Stephanie Garber released her latest book, Spectacular: A Caraval Holiday Novella on October 22. It is the newest edition to the Caraval and Once Upon A Broken Heart Universe (often referred to as the Stephanie Garber Universe) and since these series are some of my favorites, I was highly anticipating this read. I pre-ordered it and attempted to wait to read it in December, but I just couldn’t. So, here’s my review of this novella!
Caraval Trilogy
First of all, this novella takes place after the events of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval Trilogy, so if you haven’t picked that up yet, there will be spoilers in this article… but don’t stop reading yet. Let’s talk Caraval first!
Caraval is a young adult fantasy series that follows two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella, as they enter the world of Caraval, a magical game that gives them the chance to change their fate. The bond between these two sisters is unbreakable and endearing as they risk everything to escape their abusive father. It is whimsy, magical, and filled with twists and turns that make you second guess what is true or not. Remember it’s only a game…
Spectacular
Now, if you’re still reading, I assume you have already read and thoroughly enjoyed the Caraval series. As someone who loves pretty much anything Garber writes, I will say this novella was no exception. It was so magical and is the perfect way to welcome in the holiday season. Generally, it was just a really quick, fun, and romantic read. We got to learn further about the world as it was expanded and the beautiful illustrations by Rosie Fowinkle added a layer of enchantment to the story that the other novels did not possess.
All four of the main characters from the original trilogy (Scarlett, Donatella, Julian, and Legend) had their parts in this story but, it mainly focused on Donatella as she struggles to find the perfect Holiday gift for Legend. As someone who prefers Donatella and Legend’s plotline in the original series, I was excited to read more about their relationship and ended up giving Spectacular 5 stars!
One Issue for some readers
If you prefer Scarlett and Julian, you might be disappointed in Spectacular. A lot of people were expecting to see more of their characters, but they did not have a large role in the plot of this novella.
Upcoming Novella?
The bonus epilogue in the Barnes and Noble exclusive edition of Spectacular hinted at Garber’s plans to release another novella in this universe, which she later confirmed in an interview.
If you haven’t heard, Garber is working on a novella centered around another holiday, and instead follows Jacks and Evangeline, the main characters of Garber’s other trilogy in this universe, Once Upon a Broken Heart (which I actually prefer to Caraval!). I am eager for more details on this project and will no doubt be preordering this one too.
If you enjoyed the Caraval Series and want to jump back into its world this holiday season, I recommend picking up Spectacular!