Published January 31st 2017 by Flatiron Books
407 pages | Goodreads Description: ❝Remember, it’s only a game… 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. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever. Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away❞ (end of description)
REVIEW
Scarlett and Tella are sisters living with their cruel, unloving father. Ever since she was a little girl, Scarlett has dreamed of attending Caraval, an entertaining show where people get to participate.
She finds herself participating in the event when her sister Tella gets kidnapped by Legend, Caraval’s organizer and whoever finds Tella wins this year’s event. Scarlett sets to find her sister with the help of a young, attractive sailor and this is the beginning of the story.
The novel is told from the point of view of Scarlett. This story has elements of fantasy and it did not captivate me. I did not care for the characters and found the setting and description of the places confusing.
Overall, this novel did not engage me and I do not plan to read the sequels.