Legendary (Caraval, 2)

*Legendary is the second book in Garber's Caraval trilogy which begins with Caraval. Start there to avoid spoilers.* Tella never doubted that her sister Scarlett would win Caraval and use her wish to bring Tella back to life. Dying was worth any risk if it meant that Tella would be one step closer to mending her broken family and finally, for once, protecting her older sister. Playing Legend's game was the only chance either of them would have to truly win their freedom--something that is worth far more than any debt Tella may have incurred to get Legend's attention. But every debt has to be paid eventually and Tella's are coming due. Tella has always been quick on her feet, easily dodging any risk and danger. But even Tella isn't sure that she'll be able to acquire this last payment: Caraval Master Legend's true name. If Tella fails to discover Legend's identity she could lose everything that matters--including her life. Winning the game will help Tella discover Legend's identity. But the prize will come at a cost that could destroy Legend and Caraval forever. Tella knows better than to get swept away by the wonders within the game. But as time runs out, Tella starts to wonder if this time the game (and the dangers) might be more than illusion. Welcome, welcome to Caraval, the grandest show by land or by sea. Inside you may come face to face with Fate or steal bits of destiny. As fantastical as Caraval might feel, the next five nights are very real. Elantine has invited us here to save the Empire from her greatest fear. For centuries the Fates were locked away, but now they wish to come out and play. If they regain their magic the world will never be the same, but you can help stop them by winning the game. Are you ready to play? in Legendary (2018) by Stephanie Garber. Legendary is the second book in Garber's Caraval trilogy which begins with Caraval. It picks up right after the events of Caraval with a decent recap of key events. Fans of the first book will appreciate many of the familiar characters in this installment. This novel follows Tella in close third person as she tries to win Caraval while keeping her own secrets--particularly from her sister Scarlett who is sadly sidelined for much of the story as a result. Garber dramatically expands the world of the Meridian Empire and Caraval as well as offering more backstory on Tella and Scarlett's past. While Scarlett was a clever heroine who had to learn how to take risks and conquer her fears, Tella is already very shrewd and fearless. She wears her youth and femininity as weapons and is quick to acknowledge almost all of her weaknesses except, perhaps, for her fierce loyalty. Tella's biggest struggle throughout Legendary isn't learning to believe in herself. Rather she has to trust herself as she begins to realize that this version of Caraval bears little resemblance to the game Scarlett won. Much like Caraval itself, Legendary plays with readers expectations as this story moves in surprising and unexpected directions. In many ways Tella's story arc is as defined as Scarlett's while leaving many key questions waiting to be answered in book three. Legendary is a must read for fans of the first book and proves that this series has staying power. Highly recommended. Possible Pairings: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi, Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson, A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

4.5 stars. This was honestly a pretty good follow-up to Caraval. To be honest, my expectations were a little low for this book, mainly because I wasn't thrilled to read from Donatella's POV, but I ended up liking her more than I thought I would. One of my complaints about Caraval was that I couldn't relate to and didn't like Scarlett. She just felt so monotone and 2-D. Legendary was better. I really got a sense of Tella's reckless and naive/passionate character, and I was rooting for her throughout the book. Also, I love Dante. Spoiler: THERE'S A MAJOR PLOT TWIST INVOLVING HIM... BUT I'LL SAY NO MORE. Anyway, Dante is such an awesome character. He's broody, mysterious, with lots of secrets and is always there to pick Tella up when she's down. I was always excited to see him on the page and he and Jacks (a dark, icy, and powerful Prince) carried the story. In the first book, I didn't think that much of him because he was pretty minor, so when I heard he was going to be a prominent part in Legendary, I was kind of confused. But now he's one of my favorite characters, so good job Stephanie Garber! A little complaint: I didn't really like how Scarlett was written in this book, as for some parts she is very out of character, and though it gets somewhat explained, I was still kinda put off. I also would've liked more focus on their sisterly bond, but I understand that the main relationship of Legendary is the one between Donatella and her mother (Paloma). The plot is engaging, with lots of thrilling twists. Some people have said that the end was predictable, but personally I still found the journey to get there, mysterious and intriguing. I really liked that more background to the world was added, with the myths of the Fates and Elantine kingdom. As always, I loved the colorful and alluring, and especially dangerous magic in this book, though I would've liked a bit more of it. The prose Garber delivers the story in made it easy to read. I sped through it in one day! Her writing is as beautiful and enchanting as the world she creates. Overall, I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the plot was well-organized and exciting, the world was captivating, and her writing tied everything up in a magical, amazing, legendary sequel.

Rating: 5 Stars Tella made a bargain with a mysterious criminal that lead to freedom form her father for both her and her sister. She even got Scarlett out from an arranged marriage. Still the game is over and she got her part of the bargain now she has to deliver what was promised: Caraval Master Legend’s true name. She has one chance to uncover the identity, win the next special Caraval. Tella throws herself into the game and her mission even as it puts her on a very dangerous path, because this Caraval is different from the rest where you lose yourself to what is only a game, this year is real! Secrets, doomed love, heirs to the throne, fates, and more press Tella to be as cunning and brave as ever, risking everything she cares about including her life. Winning Caraval will change the world forever. A Caraval doesn’t typically happen this close to end of the last but with Empress Elantine’s 75th birthday she gets what she wants. Now we follow Tella as she and her sister are free of their father. Tella though has a different mission, to gain Legends true name and gain the information she has been searching for. Tella has been on this path for some time and there is a method to the way she acts, where as I found her a bit harder to love in the last book her were see her side of things and see the reasons behind her antics. She has a good heart though she feels she is never meant for love, based on a drawing of the cards of destiny in her childhood. This has lead her every step and it all comes down to playing another game of Caraval. “If you can convince yourself it’s true you can convince anyone.” The way this world has expanded from not just the magic of Caraval which is amazing, but the way the mythology of fates was weaved in from the start. They were mentioned in the past but as a fairytale sort, now it seems they may be very real….or is that the magic of Caraval? The back and forth of what is real and can it be believed was captivating. Winding in all the different elements expanding this world was amazing and seamless. I was rooting for Tella but I wavered in what I wanted her to accomplish as many times she is at cross purposes. While this time we do focus on Tella rather than Scarlett we do get to see so many of our returning characters. I enjoyed seeing Scarlett and Julian again though things aren’t perfect they are fun and many more including Dante. The story is still that of the game and a large mystery there did feel there was a more romantic feeling in this sequel. I was totally on board for it because it was so beautifully done and fit with what we know of the characters, unraveling new layers of them as we go. Tella is not set for romance or love, something most assured the opposite of what she wants and some of the scenes she is in just makes me so happy. “Every story has four parts – the beginning, the middle, the almost ending, and the true ending.” Now when I first finished this book thinking it was a duology I was a bit upset. There was so much more I needed. So much left way way too open for me. I mean we just found out who Legend was!!! FYI I totally had it pegged for a long time, even had my suspicions in book one but confirmation is always appreciated. Satisfaction after an adventure filled journey. But upon finding out it was a trilogy and I had one more book to look forward to I was in love. I can see how all of my questions and open things will lead into a thrilling final book in the trilogy. I can’t wait to find out more!

Stephanie Garber once again sweeps us away into the mesmerizing world that is Caraval, only this time, in Legendary, the game is far more different than we could have ever suspected. The world may be the same, but there is still much to learn about Caraval itself and I am so utterly blown away that I find it hard to get my feet back on the ground in reality! As you may know already, Legendary is a companion to Caraval, this time it’s Tella’s turn to shine. Her mysterious friend who played a part in getting her and Scarlett into Caraval the first time around has come to collect his payment. What he asks for is simple, he wants Legend’s true name. In order to gain that information, Tella will have to play Caraval and win the game in order to come face to face with the mysterious Legend. There’s a lot more at play this time around then the game itself. Tella and Scarlett’s past comes to the forefront in this one and Tella is determined to get some answers, though it’s going to be harder than she could ever guess. The stakes are definitely higher in this one, for Tella’s mysterious benefactor, Jacks, is a far more sinister type. He asks for the impossible and if Tella can’t deliver, well, it won’t be good for her! Then there’s Dante who played a bit of a role in her getting into trouble with Jacks in the first place, but yet the boy just doesn’t leave her alone. After spending the night together after the first Caraval, Tella was ready to walk away from him, as she’s been known to do with any boy she kisses, but Dante isn’t one to be walked away from. He just keeps coming back. I will admit, their interactions were enjoyable! If I wasn’t laughing at their antics I was positively swooning over something Dante said or did. These two were just wow! I thought I was totally for Scarlett and Julian, but I have to say I think Tella and Dante are definitely my favorite Caraval couple! There’s definitely an added tension to this one that I feel like wasn’t quite there in the same way in Caraval. Tella has a much more pressing deadline to win the game this time and get what Jacks is demanding. She’s also still trying hard to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother. Tella was always more hurt by her leaving than Scarlett was. Though Scarlett was still in this story every now and then, she wasn’t as present as I would’ve thought. There were reasons for that and I guess it’s more fitting that Tella has her own journey through Caraval on her own like Scarlett did. The ending left me emotional, let’s say that! There were answers and then there were the things that were left unsaid. At the time of writing this, I haven’t heard if there will be more to come with this world. It’s my greatest hope that there is! Legendary is a befitting title for this companion to Caraval. It’s as magical, exciting, and stunning as its predecessor, if not a little more! There’s so much mystery and beauty to this book that I was simply swept away by Stephanie’s words! This book was pure magic! My heart aches to return to this world already and see what more adventures could be had within its pages, because I am far from ready to say goodbye just yet. I can’t remember the last time I read a series where the magic felt so real that I lost myself from reality, but Legendary has in fact done that to me! If there’s any book recommendation you will take from me, let it be this one! Overall Rating 5/5 stars

In Legendary, the sequel to Caraval, the younger Dragna sister, Donatella, must play the game of Caraval in order to satisfy a debt she owes to a mysterious “friend”. If she fails to do so, she’ll lose the opportunity to find out what happened to her long-lost mother and her own life. But if she wins, and provides her “friend” what he desires, she’ll doom the world to the rule of the Fates, not a good thing at all. It’s quite a dilemma. First Tella must figure out what she must do to win Caraval. Then she must do it. She is given clues to guide her along, and there are Caraval players everywhere, but won’t necessarily help her. In fact, they may hurt her. Deception is rampant, and Tella needs to keep her head about her if she’s to succeed. Dante, an incredibly handsome player who seems to follow her everywhere, doesn’t make that easy. Neither does Jacks, a dark charmer who has less than honorable intentions toward her. Tella’s sister Scarlett’s behavior, too, is weighing on Tella; Scarlett is keeping secrets, and that’s not like her. But even with all of that, Tella is determined to keep her focus and find her mother. Until she isn’t. Until she’s not sure what’s real and what’s not, or what the best choice is or isn’t. The world of Caraval is magical; full of characters, enchantments, and illusions that dazzle the senses, perhaps a little too much (for the characters!). As in Caraval, Stephanie Garber brings the world to life with vividness and energy – one can see the sights, smell the scents, feel the magic. There is both darkness and light in the magic, and that makes it even more real. It’s engrossing. The plot of the story is just as engaging, with twists and revelations that impact the characters and change motivations. Tella begins the game with a specific goal, but as she learns more and more about the world (she and her sister Scarlett have been very sheltered by an abusive father), specifically about the Fates and the power they wield if unleashed on the world, not only does what she think she can do changes, but what she wants to do changes. As it does for Tella, it becomes harder and harder for the reader to know what is real and what is not. But the very best thing about this novel (as well as Caraval) is the characters. Each of them is well- developed (granted, some more so than others, mostly because of “page time”) and intriguing in their individual ways, and their interactions are generally natural and sensical. Indeed, Garber is very talented at creating “on-page” chemistry between characters; Dante and Tella, Jacks and Tella, and Scarlett and Julian (as true as well in Caraval) are all pairings that quite sizzle. Non-romantic chemistry is done very well as well; Scarlett and Tella are endearing sisters. I admit, though, that I have questions regarding Scarlett’s behavior – it felt off from Caraval. That might be because she was not the point of view character as she was in Caraval. I’m hoping that the third novel in the series will shed some light on it. Garber has an easy way with words, often quite clever and always lovely. One danger with sequels is the tendency to over-recap the first in the series, and I did find that to be true in Legendary. Also, Garber uses delayed repetition in a quite effective way, but there were a few instances when it was overdone and took me out of the story. But on the whole, I appreciated the pacing and clarity and prettiness of the writing. This is a story set in a world of magic, and indeed, it is a magical story. With excellent worldbuilding, a well-organized and executed plot, dynamic and oh-so-interesting characters, writing that suits the story and is well-crafted, Legendary is a novel that transports the reader. And HOW.

“The witch also warned that wishes come with costs, and the more he performed, the more he would transform into whatever roles he played. If he acted the part of a villain, he’d become one in truth.” Legendary is the second book in the Caraval series and I was kind of disappointed in it. For starters the author abandoned the original main characters, Scarlett and Julian, and put her sister Tella and Dante in the spotlight. While I did eventually come to enjoy Tella and Dante, I hate leaving the original main characters behind. While Tella is more adventurous and fun to read about, she also comes off as very selfish and sometimes down right stupid for a main character. And yes, I get it. She loves her dresses. That doesn’t mean I have to read vivid descriptions about all 1,000 dresses she sees/wears in the book, complete with adjective laden colors. They’re pretty and magical. I don’t need a page describing each dress she likes. I guess you can also add that she’s very vain and focused on looks? Dante is an okay character. He seems to have serious mood swings though, and even if that sometimes adds to the mystery around him it mainly just makes him an unstable character. He’s not particularly swoon-worthy; probably because all Tella ever describes are his muscles and tattoos and I’m still not sure of him personality wise. We are introduced to a few new characters, such as the Empress and Jacks. Jacks is a character I’d like to see more of. He’s totally shady, manipulative, and has a degree in villainous smirking. He’s one of those characters you just love to hate. Another thing that really disappointed me was a lot of the magic of Caraval disappeared for superstitious notions and mythology. The entire book revolves around Tella and Scarlett’s mother’s “Destiny Deck” (taro card) of cards and the mysterious Fates. In the first book it was always important not to get swept away in the magic, which was most of the fun of the book. In Legendary you see very little of Legend’s magic and even less of the sneaky deals with his players. It really didn’t even seem like Tella was playing the game this time around. There was still a lot of mystery in the plot, despite the lack of magic. You still didn’t know exactly who you should be trusting and who was a complete villain. But sometimes the author made it completely obvious she was trying to make someone a red herring, practically stuffing useless clues into your face through the book; other times she put neon signs above the characters’ heads just begging you to notice points. It made the end a bit predictable. Even though this series is advertised as just a duology, I’m really hoping a third book is in the making. There were a lot of loose ends that would infuriate me if the series is just left as it is now. Over all, the series is still good. It doesn’t have the magic of the first Caraval, but it still has enough mystery and intrigue to hold me till the end.

Legendary by Stephanie Garber was absolutely addictive. The magic was darker, the twists were sharper, and Tella completely stole the spotlight. Every chapter kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it figured out—boom, another reveal. The romance, betrayal, and high stakes made this sequel even better than Caraval. That ending?! Immediate need to continue the series. Five stars, easily.

The world of Caraval returns with the second book in the series, Legendary. Picking up right where the first ended after the end of Caraval, we find that there is going to be a special second game of Caraval to celebrate the birthday of the Empress. Our favorite characters from Caraval are back, but this time the focus is more on Tella, Dante, and a new character, Jacks. The game this time includes more twists and turns, with Tella playing the game. Caraval set the bar in descriptive writing, and plot twists and turns. Legendary met that bar and then some. Again, I could picture this world perfectly in my mind, along with the costumes, the characters, the places, everything. This is a world I would love to see brought to life. We take a deeper look into Tella; she was more of a fringe character in the first book, but this time she is playing the game. She's not as flighty as I originally judged her to be, and you come to find she is actually quite feisty, strong, resilient and selfless. Dante continues to be a morally grey character but I LOVE him so much. You see deeper into his mind and psyche, and he has these touching moments with Tella. He swears up and down he is not the hero, but he is deep down. And Jacks. What a deliciously dark and devious character. He comes with his own agenda into the game, causing much trouble and strife for Tella. I felt his storyline wasn't fully wrapped up by the end, so I'm hoping we get more of him in the next and final book I definitely think this book was more well thought out as far as plot lines and trajectory go. I felt less confused reading this than I was with the first, and that could be because after reading Caraval I knew to expect a wild trippy experience, but I do also think the book had a more clear outline and flowed better from chapter to chapter. And the ENDING. What a twist I did not see coming. Thank goodness I already have a copy of Finale so I can move on to the last and final book in this trilogy to find out how it all comes to a close! Tags: fantasy, magic, young adult, romance Spice: 0