Garber is a master of misdirection. Several times throughout this novel, I thought I had things pinned down, but then something would cast doubt on my assumptions. Legendary raises the stakes, causing you the wonder if there really will be any coming back from the game.

Before we dive in to the review on the book, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):

• Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
• Character Development: Level of growth a character achieves and how well the author makes them feel “real.”
• Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
• Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
• Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.

Something new this year will also be my star ratings. As I’m a reviewing with Reedsy Discovery, I will be sharing more of those books here as well. They have a specific star rating system that I will be using when rating books.

Here are the star ratings and what they mean:

Anything less than two stars will not be posted as I don’t want to waste your time or mine.

If you would like an editorial review for your own book with content ratings, you can contact me directly, or request me as your reviewer on Reedsy Discovery.

Disclaimer: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.

Book Description:

The “immersive and imaginative“ (USA TODAY) games continue in the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller LEGENDARY, the mesmerizing sequel to CARAVAL

Donatella and Scarlett Dragna escaped their cruel father and made it out of Caraval alive, but the games aren’t over yet. What Scarlett doesn’t know is that, in order to gain their freedom, Tella made a deal with a mysterious stranger and now it’s time to pay. 

Except what Tella owes is something that no one has ever been able to deliver: the true name of Caraval Master Legend. Tella’s only chance at uncovering Legend’s true identity is to enter the dangerous game of Caraval once more, and win. But what will she have to sacrifice to do that? 

Don’t miss FINALE, the stunning conclusion to the Caraval trilogy―out now!

My Review:

Legendary takes us back into the world of Caraval, but this time we view it from Donatella’s perspective. When Tella’s mysterious “friend” sends her a letter, claiming to have information about her missing mother, what he requires as payment seems impossible. For her “friend” requires Legend’s true name.

Tella is a colorful character. She is impulsive and far more reckless than her sister, Scarlet, making them great foil characters. All these things combine to make following Tella’s Caraval experience unpredictable and fun.

Some things I love about this novel are that after learning everything was a game in book 1, things have changed. The game in Legendary is very real, and the stakes are higher than ever. Tella will have an impossible choice to make, and you’ll be left wondering if it was the right one. 

Tella grows a lot during the story. She goes from relying on the Oracle from the Deck of Destiny to show her what to do next, to taking matters into her own hands. The best part is that she finds she already has all she needs to win the game.

The layers of villains and obstacles in this novel create a depth you don’t find in many books. Sometimes the villains can be seen as heroes, while the heroes stumble and look more like villains. Legend and his games create a myriad of obstacles for Tella to overcome, while the escaping fates create more of a moral dilemma. 

I also love the fact that every interaction, gift, and sentence between Dante and Tella feels earned. It left me wanting to root for them and hoping their relationship will last, even if Tella believes she’ll never find true love.

Which brings me to why this book only got four stars. 

At the beginning of the novel, Tella winds up in a fake engagement to Jacks (a.k.a. The Prince of Hearts), one of the infamous fates Legend supposedly got his magic from.

Jacks curses Tella to a slow death as she tries to win Caraval and obtain Legend’s true name. However, where things went wrong for me was when Jacks falls for Tella. It felt abrupt and lacked evidence to allow the reader to come to that conclusion.

Maybe book three, Finale, will make me change my mind on this point, but it was something I couldn’t make peace with while reading this story. 

How I rated this series:

• Plot Structure: 8/10; The new setting and the greater danger set this story up for a more thrilling adventure than book one. Foes and obstacles are all around, and this time, it’s not just a game.
• Character Development: 8/10; Tella is a fun character to follow around. You never know what she’ll do next, but something the things that come out of her mouth can make you roll your eyes. The other characters do a great job at playing their role and keep the reader guessing. Scarlet didn’t play a large role in the novel, and we are left wondering where her allegiance lies.
• Language: 4/10; Several curse words are in this story. Tella is not the most civil person.
• Violence: 4/10; There is very little on-screen violence in this novel, but much is implied with side characters or history that is recited.
• Sexual Content: 6/10; While no explicit scenes are present, and everything stays in the kissing realm, I would not recommend this book for readers younger than thirteen because of the emotional charge behind the actions. Tella’s and Jack’s kiss at the beginning of Caraval almost made me stop listening to the book for the amount of detail and sensuality written in it. Which is a shame because the rest of the novel is so beautifully written. There are also several instances where closed door scenes and innuendos are hinted at. Simply put, the romance in this novel was too steamy in several cases for my personal preference.

Conclusion:

Legendary is a great second-installment in Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series. The hunt for Legend and his true name is thrilling, and evocative with the use of color, taste, and smell Garber likes to use.

If you enjoyed reading Caraval, you’ll enjoy this one. Just be warned that the romance level is warmer than the previous book.

If you haven’t read Caraval yet, you can check out my review here.