Caraval Book Club Questions & Discussion Guide
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In this guide to Caraval, you’ll find a list of book club questions and other frequently asked questions about the book.
Recently, I got my hands on the Caraval series and decided to binge-read the trilogy back-to-back in the span of two weeks.
Well, I didn’t actually decide to binge-read the series. I was left with no choice but to keep reading because the intriguing plot would not leave me alone. The Caraval trilogy was unputdownable.
Read Caraval on Kindle now or listen to it on Audible for FREE as it has 30 days of free listening.
Caraval Summary
Caraval follows two sisters, Scarlett and Tella who have an abusive father and was abandoned by their mother when they were little. Their nana used to tell them stories about the exclusive Caraval games, it’s game-master, Legend and the prize of one magical wish.
The sisters have always wanted to escape reality by taking part in Caraval, in hopes of winning the wish. Finally, after six-years of writing to Legend, Scarlett and her sister are invited to participate in Caraval.
Unfortunately, as soon as Scarlett arrives on Legend’s private island, she realizes that Tella is missing and that the game now revolves around finding her sister. Scarlett must find her sister before Caraval ends to not only win the promised wish, but to also save her sister from an unfortunate fate.
Caraval is a whimsical YA fantasy romance with themes of hope, sacrifice and sisterly love.
15 Caraval Book Club Questions
Caution: Caraval spoilers ahead. Please only proceed to read if you’re here to recall information for your book club, for a re-read, or in preparation for Legendary.
- In the beginning of Caraval, readers may have perceived Tella as selfish and immature. What was your opinion on Tella at the start of Caraval and how has your opinion of her changed by the end of the book?
- Many readers enjoyed Stephanie Garber’s writing style in Caraval, especially when it came to atmospheric descriptions. However, some readers felt it was almost nonsensical and wasn’t helpful when trying to take in the setting of a scene in the book. Which of the two reading experiences did you resonate with most and why?
- “Every person gets one impossible wish, if the person wants something more than anything, they can find a bit of magic to help them along”. Discuss this quote from Caraval.
- Sisterly love and bond is one of the main themes in Caraval. If you were Scarlett, would you have played Caraval to save Tella?
- Discuss what were the elements you liked and disliked about the Caraval games.
- In Caraval, it is mentioned that Scarlett’s and Tella’s mother had left them when they were little girls. Do you have any speculations on what could have been the reason for their mother’s disappearance?
- How is Scarlett different from Tella? Discuss each sister’s strengths and weaknesses.
- What is your favourite Julian-Scarlett moment in Caraval?
- Besides Scarlett, Tella and Julian, where there any memorable characters from Caraval that you would love to see more in the rest of the trilogy?
- “Remember, it’s only a game.” At the end of the book, as the lines between fantasy and reality blurred, were you swept away like the players in Caraval? Discuss the ending of the book.
- Annalise, Scarlett’s and Tella’s grandmother was Legend’s former lover. Do you think Legend wrote to Scarlett because of his unrequited love story with Annalise?
- After reading Caraval, do you truly believe Legend to be evil? Discuss why.
- Based on the characters we’ve met in Caraval, do you think Legend is among them? If yes, who do you think it is?
- Discuss Scarlett’s character growth.
- The next book the trilogy, Legendary, follows Tella as she participates in Caraval while her sister takes a step back from the games. Will you be picking up the second book in the series? If so, what are your expectations for book 2?
My Review: Caraval
One of the things I loved about Caraval was that it didn’t center around a typical romance. Instead, it revolved around a special type of love, the unconditional love and bond between two sisters.
Personally, I have a very close-relationship with my sister, and as the older sister, I saw bits and pieces of myself in Scarlett. However, I find myself strongly relating to Tella because of her rebellious and wild spirit. It was also satisfying to see how both sisters become their own person by the end of the series.
Besides memorable characters, the mystery of Caraval, Legend and the sisters family history kept me at the edge of my seat. I finished reading Caraval in three sittings despite being a slow reader, that definitely says something about how intriguing the plot was. Just like the participants in Caraval, I was “swept away”, not being able to differentiate what was real and what was part of Legend’s game as the lines between fantasy and reality blurred.
And lastly, Stephanie Garber’s whimsical writing style immersed me into a world I never knew I wanted to be part of. On the contrary, some readers did not like her atmospheric writing style and found it hard to imagine the world of Caraval. However, I loved her descriptions. It allowed me to taste the magical air of Caraval.
Wrap Up: Caraval Book Club Questions
I hope this Caraval book club guide was helpful to you. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to add this enchanting booktok fantasy series to your TBR!
