The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: Legendary

Series: Caraval #2

Author: Stephanie Garber

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review:

After a magical Caraval, Tella has escaped her abusive father and saved her sister from an arranged marriage. She should be celebrating, but Tella made a deal with a criminal and she owes them what nobody has ever been able to get: Caraval master, Legend’s, identity. To get this information, Tella has to win Caraval. So, Tella throws herself into the next Caraval and gets caught between dangerous heir to the throne Jacks and mysterious Dante. Will she be able to get Legend’s identity before it’s too late?

I will start this out by saying: I need more Scarlett and Julian. I love Tella and her relationships, but Scarlett and Julian hold a special place in my heart, and I missed their banter and adorable romance.

Tella is a very different protagonist than Scarlett. She is a go-getter and fearless. She was definitely very strong and knew what she wanted. It was a nice change of pace from Scarlett, as much as I loved her.

Jacks is a very popular character. Admittedly, I don’t think I got to see enough of Jacks to make him one of my favorites. He is intriguing, but, for now, he is an okay character.

I really enjoy Dante. I think he was protective and mysterious, while still enjoying having fun. He is the perfect opposite of Tella.

I enjoyed the addition of the Fates, though upon reflection it feels very random. They weren’t present in the first book, but they play a good part. They were explained nicely, and I feel that I got to know them well enough, but I wish they have been present since the beginning.

Along that vein, I love the magic system in this series. I love how it is described, and, as silly as it sounds, the magic really is magical. It is like the pure, fun magic that you think about when you’re a kid (at least for Legend’s magic).

I need more information for some characters, and I need more Scarlett and Julian, but this was a really good adventurous book, with a fearless protagonist. It was a wonderful sequel and is the perfect book to curl up with during the winter.