Caraval Library Binding – 22 May 2018

I have really mixed feelings about this novel as there was so much potential, some aspects were very engaging but, ultimately, the magic didn't come alive. First up, I'll say that this is no Night Circus. If you're expecting something similar, yes, it sort of is - but it's nowhere near as good. Yet, it's still very readable. In some ways I think the book tried to achieve too much, so lacked depth and richness. The Hunger Games comparison is also off the mark - it's not exciting or page-turning in the way that novel was. Scarlett, the main protagonist, has to follow clues once she reaches Caraval in order to find her sister and, in doing so, win the game (and a wish) but there's nothing really clever about the clues, nor is there the sense of nail-biting danger that filled the pages of The Hunger Games.Scarlett herself was a pretty wishy-washy heroine, quite reliant on other people (particularly men) to save the day, guide her, reassure her etc. In fact, the biggest niggle for me was her relationship with Julian which read more like Mills & Boon than good literary fiction. The romance element in the Night Circus was clever, subtle and never cheesy. It's the total opposite here - to the point where I wondered if I was reading YA fiction. It may be, I'm still not sure.I can see that the author has tried to create a magical world but nothing was built up fully enough to fill me with the sort of wonder or awe novels like Lev Grossman's The Magicians trilogy or Phil Pullman's Dark Materials have. For example, there's a scene in a clock shop towards the start of the novel that felt like it could have been the beginning of something - but it was over before it began, and neither the shop (nor any of the items in it) were revisited. Some of the descriptive writing also felt forced - like Scarlett's emotions being described as colours. It didn't add much to the novel and became a bit annoying after a while; especially as that wasn't really developed either.I find it difficult to pinpoint exactly why this novel fell short for me. All I can say is that I found it very readable but wasn't rushing to pick it up. I was never consumed by the world of Caraval. But, equally, I didn't dislike it. And I would give the next book in the series a go.One final word - this is a pig of a book to read on a Kindle. There are a number of notes in there (especially at the start) and even when you click on the 'zoom' option on the Kindle, the writing is still tiny. I actually made myself quite ill trying to read it on a bus! So, maybe this is one for the bookshelf as the cover is certainly very beautiful.

A book has never disappointed me more. I love The Night Circus and magical/fantasy books in general, and was recommended this because of it - it is nothing like The Night Circus. The descriptions are exhausting - everything is a metaphor or a simile or has three sentences to describe a dark sky (for example). I get that you need to set the scene, but sometimes less is more. I basically skim read the whole thing because the main character was so annoying and I couldn't bear to read through all her "oh no, am I doing the right thing, am I doing the wrong thing, I did the wrong thing before and it was bad, what if I do that again" with EVERY action/decision - again, it was exhausting. A nice premise for a fantasy world, it was just very poorly executed. It was as if the author was trying to fit in too many plot points so just ended up with nothing actually happening. It all just seemed very shallow. There was a brief moment of tension near the end but then, alas, the actual ending was anti-climatic. A teenager may enjoy this as an easy read, otherwise don't bother.

Scarlett is a central character whose internal voice provides the reader with commentary via her reactions to events within the novel. It is therefore especially infuriating that we must endure her endless dithering and should she/shouldn't she deliberations prior to every action, however trivial. Towards the beginning, Scarlett first nearly drowns, then nearly freezes due to misplaced modesty in front of rogueish sailor Julian. Before she can enter any room she must suffer agonies of doubt and indecision. I abandoned the book after poor Scarlett is left standing outside yet another mysterious door, which gives her time to reflect at length about incidents from her past and relationships before the plot is finally allowed to catch up and move the action on. Made me wonder if publishers Hodder and Stoughton still employ any sub-editors.