Jaclyn’s Review: Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Legendary (Caraval #2)
written by Stephanie Garber
published by Flatiron Books, 2018

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Target, Walmart, Book Depository, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I enjoy this book? UGH! No book is perfect, and the author took all the little things that I didn’t like from Caraval and turned it into an entire book! I really didn’t like Donatella’s character in Caraval, nor did I care for Dante. So naturally, Legendary is a story entirely about these two characters! The author also created an entire backstory of the Fates (sort of like gods) and somehow related this to Donatella’s missing mother. This could have been an amazing book (even with Donatella as the main character!), but she really missed the mark on this backstory. To properly write this book, she needed to double the length. As it stands, she didn’t do the story justice and left me confused and wanting more. So disappointing!

Would I recommend it? This book ends with a cliff-hanger, so naturally I’m going to have to read the third book to see what happens. If the third book is equally bad, I would tell you to stop with Caraval and ignore the rest of the series. Caraval is a wonderful book (see my 5-star review here) and can stand on its own without issue. If the third book turns out to be amazing, then I will be forced to recommend this book–only to get you to the third. So, I guess my final verdict is to tell you to sit tight on this one until I’ve been able to evaluate the next book!

 

About the book – from Goodreads: A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.

 

 

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** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on August 31, 2018.