A mind inside the circus: A look into the magical world of Caraval

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have never read a book that is as exciting and magical, filled with romance and intrigue, as Caraval by Stephanie Garber. Garber’s 401-page novel is filled with mystery, romance, and so many plot twists I couldn’t put it down. The story is about a girl named Scarlett who escapes with a boy named Julian to go to a circus called Caraval, but soon finds out her sister has been kidnapped. Scarlett and Julian have to work together throughout the book to find clues by putting themselves in  life- threatening situations, but there is unexpected romance, magic, and betrayal along the way, and they discover that Caraval is not what it seems. The use of imagery and romantic tension got me hooked, and I loved whenever a new character was added, giving a new perspective in the story.  The romantic tension between Scarlett and Julian was absolutely incredible and had me so invested, to the point where I was almost disappointed when I was nearing the end of the story. I loved how that Scarlett has to deal with Julian’s annoying (but impossible to ignore) presence and she has to manage finding her sister all while both of them are being controlled by a mysterious higher presence. It will have you so intrigued that you won’t know what is real or fake by the end. The tension with every chapter in this book had me shocked because you never know what choice the main character is about to make and you have no idea what can happen next. Every twist and turn this book takes you on begins to connect throughout the story, and I love how it all makes sense in the end so you can finally understand everything that has happened, but also want so much more. Garber delivered every plot twist and adventure the main characters went on with so much detail that it is impossible to get bored while reading, and through the end there was always a new detail that made it even more interesting. When I say that I could not put it down, I read this book in one sitting and I could not focus on anything else because I was so interested in it. I could actually feel what the characters were feeling and I felt like I was in Caraval with them, and every emotion that they had or truth that was revealed made me so shocked and surprised. I would give this an 100/10, and this book is perfect for people who love romance mixed in with mystery and enormous amounts of tension, with characters who have no idea what is real or what is fake. The plot advances so much throughout the book and the main characters almost have no say of what they want. I loved the essential promise throughout the story of the one warning the main characters have to remember: everything is a game, but beware of getting too far swept away. Caraval has the perfect amounts of betrayal, romance, tension, and magic to keep readers hooked the whole way through.