a book recommendation
Caraval by Stephenie Meyer is an enchanting read with an extraordinarily mysterious setting, kind of similar to The Night Circus. It is often seen compared to The Night Circus which is accurate considering the feel of the book, however, Caraval is much more fast-paced and has a plot heading down a totally different road. Reading The Night Circus after Caraval felt like reading a more ‘grown up’ version, Caraval will always have a special place in my heart.
It tells the story of two sisters, Scarlett and Tella who are dreaming about attending this very exclusive and magical carnival/ circus/ show called Caraval. Since the tickets are so hard to get a hold of, they never would’ve expected to one day get some… For the show you can either participate or sit back and watch, as it turns out, Tella is the main plot for this show and Scarlett’s an important participant.
Not only is the cover beautiful, which I definitely think gives it some extra brownie points, the descriptions are also fantastic and really enable you to imagine all these magical places. I loved the language which was a great attribution to the build up of suspense and a magical atmosphere. As a reader who usually predicts most plot twists in books, I was surprised how many plot twists caught me off guard. It has many plot twists you would never see coming. All of them are even necessary for the storyline, letting you figure them out as the story progresses. It was a long time since I read Caraval but the world never left me.
❝Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world.❞