I wanted to enjoy this as much as I enjoyed Caraval and Legendary - but there was just something about this book that made it feel as though it was dragging on for the majority of the story until we reached the two-thirds point. Scarlet still grinds my gears, and even with her presence in this book being more tolerable than her minimal presence in the previous book, I still found myself rolling my eyes every single time she showed up. Tella continues to be the superior sister, and while she now finds herself placing trust in someone she did not expect to, she still holds true to herself.
With everyone's relationships seemingly on the rocks since the end of Legendary, the characters are now working towards mending those bonds and deciding if who they thought they loved truly are the ones they want to end up with. There is a lot of back and forth between the couples of Tella and Legend and Scarlett and Julian, which does create an interesting dynamic as perspectives switch throughout the book. Julian's character somewhat stays on the back burner until his true purpose comes into play, so his and Scarlett's relationship became less interesting to me as not nearly as much time is spent on them compared to Legend and Tella.
The actual plot of this plot felt like it was a little all over the place - at times it felt as though the story was dragging for chapters on end, and then suddenly everything was happening all at once and so much information was being thrown at the reader. The last third of the book definitely saved the plot - I was pretty locked in at the end, and was glad to see that actual moves were being made in order to accomplish the main goal. The Fates storyline was definitely the most intriguing part of the book, and to be quite honest, one of the best aspects of the series in general.
I wish there was more tension throughout this installment - while you could tell that the stakes were high in terms of the fantasy plot, the romances seemed to take a back seat and I felt disconnected from them at times. That being said, Tella's pull between Legend and Jacks was really enjoyable and I am such a huge fan of Jacks - to be upfront, the main motivation for me to finish this series to to be able to read Once Upon a Broken Heart, and now I am only one novella away from diving in. Jacks and his general mysterious aura really pulled me in, and the way he interacts with Tella makes the story more juicy and gives it a bit of a bite.
Even though the game of Caraval is over, you can definitely feel its impact on the characters in this book - they are still reeling from the consequences of the game, and the characters must make decisions that affect everyone around them. It was a different type of thrill compared to the game, but I did enjoy the difference and how it felt like a final chapter closing on both Tella and Scarlett's stories that allowed them both to have a proper conclusion. If you are looking for an entrance into the world of fantasy, the Caraval series may be the perfect books to pick up.
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