Legendary (Caraval #2) Review

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...

Hi, I'm dead, my ghost is writing this review because that ending has murdered me and I'd rather die now than in Finale. *deep breaths* right.... let's talk about the book that blew me to pieces. Legendary started not long after Caraval, literally hours later but now we have a new perspective that is Tella and let me just tell you, I adore her.

I'm totally not fangirling on this Tom Hiddleston gif either, anyway, Tella made a bargain with someone (she literally does not who) and wants to find her mother in exchange for Legend's real name, and well..... You know that was a bad choice.

So, Caraval is performing again in honor of the Empress of the Meridian Empire's birthday, and shit happens. Firstly, I'm gonna talk about the worldbuilding, you know how I said that the first book didn't have much worldbuilding but it wasn't necessary? Switch that here because we had an absolutely wonderful world with so many beautiful and enamoring locations, I mean I already love Stephanie Garber's writing style but with all the beautiful places? Damn.

Now the characters, I do love Scarlett don't get me wrong but I like Tella a hell lot more, Tella does whatever the hell she feels like, she's loyal to the people she loves, she's smart and confident about herself, she's just unapologetically herself.

THE BOYS, THE FREAKING BOYS! You all know I loved Julian anyway (not enough to make him my book husband boyfriend) but then there's Dante. And Jacks. AND THEY'RE BREAKING MY RULE OF NEVER FALLING IN LOVE WITH MORE THAN ONE CHARACTER IN A SERIES.

Dante. You brat. Why must you make me love you so much? I ship him and Tella so much it shouldn't even be possible, the enemies-to-lovers slowburn romantic tale of I-care-about-you-but-I-don't-want-to like why-

FREAKING JACKS! I did not know it was possible for me to love and hate someone so much at the same time! Does it even make sense? I want to slap him and shove him to the depths of Tartarus but I also want to cry and hug him. 

Can we get a clap on the sisterhood? Because god I love it! Tella would do anything for Scarlett, Scarlett would do anything for Tella and it's so beautiful and they support each other so much, how can you not love this duo?

The plot was amazing as usual, I love how literally NO ONE is being straightforward, it's all lies and twisted bargains and deadlines and things that make no sense, but you have to keep going and doing it because of so many reasons. While this book doesn't serve as many mindblowing and twisty plot twists as the first book it still has them and well, you have a lot of feelings by the end, hence why my ghost is writing this review.

All in all, I still prefer the first book but I don't love this any less and although I'm not sure I'm ready for the emotional trainwreck that Finale will be, I'm reading it anyway because I need to know what happens. So read this book, you won't regret it.

➡ 5 stars

“What have I always told you about the future?”

 “Every person has the power to write her own,” Tella said

Your future can be whatever you wish. We all have the power to choose our own destiny.

Once a future is foretold, that future becomes a living thing, and it will fight very hard to bring itself about.

But the best villains are the ones you secretly like

You’re the starlight to his darkness, and if you feel the same about him, you should give him another chance

Unfortunately, Tella wasn’t the sort of girl people saved—she was the one they left behind

Fate is only an idea, but I think by believing in it we turn it into something more. 

She used to think it was ridiculous, the idea that a girl would give her heart to a boy even though she knew it would also give him the power to destroy her.

Not everyone gets a true ending. There are two types of endings because most people give up at the part of the story where things are the worst, where the situation feels hopeless. But that’s when hope is needed most. Only those who persevere can find their true ending