Finale: A Caraval Novel

Disclaimer: I received this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own. It breaks my heart that this series is over, but I couldn’t have asked for a better finale (ha). This book was exactly what I needed it to be that I never knew I needed it to be. This is undoubtedly a series I will come back to time and again and suggest to everyone I possibly can. It was expansive and magical and overwhelming in a way that anyone could lose themselves in. And I don’t think anybody could ever be disappointed with this conclusion. Garber had a plan from the beginning and the way that her plans come to fruition by the end of this book makes it one you certainly won’t want to miss. If you’ve read the earlier two books in this series, Caraval and Legendary, you’ll be familiar with the tone you can expect from this book. But this final book in the series takes everything from the first two and elevates it all to a whole new level. It encompasses everything the other books were working towards and brings it to a beautiful finish. The most obvious proof of that is the perspectives of each novel. Caraval was told entirely from Scarlett’s point of view, and Legendary was told entirely from Tella’s point of view. Finale literally combines them and we get alternating perspectives from both sisters. The single perspectives worked very well in the other books. There were twists and secrets that would have been spoiled had we seen both sides of the story all along. Those books wouldn’t have worked any other way. But here they come together and let us get a wider sense of the story throughout the book. The plot has developed to the point that the games we see are of an entirely different nature compared to the games we saw in the first two books. Our Dragna sisters aren’t keeping the same kinds of secrets from each other and they’re playing for a lot more than just a Caraval victory. The games they are in now have much higher stakes, and losing will mean more than disappointment. They may just lose their lives. Garber’s writing is really extraordinary, and the story she weaves will leave you awestruck. At this point in the series, you should know to expect surprises and blow-your-socks-off twists. And yet, it’s so easy to get caught up in the magic of this world that you forget to anticipate them. You get swept away, and no matter how many times you tell yourself not everything is as it seems, no matter how many times you remember there are always games afoot, you will be surprised. I never could have anticipated some of the twists Garber had in store here, and that is a high compliment. I know I’ll be able to reread this countless times because I’ll always hold on to that feeling of shock that I had on this first read-through. Even though I’ll know all of the surprises, I’ll be able to remember what it felt like to not know. Sometimes knowing the end makes you feel finished with a book. You’ve figured it all out and there’s no need to go through it all again. But this is a story that you will never be fully finished with. The world is so complex, the mythology so fascinating, the characters so compelling, that you won’t want to ever leave it fully behind. As much as I love our characters of these books, I would equally love a different story in this world. The Fates we began to learn about in Legendary are major players in this book, but I would still love to learn more about them. A prequel about this world during the centuries that the Fates ruled the land would be amazing. And until we get more, if we ever get more, I will absolutely be happy to read this series over and over. The ways that our well-loved characters truly come into their own during this book is one of the most beautiful aspects of the story. There is so much action and intrigue going on, that the personal development could have gone under the radar, but Garber didn’t let that happen. Scarlett, who has always had to be both sister and mother to Tella and always put her own wants to the side, recognizes and uses her inner strength to become a force to be reckoned with in a way that I always wanted for her but never would have expected from the beginning of the series. She was so cautious, so unwilling to believe herself capable back in the first book. She has grown so much since then, having gone through two Caravals, but here is where we get to see her explore what she is really capable of. The stakes are so high that she really doesn’t have any other choice. There is nothing and no one to fall back on, so she really has to put her faith in herself, and it inspires such a feeling of triumph to see her even try. And Tella has grown in a very complimentary way. She was so reckless in the first two books because it was Caraval, and Legend wouldn’t let anything actually bad happen, at least not irreversibly. She is so used to playing games that it’s hard for her to get out of that mindset, to stop playing. But she has never been one to give up, and her determination to get the outcome she wants is the driving force of this novel. She will fight tooth and nail for those she loves, and without her tenacity it would have been all too easy for everyone else to take the easy way out. She may make mistakes, but she’s young and you can’t expect her to be perfect. She never stops though, and it is her persistence that keeps everyone else going. The sisters’ strengths all stem, most importantly, from the strength of their love. Their love for each other, for those around them, for their world. It’s what keeps them going and what makes them the perfect candidates to save everyone. Their love is its own kind of magic. And it pairs well with the actual magic in the world of this series. Magic is tricky and always comes with a price, but it is also enchanting and capable of making dreams come true. It is almost tangible, the way it’s written. As you read, the magic in the books lifts off the page and surrounds you in a constellation of sparkling stars, sweeps you off your feet and transports you somewhere else entirely. The magic system here is not easy to control, and the price for using magic to get what you want can be steep, but it can deliver you exactly what you need if you know how to ask, and that’s what makes it so tantalizing. It is not without consequences, so you never feel as though the use of magic is a cop-out like it can in other magic systems occasionally. It is a measured use, sometimes a reckless use, but it is never a deus ex machina, solve all of our problems use. Half the time using magic causes as many if not more problems than it solves, and that helps give this story, and the other novels in the series, such great depth. But when it works, you can’t pull yourself away, because it is just so magical. At the conclusion of this story, all I can say is I never wanted it to end. Not this book, not this series, none of it. But I can also say that it ended exactly the way it needed to, whether or not it fits into all the visions I had of what I wanted to see happen. It was still the correct ending for this narrative. So be prepared to lose yourself to this book. Be prepared to grow ever fonder of Scarlett and Tella. Be prepared to fall ever more in love with Julian and Legend. Be prepared to be fascinated by the Fates and Valenda and their entire world. You will want more, but you will be so happy with what you have that it will almost make the fact that this is the last book in the series bearable. Almost. Let the magic of Caraval and Legend and all they have to offer sweep over you once more. It’s your last chance, and you won’t ever want to let that magic go. I know I don’t.

ㅤ 4 ★ A suitable ending for such an bewitching and enticing series -the end of the Caraval series, Finale surely did not disappoint in terms of allure, magic and beauty. The last book in this trilogy surely lived up to the expectations that the first book managed to create for me. After the slightly disappointing second book in the series, Finale was clearly able to bring back some of the nice feelings I had when I first started reading Caraval. Of course, there still are some small aspects that did not make this book a perfect 5 stars, but I will elaborate on them below so let's begin, shall we? ━━ world building and action As always, the world of Caraval never disappoints. When I started reading this series, the magnificent world and allure of the this magic-filled universe were the first things that completely and fully captured my attention and entrapped me in this incredible story. The details of the world were so magically and incredibly well-written that I was so eager for each and every paragraph of new descriptions of the surroundings in each scene. This third book clearly managed to bring back those feelings after I was a bit disappointed with the second book. I also appreciated how different were the two POVs of the two sisters. I was really glad to see Scarlett's POV again!!! you will really find out I do not like Tella a single bit. Despite the really beautiful story, I still felt like the ending was a bit underdeveloped. The "almost ending" felt a bit rushed and the true ending that came after did not feel satisfying enough for me. I would have loved to get at least a bit more and the back-story of how things ended up the way they did. ━━ characters Tella - I still cannot resonate with her a single bit. I am sure there are a lot of people who managed to probably understand her better than me and to resonate with her, but her character was completely apathetic to me. She was still just as childish and selfish as in Legendary, I felt like she was hypocritically criticising everyone for using her, while she was literally using everyone around her without being capable of making up her mind and learning to deal with the obstacles she had to face. I repeatedly found myself tired of her constant oscillation between Legend and Jacks and it wasn't even called for most of the time. She usually condemned the others for not changing for her, while she herself refused to change for everyone. And not to even mention her relationship with Legend. Despite it having quite some really beautiful moments, it felt so forced to me. It did not feel as natural as I hoped it would be and his "sacrifice" in the end of the book felt so sudden and a bit unnatural. I did not really enjoy any of their development through the series. Scarlett - Literally my favourite character in this series after Jacks. I absolutely loved her development ever since the first book and the ending clearly did not disappoint in this regard. From her chase for safety and fear of unknown, I feel like she became such a powerful and inspiring woman in Finale; fully deserving of her new role!!! And don't get me started on her relationship with Julian. I LITERALLY LOVED THEM SO MUCH. Each scene of them had me holding back my breath and kicking my feet because of how insanely sweet they were and how in love. Their relationship clearly developed so beautifully and I really lowkey hope we would still get to see a bit more of them in Stephanie's future works, maybe some small glances regarding their current lives in the new roles they have. What I did not like however, was the relationship between the two sisters. Despite their constant wish to sacrifice for one another, I ended up feeling like they grew so apart throughout the story. And while it is understandable that they both managed to find love and more people to care for, I would have enjoyed to still see the loving relationship between them grow more. ･ﾟ.✧:･ﾟJACKS ❤️ (he gets sparks and hearts cuz he deserves them OK?) - literally my favourite character so far. I will literally accept NO CRITICISM against my husband. His random entrances, his constant bantering, his unpredictable nature made him such an entertaining character. No wonder he became such a loved Fate: HE IS LITERALLY AN UNBOTHERED, UNPHAZED AND HOT KING. and he is also mine so please step back. 😌 The Fates - I really appreciated how much even the Fates played a role in all of the story and how even some of them presented such nice developments and characters. I admit I would have loved to see a bit more of the Deck and Destiny and its "inhabitants" but it did not bother me that much. Also, i will say it, I will never forget Stephanie for "killing off" the dress. I LOVE THAT DRESS SO MUCH, IT FELT LIKE SUCH A REAL AND SWEET CHARACTER. I would also like to mention Scarlett's parents. I really felt like they deserved a bit better. Don't get me wrong, both Paradise and Gavriel kind of asked for what they got, but I cannot lie and negate the fact that I cried my eyes out at their ending chapters with Scarlett. I am however glad that Scarlett managed to have her closure with both of them. ━━ ending and conclusions As I mentioned previously the ending did feel a bit rushed to me. I would have appreciated for the book to have at least a few more characters dedicated to The True Ending. I would have liked to see a bit more of the characters I really came to love (not you Tella) and I feel like a few more chapters would have made the ending feel way more satisfying for me. I would have also liked to see a bit more of the other characters and I wished the ending did not leave me with different questions and "what ifs...". I also felt like, despite helping with the plots and the issues that had to be solved, Legend's performers were completely forgotten at one point. Due to this, despite coming a long way from the first book and the Caraval itself, I would have still liked to know what happened to the initial action. However, I would like to finish by saying that despite everything, this is still a series that I would definitely recommend. The magical worlds, the characters, the lovely scenes with a constant tinge of tension, the action and the beautiful style of writing totally deserve much appreciation. The things I did not like are surely based solely on my personal taste so please do not take them for good and I encourage you to read, decide and appreciate things in your own way. Now excuse me while I dwell in the world of "Once Upon a Broken Heart" and go and meet my husband, Jacks, once again. ❤️

This is definitely my favourite book in the series. It was full of action and romance and I’m all here for it. There were also so many unexpected surprises and I had a really good time reading this. I really enjoyed reading about Paradise’s back story especially the part where Scarlett got to see her again. The bond between the two sisters was written so well and the relationship between our MCs was everything. I love the character development of Legend and the way the fates were portrayed. The ending was so good and although I still have a few questions left, I still enjoyed reading the book so much.

تغليف جيد.

O terceiro livro desta série, mantém a qualidade de escrita para além da história continuar a ter conteúdo e é extremamente divertida!

Me llegó en perfecto estado aunque sin envoltura

<REVIEW>FINALE • • • ⭐️:5,0/5 • • 💬: Two months passed since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for himself, and two months since Tella found out the truth about the man she loves. Now Tella needs to decide if she is going to trust Legend or if she will trust a former enemy. While Scarlett deals with having uncovered a secret about her mother, she will have to do an impossible thing. Legend must make a choice that will alter his forever and define him. And Julian needs to prove to the woman he loves that his love is eternal. The game might have ended, but there are still those who will win and those who will lose everything. I can’t believe this book reached its ending. It was amazing, marvellous, mind blowing, heartbreaking...many shooked moments. The trajectory we see Tella and Scarlett going through to get their happy ending was a truly rollercoaster of emotions. Tella is in conflict about what to do about her feelings towards a handsome magician, if she will trust him or accept what he proposes to her, unfortunately many things are at stake. Meanwhile, Scarlett is setting up a game where Julian needs to prove to her that he indeed loves, that was a point that made me dislike her a little but then everything was sorted out so quickly that I can pretend that it never happened (lol). Finale gave the story the perfect ending, always equally focusing on Tella and Scarlett. I was a little bit afraid that the story would forget one of the sisters, but it was all balanced evenly which made me really happy. Even if some of the Fates didn’t appear that much so we didn’t have a chance to understand them,we saw a lot of our dear Jacks and maybe a next novel where we see how he deals with the aftermaths of the end of the book is in need. His character was incredible and by far one of the most important Fates in the book, seeing as he had a “thing” with Tella. And the whole deal with their mother, Paloma, gave an incredible twist to the story and more depth too. Since the beginning I was always marveled by the world of Caraval, the magic (duh), the well crafted descriptions and the whole atmosphere I was put every time I read one sentence. This trilogy became one of my favorites and I will forever hold dear to my heart, Stephanie Garber really knew how to get a hold of my heart, never making me feel bored while inside this story.