Caraval, a circus-like setting, operates under a set of rules that add to its mystique. First, everything is a performance, and nothing is as it seems. Second, it is crucial not to get lost in the spectacle and forget what is real. Third, Caraval is always a game, except when it’s not. Finally, the game only takes place at night. In Caraval, the protagonist, Scarlet (Tella’s sister), quickly learns these rules as she becomes drawn to various Caraval characters, only to have them taken away when they “die” or seem to die. As it happens, Caraval’s magic allows people to return from the dead after the game ends. In the first novel, the game’s ultimate aim is to unmask people’s true natures and reveal who they truly are beneath the surface, adding an element of suspense and mystery to the story.

Legendary, the second installment in Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series, continues the story where the first book concluded. By this point, Scarlet has managed to escape a disastrous arranged marriage, and both sisters have broken free from their father’s oppressive control. However, the game is far from over. A week later, Tella is thrust back into the enigmatic world of Caraval, where her survival depends upon her ability to recall every lesson that she and Scarlet learned in the first novel.