I came into this book solely by the cover and a student telling me how great it was, Night Circus great. I had no true idea of the plot, characterization, etc. And maybe that's why I was so impressed with it. I wish I had the imagination of Stephanie Garber, but I don't, so I rely on hers.
Scarlett and Tella (Donatella) are sisters who, despite their polar personalities, love each other very much. Their father is not a good man. At all. So Scarlett, who is often cautious, is hoping her arranged marriage will take her and Tella away from their father. She has also been writing Legend, who is the master of Caraval, a carnival, but not. It is a mix of magic, mystery, and imagery that travels from place to place. The girls had heard of the place for years from their grandmother. Scarlett is ecstatic when she receives three tickets (one for her, Tella, and fiance), but is practically kidnapped to in order to go within the next three days. And when they arrive, with the help of the scoundrel Julian, all rules are off in order to solve the mystery. The mystery? Tella is missing, and it is a scavenger hunt to find her first.
Good plot twists (not too surprising, but I feel like I'm a veteran of plot twists), good ending for book two, and as said before, great imagination. This will definitely be hard to keep on our shelves.