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I love how much this book suprised me!
Have you ever postponed finishing a series because your excitement decreased or you were uncertain if you'd like it as much as the previous installements? That was why Finale had been sitting on my TBR not for months, but years. The reason was simple. I loved [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214._SY75_.jpg|45697227] and the whimsical magic we encountered in that book so much, but when I picked up its sequel [b:Legendary|36329818|Legendary (Caraval, #2)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506803153l/36329818._SY75_.jpg|54501288], I wasn't able to see that same magic anymore. I didn't feel as excited reading it, and I didn't grow much on Tella as the protagonist. I knew Finale would tie the loose strings together, and this time, tell Tella's and Scarlett's story. But somehow, I wasn't convinced enough to pick it up.
Now though that [b:Once Upon a Broken Heart|55987278|Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615486938l/55987278._SY75_.jpg|87627402] had been released, I knew it's now or never in regards of finishing this series, and picked it up - with zero expectations for the story itself. I just wanted to finally be able to spot the books on my shelves and say "Oh yeah, I've read that series!" That was my whole motivation. And thankfully, I had a wonderful time in reading it.
The third book of the Caraval series is the only one that's story isn't set during the wonderful game the series was named after. This is why I didn't know what exactly to expect, and hoped that I wouldn't feel any sort of disappointment as I did when we returned to Caraval in Legendary where the magic didn't taste as wonderfully as the first time we witnessed the game. It suprised me how much I enjoyed the Fates in this installement compared to when we were introduced to them in the previous sequel. I must admit, I don't remember much of the details and events that occured in the books before, because it had been some years. But as I was reading Finale, this finally read itself like a sequel (and final installement) where we get deeper into the story, and see more of the world. Caraval was a beautiful first introduction, and I enjoyed seeing Scarlett face her fears in order to save her sister, but now I realize what exactly didn't catch me in Legendary: it felt like an introduction as well, with lots of repetitive elements. While it was Tella's turn to tell the story, we witness the same game, no matter how different it was, and it did focus on introducing new elements that just couldn't excite me as I wish they had. Now knowing how the series ends, I think I would be much more in the position to fully enjoy Legendary than I did during my first time.
But let's focus on Finale. If I'm being honest, I was just hoping Scarlett's story would keep me entertained enough, because - as I've mentioned - Tella wasn't able to completely grow on me. However, this had changed in this book. It took me much longer to enjoy Scarlett's storyline than Tella's. I loved Tella's chapters, adored her banter with Legend and Jacks, and was rooting for that girl. I wished for her to find happiness, and she ended up growing on me so much that I miss her - and wouldn't mind another book following her. Which is one of the things that took me by suprise as I was not expecting that.
As did the plot. While I didn't find myself as enthralled by it as when I was reading Caraval, I enjoyed seeing this magical and whimsical world from a different perspective than the game offers. However, sometimes I felt certain aspect have been resolved way too easily, and I wished for some others to show some more impact on the story and the characters. Very often, the consequences they face didn't last nearly as long as they should've, and often, the characters were moving on too quickly by shocking moments that I barely felt the impact of those at all. This is why I never really could feel the danger they were facing, or the backlashes they exeperienced. What I did appreciate though were the moments of interaction woven into the events of the plot. Most of the times, the characters found the time and place to either face a conflict or find a solution to one. So in the end, I wasn't minding the fast-paced events too much because they still allowed the characters to grow, individually or together. As I wasn't driven too much by the story, but the characters, I can overlook that aspect but still feel it's worth mentioning.
Generally, the characters were the best part of this book. What most of them lacked in the sequel - including Scarlett and Julian as well - wasn't an issue at all in the final book of the series. We are able to see them each grow individually as much to see them form stronger bonds with each other. In the end, I got way more attached to them all than I ever had before, and I found myself hoping the book wouldn't end so quickly because I wanted to spend more time with them.
Overall, I'm very happy I finally made the decision to pick up Finale and thus finish the Caraval series. Looking back now, I have a much better feeling about the series compared to when I was reading Legendary, and I'm both satisfied and joyful about how much the story, and especially the characters have grown on me.
What I do want to add as a sidenote is that I'm aware, authors can't sell series as such in the beginning of their publishing story, and therefore, they are hoping to sell the books as standalones that give enough new plotlines that an audience and the market will be interested in reading further. I think this was the case with Stephanie Garber's Caraval series. Especially because book one and book two read themselves like first books, whereas Legendary already does more of a job in featuring new elements that will need another installement to be dealt with later. I guess, back in the day, this was why I wasn't able to fully enjoy that experience because both books read themselves like introductions. However, I do have to say Finale was a worthy final installement that ties everything of the previous books neatly together, and deals so much better with the extension of the world.
Have you ever postponed finishing a series because your excitement decreased or you were uncertain if you'd like it as much as the previous installements? That was why Finale had been sitting on my TBR not for months, but years. The reason was simple. I loved [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214._SY75_.jpg|45697227] and the whimsical magic we encountered in that book so much, but when I picked up its sequel [b:Legendary|36329818|Legendary (Caraval, #2)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506803153l/36329818._SY75_.jpg|54501288], I wasn't able to see that same magic anymore. I didn't feel as excited reading it, and I didn't grow much on Tella as the protagonist. I knew Finale would tie the loose strings together, and this time, tell Tella's and Scarlett's story. But somehow, I wasn't convinced enough to pick it up.
Now though that [b:Once Upon a Broken Heart|55987278|Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615486938l/55987278._SY75_.jpg|87627402] had been released, I knew it's now or never in regards of finishing this series, and picked it up - with zero expectations for the story itself. I just wanted to finally be able to spot the books on my shelves and say "Oh yeah, I've read that series!" That was my whole motivation. And thankfully, I had a wonderful time in reading it.
The third book of the Caraval series is the only one that's story isn't set during the wonderful game the series was named after. This is why I didn't know what exactly to expect, and hoped that I wouldn't feel any sort of disappointment as I did when we returned to Caraval in Legendary where the magic didn't taste as wonderfully as the first time we witnessed the game. It suprised me how much I enjoyed the Fates in this installement compared to when we were introduced to them in the previous sequel. I must admit, I don't remember much of the details and events that occured in the books before, because it had been some years. But as I was reading Finale, this finally read itself like a sequel (and final installement) where we get deeper into the story, and see more of the world. Caraval was a beautiful first introduction, and I enjoyed seeing Scarlett face her fears in order to save her sister, but now I realize what exactly didn't catch me in Legendary: it felt like an introduction as well, with lots of repetitive elements. While it was Tella's turn to tell the story, we witness the same game, no matter how different it was, and it did focus on introducing new elements that just couldn't excite me as I wish they had. Now knowing how the series ends, I think I would be much more in the position to fully enjoy Legendary than I did during my first time.
But let's focus on Finale. If I'm being honest, I was just hoping Scarlett's story would keep me entertained enough, because - as I've mentioned - Tella wasn't able to completely grow on me. However, this had changed in this book. It took me much longer to enjoy Scarlett's storyline than Tella's. I loved Tella's chapters, adored her banter with Legend and Jacks, and was rooting for that girl. I wished for her to find happiness, and she ended up growing on me so much that I miss her - and wouldn't mind another book following her. Which is one of the things that took me by suprise as I was not expecting that.
As did the plot. While I didn't find myself as enthralled by it as when I was reading Caraval, I enjoyed seeing this magical and whimsical world from a different perspective than the game offers. However, sometimes I felt certain aspect have been resolved way too easily, and I wished for some others to show some more impact on the story and the characters. Very often, the consequences they face didn't last nearly as long as they should've, and often, the characters were moving on too quickly by shocking moments that I barely felt the impact of those at all. This is why I never really could feel the danger they were facing, or the backlashes they exeperienced. What I did appreciate though were the moments of interaction woven into the events of the plot. Most of the times, the characters found the time and place to either face a conflict or find a solution to one. So in the end, I wasn't minding the fast-paced events too much because they still allowed the characters to grow, individually or together. As I wasn't driven too much by the story, but the characters, I can overlook that aspect but still feel it's worth mentioning.
Generally, the characters were the best part of this book. What most of them lacked in the sequel - including Scarlett and Julian as well - wasn't an issue at all in the final book of the series. We are able to see them each grow individually as much to see them form stronger bonds with each other. In the end, I got way more attached to them all than I ever had before, and I found myself hoping the book wouldn't end so quickly because I wanted to spend more time with them.
Overall, I'm very happy I finally made the decision to pick up Finale and thus finish the Caraval series. Looking back now, I have a much better feeling about the series compared to when I was reading Legendary, and I'm both satisfied and joyful about how much the story, and especially the characters have grown on me.
What I do want to add as a sidenote is that I'm aware, authors can't sell series as such in the beginning of their publishing story, and therefore, they are hoping to sell the books as standalones that give enough new plotlines that an audience and the market will be interested in reading further. I think this was the case with Stephanie Garber's Caraval series. Especially because book one and book two read themselves like first books, whereas Legendary already does more of a job in featuring new elements that will need another installement to be dealt with later. I guess, back in the day, this was why I wasn't able to fully enjoy that experience because both books read themselves like introductions. However, I do have to say Finale was a worthy final installement that ties everything of the previous books neatly together, and deals so much better with the extension of the world.