigger than a yearly extravaganza, it is a deadly game of survival to destroy the Fates. The Fates are irresistible and truly add an enjoyable excitement to Finale. Without a doubt my favourite Fate has always been Jacks from the moment he was introduced in Legendary and I devoured every moment we got to spend with him in Finale, he is the boy you’re meant to fear and hate but cannot resist being tempted to fall in love with even though you know he’s not the right one.

‘Tella looked up at Jacks, seeing him for the first time since he’d carried her away. His untamed locks of golden hair made him look more like a lost boy than a murderous Fate; his unearthly eyes were the silver-blue of young girls’ dreams; and his lips were so sharp she imagined he could cut with a kiss.’

Another Fate that we met, The Assassin, was hugely intriguing and I only wish we had got to spend more time with him. I know that I would certainly love to see more of him in a future instalment, who knows maybe he will make an appearance in Once Upon A Broken Heart, we can only wait and hope. Why I enjoyed The Assassins character was his glibness and dry humour as well as his Fate ability, but I will leave that as a surprise, and so I will leave you with a final quote and hopefully the desire to read Finale for yourselves.

“We are here to help defeat the Fallen Star.” “And if we wanted to hurt you, I’d have shoved daggers through each of your hearts the moment I saw you outside.” The Assassin’s voice was like nails pounding through glass, harsh and discordant. “Is that really how you win people over?” muttered Julian.’

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finally, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win...and those who will lose everything.

Key Quotes 

‘Time was rushing faster than blood could pour out of a sliced artery.’

“A true queen’s power isn’t in her crown, my little love. It’s here.” Her mother placed a hand over her heart. Then she turned to Tella. […] “I would actually say your greatest treasure is sitting across from you. There is nothing quite so precious as the love of a sister.”

‘A dozen heads turned her way, intoxicated faces all wearing various shades of surprise. Save for Jacks. His silver-blue eyes met hers expectantly and then he grinned like the devil he was. He’d known this moment was coming. “Hello, wife.”

Similar reads

Sorcery of Thorns, Serpent & Dove, Kingdom of the Wicked, The Shadows Between Us, Shadow and Bone

Afterthoughts

How far would you go for the love of your family or siblings?

Did you enjoy the magic of the Caraval trilogy?

What other books would you recommend to those who enjoyed Finale?

Review - Legendary

Legendary

Title: Legendary

Series: Caraval (Goodreads)

Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Group: YA

Source: Waterstones (purchased)

Review

I absolutely loved Stephanie Garber’s Caraval when I first started the series and Legendary was just as beautiful and thrilling as the first in the series. Garber herself writes beautifully and some of the descriptions in Legendary are to die for ‘The air tasted like wonder. Like candied butterfly wings caught in sugared spiderwebs, and drunken peaches coated in luck’, you really do start to wonder what these delicacies would taste like. What was really strong about Legendary was the development of Scarlett, many readers are divided about whether they like her or not and everyone is allowed to have their opinion, but I felt that in this book I started to better understand Scarlett and why she is the person that she is.

Where Caraval focused on the bonds between sisters, Legendary focused on the bonds between a daughter and mother. That is not to say that the importance of siblings was not there in this book, the bond between the sisters was still present and important, but it did get pushed back to focus on Scarlett’s need to save and learn about her mother. Early on in the book we learn that Scarlett loved her mother unconditionally and like many little girls she loved to dress up in her mums clothes and jewels, ‘today she pretended a wicked queen was holding a young elfin prince captive, and to save him, she needed to steal her mothers opal ring, Tella’s favourite piece of jewelry’. Not only can many young girls, and boys, recognise the thrill and excitement of dressing up in their mums clothes but Scarlett refuses to be the captive princess during her childhood games which I think makes her a strong young woman. As a young child Tella loved her mum dearly and always loved the singular moments when she received her mums attention, ‘when her mother chose to focus her glittering attention on Tella alone, she made Tella feel as if she were a star and the world revolved around only her’. That is not to say that their mum preferred one of her daughters over the other but that every child loves those rare moments when they don’t feel that they have to compete for their mothers love. In particular relation to the sisters relationship, they have different personalities which can lead to conflicts, but at the end of the day they mean the world to each other. Legendary promotes the importance of sibling relationships because ‘Siblings were supposed to support each other, not tear each other down’. And even though siblings have their moments of trouble at the end of the day they are the most important people in your lives and the ones you can truly rely upon and because of this they will always find a way to forgive each other and support one another.

‘Tella would destroy the world before she allowed anything to happen to her sister.’

The romance in Legendary was spectacular, it was so intense and passionate. I loved the relationships between Tella and Dante as well as Jacks (a thrilling new character with a twist) and Tella. In Legendary one relationship is about real love and the other the performance of it. However, in the scenes where Tella is required to perform love, you along with Tella become consumed by the lie, and wonder how much of their moment of passion is a performance, ‘ “the key to a charade like this is to forget that it’s an act. Invite the lie to play until you become so comfortable with it that it feels like the truth. Don’t tell yourself were pretending to be engaged, tell yourself that I love you. That I want you more than anyone.” He reeled her closer and ran a hand up the back of her neck, toying with the ribbon around her throat. […] Tella dipped her imagination into the treacherous fantasy that Jacks had described.’ That fantasy that we witness as readers is certainly seductive and thrilling but the flirtation and seduction between Tella and Dante rivals the performative relationship. Dante and Tella have a provocative and seductive relationship throughout the book and this little scene should leave you wanting to read more ‘Dante leaned against one of the pillars flanking the temple’s massive door, all bronzed flesh and brilliant tattoos – And, oh glory, he was shirtless. So very shirtless […] Moonlight danced over the thick black thorns tattooed across his clavicle while his dark eyes did the same to Tella. They slid up one slit of her dress until… He scowled’, he then proceeded to help try and fix her dress to be able to enter the temple, ‘ “You can’t take apart my dress on these stairs” “Does that mean I can take it apart somewhere else?” His low voice oozed dark promises.’  

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun.

Key Quotes 

‘And while Tella often did things she wasn’t supposed to, usually her mother didn’t mind. She’d gently correct her daughter, or occasionally tell her how to get away with her little crimes.’

'She wanted to celebrate her success, to forget everything else. And Dante had looked like the perfect way to do both.’ 

‘he looked like a dark, wingless angel who’d been tossed from the heavens and landed on his feet’ 

“I’m sure I’ve heard far more colourful curses.” “Did you just insult my use of profanity?” “I thought I asked for more dirty words.” 

‘neat rooms were easy to rifle through and search undetected because it was simple to put carefully placed things exactly where they’d been. But messes, on the other hand, were difficult to recreate.’ 

Similar reads

The Night Circus, Three Dark Crowns 

Afterthoughts

There still remains a level of the magic experienced in Caraval, but it does get slightly lost at times as the books main focus is on Tella trying to save her mum.

This book takes a darker turn than the first book and introduces more complex ideas about the world that Tella and Scarlett live in but in a positive way because the world develops naturally.

There is a celebration of female sexuality, and the romance is so compelling and seductive 

How important is family to you?

What did you love about Legendary, or the series as a whole?