For Scarlett Dragna and her sister Tella, Caraval offers more than the wonder of its annual, week-long performance: it also promises freedom from their cruel father. When the sisters finally reach the show, Tella is kidnapped by its organiser, Legend, and becomes the focus of the competition. Scarlett must find her before the game ends.

When the show may be more than a show

The audience participates in Caraval, and Scarlett has been told that everything there is an elaborate performance. Yet her search for Tella unfolds amid magic, mystery and romance, leaving her to judge what is illusion and what may carry real consequences. The novel’s central uncertainty shapes the contest without making its stakes any less urgent.