Scarlett Dragna has spent her entire life on a tiny island, dreaming of the day she can escape her cruel, controlling father and finally see Caraval—a legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show. For years, she has written letters to the mastermind magician, Legend, begging for tickets, never receiving a reply.
Just as she is about to give up her dream for an arranged marriage she hopes will secure a better future for her and her rebellious sister, Tella, the tickets finally arrive. With her father's wrath hot on their heels, the sisters flee to the magical, isolated island where Caraval is being held. But upon arrival, Tella is instantly kidnapped by Legend himself, and Scarlett is thrust into the heart of the game.
The goal of Caraval is simple: find Tella. The rules are anything but. The audience is warned to stay focused on the search, because if they forget it's just a performance, the illusions can become dangerously real. Scarlett is swept into a world of treacherous twists, romantic encounters with a mysterious sailor who may be a sailor or a player, and breathtaking secrets. As she unravels the clues, she must untangle reality from magic, unsure if the terror she feels is part of the show or a threat to her very life. The deeper she goes, the more she realizes that nothing is as it seems, and the game is far more personal than she ever imagined.
