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A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.
It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.
With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.
Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.
Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…
Review:
I first heard about the Caraval books when I read an advance copy of the first book in 2017. I loved how creative and romantic the novel was. The subsequent books have been equally exciting. Finale is a wonderful ending to the story. I loved learning much more about the Fates, and Paloma (the sister's mother). And there is plenty of romance, and sacrifice to make this book a page-turner.
What I Liked:
Setting:The Meridian Empire is a land filled with magic. Magical beings are inspired by tarot cards (known as the Deck of Destiny). As these creatures are released after being imprisoned inside the deck, they start to wreak havoc in the kingdom. This is a vehicle for the author to show who the many different Fates are and what they represent. I found this so creative!
Fashion:
Clothes play an important role in this book. There are magical dresses that reflect the mood of the person who wears it. And even without magical outfits, the descriptions of clothing are so detailed that they show significant aspects about each character. I found this so creative and fun!
Characters:
We get to know even more about two of the fates: Jacks (The Prince of Hearts), and Legend. They are in a tug of war with Tella caught in the middle! Fates aren't supposed to be able to love. They can only feel lust, and obsession. She has been told that if a Fate does begins to love a human, they will lose their immortality. If Tella really wants either Jacks or Legend to love her, she is dooming them to become mortal. I liked how each of these characters must decide what cost they are willing to pay in order to find that connection with another person.
I also liked getting to know more about Paloma, Scarlet's and Tella's mother. It's always difficult to see our parents as complicated, real people. The previous books paint Paloma as a selfish, irresponsible parent. She is still selfish and irresponsible, but the sisters learn she has many good qualities as well. She is neither all good or all bad.
Love Triangle:
What an epic love triangle between Legend, Tella, and Jacks. Tella is really torn between both men. But since they are Fates, can either of them ever truly love her back? Tella can't tell what their feelings are for her. Do either of them really care about her, or are they just obsessed with winning her favor? When she finally does decide who she loves, can she really doom them to mortality (and death)?
What I Was Mixed About:
As much as I love this book, some of the tasks the characters have to do are somewhat futile. A big part of the story has the sisters trying to find a magical object. They must also do something dangerous to open it. But, after all the effort to get these items, it is not really used to advance the plot. What was the point of all those sacrifices? This should have been a huge part of how the main plot points are resolved.Rating:
Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 496 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A worthy finish to an imaginative, romantic adventure series. Definitely read the other two books first.
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