Welcome, welcome to CARAVAL, the first book in Stephanie Garber’s enchanting, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Caraval series, about two sisters swept up in a mysterious competition filled with magic, heartbreak, and danger

THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER!

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful and cruel father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to attend. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, and her sister disappears forever.

Continue the adventure in Legendary, Finale, and Spectacular―out now!

Also by Stephanie Garber:

The Once Upon a Broken Heart Series:
- Once Upon a Broken Heart
- The Ballad of Never After
- A Curse for True Love

- The Mirror of Infinite Endings

Alchemy of Secrets

BUY THE BOOK

Published May 1, 2018

448 pages

Average rating: 7.41

838 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Caraval* is a captivating, fast-paced fantasy with enchanting world-building, mystery, and romance. Many praise Garber’s imaginative sett...

TheCleverReader
Feb 03, 2023
10/10 stars
This book was so much fun to read! It has the feel of The Night Circus but with a much darker tone. No one is truly what they seem, and the plot takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns. There were times where I felt on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what happened, and moments where I wasn't sure what was real or what was part of the game. I enjoyed every second of it!
itsaaliyahjade
Jul 27, 2026
8/10 stars
this was so fun!! Right off the bat I love the different formatting for the letters & clues (i’m a sucker for these elements), it really gave the story an added flare.
This mind-altering tale of a fun carnival game world had me on my toes the entire time. What’s real and what’s not real? Who’s lying? What’s actually going on? All great questions and all of which i’ll be asking as I will continue on this series
Veronica.
Jul 19, 2026
6/10 stars
Once you think you’ve got it all figured out…ANOTHER PLOT TWIST
Arshley.V
Jul 05, 2026
8/10 stars
So for reference, this was my first ever fantasy book and it wasn’t bad. I thought it was really interesting. Definitely a great option if you’re just starting out.
vivian.10dante
Jun 21, 2026
the first book got me so hooked.the mystery and the plot was well hidden

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.