Author: Stephanie Garber
Published: 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Two – Caraval Series

Book One Review | Book Three Review

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.

My Take:

Legendary is the second book in the Caraval Series, this time told from Donatella’s point of view. This novel has the same magical and surreal fairy tale feel as the first, but the language isn’t as flowery as Caraval. This makes sense because the two sisters are different and their voices should be as well. The prose is still absolutely beautiful with phrases such as “They tasted like frost and wishes gone wrong”, and “smelled like ink and secrets”. This second installment is as gripping as the first and if you loved Caraval, you will certainly love Legendary.

The story starts with a prologue from well before book one, then continues into Donatella’s story seamlessly. You get to know her in a way you never could through Scarlett’s POV, and yes, fall in love with her (while yelling at her) as she contemplates some of her choices. You can’t help rooting for her and being frustrated with her at the same time. New characters join the familiar characters from Caraval, which I appreciated. It felt like a true continuation of the last book that takes a gut-punching and unexpected turn. At times, Scarlett acts out of character, leaving me to wonder if I knew her at all despite her being the focus of the first book in the series. What is she hiding???

The twists and turns will keep your eyes and mind riveted until the final page while you struggle to figure out what is true, what is a lie, and who to believe. Everyone has secrets and tells, at best, half-truths. Throughout the novel, I wondered if Caraval was truly a game or real this time around. What a roller coaster!