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[jules-bookshelf]

Caraval & Legendary – Spoilers Ahead

In this double feature review, I'm gonna talk briefly about Caraval and Legendary. It might be a bit messy, apologies in advance!!

I read these two books at the end of last year. I have a friend who's absolutely obsessed with this series so I thought I'd give it a chance.

I must confess I had low expectations with Caraval, as it seemed a bit corny at first glance. And though I wasn't completely proven wrong, I mostly had a good time reading it.

I've seen some people dislike Scarlett, but honestly I think she's fine. I don't particularly love her either, but I understand her actions and struggles. The main issue I have with her and Donatella is their age. The book mentions it at the beginning, but I completely forgot about it. Then sometime later it's Tella's birthday and she's turning 17. I was shocked and taken aback, because they're not written as teenagers at all. I also personally think there is absolutely no reason for them to be this young. What's the obsession authors have with making the female protagonists be teens when it is not necessary for the story? Your life doesn't suddenly end by 20. And while I believe there is an element of suspension of disbelief when it comes to fantasy romance with big age gaps (e.g. Twilight), it's kinda weird that the book has so much sexual tension with a sixteen year old. Anyways~~

I really enjoy the premise of the story. I find the concept of a travelling crew that hosts fantastical games every year very appealing. I also think that the places and scenery are quite creative and immersive. I had a pretty good time imagining all the streets, buildings and stores.

The mystery itself and the search for clues got me pretty hooked on, and I kept wanting to read more despite the book's flaws. I too, just like Scarlett, was doubting my senses and trying to discover what was real and what was just a game.

About the things I don't like about these books. First of all, I'm a fan of detailed descriptions and metaphors. However, I believe they should be done with purpose. At many times the author DRAGS a description that doesn't make much sense or it's just bad in my opinion. And it's SO overdone. Almost every single page has some corny metaphor and it gets tiring.

I also dislike the characterization of the male characters. I feel like they're written in a way that's *supposed* to make me feel attracted to them instead of giving them actual interesting traits. Most of their actions are done to bait the reader into thinking they're hot or romantic. Also, Dante is so edgy.... I can't get past his ugly ass tattoos. Oh, a dark rose?? Yeah that's very deep I'm sure. I also dislike the fact that he is Legend. Why is the Immortal Master of The Games™ just some random brat?? And if that was the point/intention, it's not really fleshed out enough to justify it.

Side note: why does almost every single fanart of Julian and Dante picture them as white men with straight hair???? The books clearly says they're not white and also have wavy/curly hair 😭

I was also disappointed to see that Scarlett and Julian are BARELY present in the second book. I did enjoy reading Tella's POV and adventures, but I felt underwhelmed not to have a proper conclusion to the main couple of the first book. I was so curious to know how Scarlett was going to deal with the fact that Julian is an actor. Their story had so much potential to explore themes of trust, forgiveness, anger, etc. and we just didn't get to see any of that.

I still have to read the final book of the trilogy, so I'll give my final review when I get to that. I think Legendary has the same issues as Caraval, so I don't think things are going to change drastically in Finale. However, I was gagged and genuinely invested in many chapters.

That being said, I honestly don't know if I'd recommend this series to anyone. While it is enjoyable, I don't think you're missing out on anything by not reading it. Does that make sense? Yeah it's fun, but that's it. If you have it in your list, I believe that there are better books to prioritize. If you just want some '"light" plot to pass time, yeah sure, go ahead, read it! If you don't have high expectations you'll probably have a good time.

[jules-bookshelf]

Hello, tumblr! :)

This is going to be my personal journal to keep track of the books I've read.

It's a goal of mine to read more books and to stop my brain from rotting from social media (sooo dramatic, I'm sorry)

I plan on commenting and reviewing books on this blog!! Probably nothing too complex, as I don't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself. This is for fun and personal enjoyment after all.

In case you're interested in sticking around, here you'll find mostly fantasy and fiction books~~ :)

I guess that's it for my first post! See ya