Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Summary:  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.

My opinion: Isn't it gorgeous? This cover is soooo beautiful I can't stop staring at it. I don't know if one can see it on this photo but the blue star behind the word Caraval twinkles. So great. I have a thing with beautiful cover designs. Maybe I mentioned this before already. Hihi.
The book was part of my february Owlcrate Box with the theme Run Away With The Circus. And I can say that Caraval isn't really a circus, but still it matches perfect with this theme.
Caraval is a game that takes place on a different location every year. And you never know the target of this years game until you enter it. The winner of this game gains a wish.
Scarlett wanted to see Caraval ever since because she wants herself and her sister to escape from their abusive father at least for a few days. But she never got an answer to all her letters from the Master of Caraval.
Finally, when she nearly accepts that she will never see the game, she gets an invitation.
And when she enters the game she enters a world where a dress costs desires, fears or even days of your life. Where a simple drink can cost you the ability to see colors. It is more magical and more impressive that she could have imagined. But Caraval is also dangerous. Nothing is like it seems and one of the biggest warnings says:


So while we want you to get swept away, be careful of being swept too far away. Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won’t wake up.


I tell you, I really love the book. I definitely got swept away in this magical world. It was like a mixture of Alice in Wonderland and The Hunger Games. After a few pages I didn't know, who to trust and what to expect from the characters. One minute you think you have the story and the characters all figured out, the next minute the storyline takes you on a completely different direction! There were just so many twists, turns, and puzzles. Maybe even a little bit too much of it in the end. But that is my only complaint. (Despite the fact that it was ridiculous to me, that Scarlett always wears dresses while playing the game, searching for clues and following hints. But well...maybe it was for the kind of glamour atmosphere.)
As a plus the book has also a beautiful design on the inside. Every new chapter starts with ornaments and floral design and for example everytime Scarlett recieves a letter, it is printed like a real letter in the book. Those details often make the difference, don't they?

The greatest part of the story was the constant breeze of danger and behind the words. You never know if this is only a magical game or wether there is more behind it.
So I couldn't stop reading and the end didn't make it any better. Such a huge cliffhanger, oh man....

So I'm looking forward to book number two.

Would you read this book again? Yes.