But as their romance progressed and we saw hints of emotion on both Dante and Tella during the Fated Ball, all their encounters during the game…Dante became oh so similar to another certain character with stars as tattoos and “emblemized” as the night sky. Though the fact that I ignored her true age and imagined her as a legal adult made her budding romance with Dante that much more heated and desperate, in a good way. I found her dull, shallow, and immature – and I was only reminded was 16 years old on the last few pages. I can’t say I wasn’t pleased by having Tella as a narrator – I was pleasantly annoyed by Scarlett for most of the first book, and alas, my hopes were also dashed with Tella for the first half. It seemed rushed, and so I failed to connect with the characters’ beliefs and relationships with the “vanished” Fates – because these already introduced characters seemed so enthralled and deeply rooted with them. I felt like it came out of nowhere, in Tella’s flashback prologue. But I was very disappointed that it didn’t at least serve a focus in the first book. The true plot of the book – about the Fates – was vastly interesting. If only the first 75% of the book contained the same spunk as the last quarter! Needless to say, Until the three-quarter mark of the book I was ready to abandon the series. Not to say that Garber didn’t have any good ideas – she did…but I felt like the execution was underdone. I was cautious based on my feelings regarding the messiness in plot, characters, and writing of the first book.

I can’t say that the second book of this series astonished me. As a sinister plot reveals itself, Tella will discover if her true desires are worth the cost of saving everyone – including her mother.

Payments for deals will be paid, and with a new Caraval on the horizon, Tella will more than ever find herself in the battle between games and reality. Tella’s deception at the end of Caraval has finally caught up to her. Legendary YA High Fantasy By Stephanie Garber (Caraval #2) ~ “I’ll be waiting” – Legend ~

Legendary caraval series