Book Review: Legendary (Caraval, #2)

After loving Caraval so much last year, I was a little hesitant over Stephanie Garber’s sequel, Legendary (Caraval, #2). I thought that there was just no way that she’d be able to recreate that same kind of magic again… I was wrong.

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. 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.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…the games have only just begun.

The Good

• Tella For President! – I think the wide consensus after Caraval, was that Scarlett wasn’t the best main character. However, Garber completely made up for that fact with the sassy and independent Tella! Tella is everything that I enjoy in my main characters – tough, personality in spades, and enjoys getting into trouble. I mean, who doesn’t love characters like that?! All I can say is that I want more of Tella, pretty please! Which I think will be the case in the final book. YAYYYYYYYYY!!!
• A Villain That You Love (NO SHAME) – I don’t want to spoil who it is or what happens, just know that I was just a little bit obsessed with him. If you like your villains charming, a little scary, and quite a bit devilish – you’ll really like this one. I wouldn’t mind if all future villains tempted me to like them more than I hate them. Can this be a thing now?! Darkling 2.0, right?!
• All The Twists! – As was the case in Caraval, Garber delivers us another story with plenty of twists to keep you on your toes. I love how nothing is as it seems in this series. It just adds to the game really!
• An Even Better Plot Than Caraval?! – Yes, I really think that the actual story in Legendary was much more engaging and thrilling than in the previous book. The stakes are even higher and the game is being played, while also not really being a game. There are so many more factors involved this time around, and all of them appealed to me. Trust me, things just got kicked up a notch.

The Bad

• If You Didn’t Like Garber’s Writing Before… – While I do think Garber has a great way of describing this world and really transporting us into the setting, she can sometimes get a bit excessive with the flowery descriptions. I think it tends to be more noticeable because the rest of the story is written very straightforward, minus these kinds of moments where she REALLY likes to try and be a bit too whimsical.

I think it’s safe to say that I’m very obsessed with this story. I honestly don’t know if I can survive until next year to finally find out how it’s all going to end. If you enjoyed the first book or felt it was just alright, I really suggest giving this sequel a chance as it definitely surpasses it!

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars

Have you read Legendary yet? If so, what did you think of it? Do you prefer Scarlett or Tella more as the main character? Which book is your favorite?