Legendary
She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
“Her heart was still a little heavy, but she’d decided carrying it around would only maker her stronger.”
First Impressions: The Magic Begins Again
I knew that I would not wait long before picking up Legendary after absolutely loving Caraval. It was only a matter of time before I reimmersed myself in the beautiful world created by Stephanie Garber. While part of me was worried that Legendary wouldn’t live up to the amount of love I had for Caraval, this book did not disappoint. It only furthered my love for the series, and this book felt even more special to me. Garber is handling this story so perfectly, and each addition in the series only continues to get better. I am so happy that this book exceeded my expectations, and I cannot wait to finish off the series with Finale.
“Every good story needs a villain. But the best villains are the ones you secretly like.”
The Characters: Faces Behind The Masks
The most exciting part of this book to me was being able to see the story from Tella’s perspective. In Caraval, the majority of the book was told through Scarlett, and while it was great to see the beginning of her story, it felt important to see it from Tella’s perspective as well. Scarlett and Tella have such different dynamics and personalities that it was even more entertaining to see from Tella’s character. Her fierce, determined personality made the story so entertaining, and we get to witness her firsthand as she navigates problems and challenges.
Another amazing character that we meet through Tella’s story is Jacks, and he is one of the most interesting characters in the story. While he is seen as a “villain” throughout the story, he is so complex that you don’t know exactly how to feel about him. On the outside, everything he does appears to be against Tella and the protagonists, but if you look really closely at his character, there seems to be some underlying good in him. What I loved most about his character was that this goodness seemed to stem from Tella herself, and while I loved her and Dante’s relationship, I would love to see more of their dynamic.
“Gold shimmered no matter what, but few people could make darkness glitter the way he did.”
Relationships: Hearts And Fates Intertwined
Speaking of Tella and Dante, I absolutely loved their chemistry. Their playful banter was so much fun to read, and to me, it felt like they became friends before they became lovers. While they weren’t Scarlett and Julien, who are my favorite couple in the series, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship develop. I was initially suspicious of Dante, and I didn’t know what his intentions with Tella were. But after spending more and more time with his character and seeing his dynamic with Tella, I quickly grew to love him. Though I said I would love to dive deeper into Tella’s relationship with Jacks, I still enjoy Dante and Tella’s dynamic.
“The air tasted like wonder. Like candied butterfly wings caught in sugared spiderwebs, and drunken peaches coated in luck.”
The Setting: A Magical City
I became obsessed with the setting of this series after reading Caraval, and my love for where this story takes place only grew after reading Legendary. Garber continued her amazing descriptions in this instalment, and you were able to feel even more immersed in this story. With Tella’s perspective came the magnificent city of Valenda, and watching as Tella navigated this setting made it feel as though you were there with her.
One of my favorite things about Caraval was Garber’s brilliant use of world-building, and I was so happy to see more of this in Legendary. With this new city of Valenda, the story felt so much more alive and vivid. With new perspectives from Tella, the world-building felt even more worldful this season, and Garber knows exactly how to hook readers into her story.
“Invite the lie to play until you become so comfortable with it that it feels like the truth.”
The Story: Secrets Spun In Gold
Legendary was an amazing story to follow up on Caraval, and unlike many sequels in media, Legendary only further enhanced the reading experience. I am so obsessed with Jack’s and the Immortal Fates concept, and I found myself even more hooked on this story than in Caraval. With the mystery surrounding Legends’ identity coming to a close, it felt refreshing to still have another mystery in the story. I thought that the ending to Legend’s identity came to a close so perfectly, and I am so excited to see more of the Immortal Fates in Finale. I also hope they bring more tension between what is real and what is fake in Finale, because this is a part of both Caraval and Legendary that I thoroughly enjoyed.
“Every story has four parts – the beginning, the middle, the almost ending, and the true ending.”
Final Thoughts: The Curtain Falls… For Now
Stephanie Garber did not disappoint with this instalment in the Caraval universe, and I am going to waste no time picking up Finale. I am so excited to continue this story, and I hope you guys enjoyed this read!