In Caraval, a Circus of Dreams May Be a Nightmare

Stephanie Garber’s dazzling debut, Caraval, begins its story with a heroine whose escape has yet to come. For seven years, Scarlett Dragna has written letters to the mysterious Legend, the mastermind behind Caraval, a fantastical traveling circus. For seven years, her letters have gone unanswered, as she and her sister, Donatella, struggled with the ruthless fury of their father, the colonial governor of the small island of Trisda.
Until now. On the verge of an arranged marriage to a count she’s never met, Scarlett finally receives a response from Legend. In fact, it’s more than a reply; it’s an invitation to Caraval. For Scarlett, it seems an impossible invitation, one that would require her to leave Trisda, breaking her father’s rules, and one that comes just days before her impending wedding.
For Scarlett, the mystique of Caraval has been a sustaining force, a promise of intrigue and wonder when her own life has provided neither. As the older sister, she has taken the brunt of her father’s abuse, though childhood hasn’t been a picnic for Tella either. In fact, she’s found her coping mechanisms in drinking and flirting and general revelry. Her more rebellious nature is a good thing, though, as it forces the hand of the much-too-responsible Scarlett, sending both sisters off to rendezvous with Legend’s swirling, sultry show.
It’s important to note that Caraval is more than a performance. It’s a game, of sorts, in which the audience participates. Whether it’s just a game, with no real consequences outside its gates, feels very much up for debate. So while the novel has a distinct Night Circus feeling, there’s an added danger, a heightened level of uncertainty. The game tells you it’s make-believe, but shows you something else entirely.
Every person, place, or obstacle you encounter could be part of that game. Clocks can act as doors. Bridges can fly around like it’s Mardi Gras at Hogwarts. New clothes can be bought with secrets. And the handsome young sailor who accompanied you to Caraval can be someone altogether different than he seems.
Once Legend’s great show begins, Caraval becomes a synesthetic wonderland, vivid yet phantasmic, illustrating an experience at once dreamlike and nightmarish. Repeatedly, we’re told that what happens in Caraval stays there. It’s only a game. No reason to worry. Naturally.
Instead of worrying about who the man behind the curtain is, Scarlett spends much of her time trying to uncover what he wants. As she, Tella, and Julian, the aforementioned enigmatic sailor, fall into the performance, they begin to lose themselves, and lose sight of reality. Caraval may be a game, but it certainly seems to have consequences. Forestalling those consequences seems tied to discovering who Legend is, and revealing what plans might have been behind his seemingly innocent invitation.
Propelling the mystery is Garber’s gorgeous writing, which can be both mesmerizing and abrupt. As a reader, you’re never quite balanced, pitching forward and falling backward alongside Scarlett on each leg of her journey. Whether in the dream world or reality (or somewhere in between), Legend never fails to be an imposing, seductive adversary, and Garber captures his hot-cold villainy with ease.
The result is a serpentine fantasy that will ensnare you from its first page, and that marks the enticing beginning of a crowd-pleasing duology. Lucky for all of us, the mystery has only begun.
Caraval hits shelves January 31, and is available for pre-order now.