Honest Book Review of Legendary by Stephanie Garber
Check out my full review of Legendary, the second book in the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber. This book follows Donatella Dragna as she competes in Caraval and tries to find Legend’s name to fulfill a desperate bargain.
If you need a reminder of what happened at the end of the first book, I have a summary and review to read first.
Here’s a short synopsis of the book:
“Donatella and Scarlett Dragna escaped their cruel father and made it out of Caraval alive, but the games aren’t over yet. What Scarlett doesn’t know is that, in order to gain their freedom, Tella made a deal with a mysterious stranger and now it’s time to pay.
Except what Tella owes is something that no one has ever been able to deliver: the true name of Caraval Master Legend. Tella’s only chance at uncovering Legend’s true identity is to enter the dangerous game of Caraval once more, and win. But what will she have to sacrifice to do that?“
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Full Book Review Without Spoilers
This second book picks up right where Caraval left off, but from Tella’s point of view. Now, Tella enters the legendary competition while also trying to figure out Legend’s identity, something all of us as readers want to know as well. And while this is truly a fantasy with romance in it, the romance in this book is a great part of the story.
It doesn’t happen very often, but I liked this book better than the first book. Not only did I like Tella’s POV better than Scarlett’s, but there’s more fantasy, more world building, and an even bigger web of secrets going way back that comes into play. And on top of that, I thought the love interest/ love triangle in this book was even better than the first.
Stephanie Garber’s writing is so descriptive that you can imagine yourself in the magical world of Caraval. Only this time, there’s more magic with more at stake. The pace of book moves well that you just want to keep reading, and then immediately start the last book.
If you liked the first book or were even on the fence about Caraval, you should definitely give this one a chance. Not only did I like this one better, it answers a lot of the questions and fills in the gaps, particularly with the world building, from the first book. You learn more about the characters from the first book while also getting new characters that make you love the story more.
Characters
I really enjoyed the switch to Tella as the main character in this book compared to Scarlett in the first. Scarlett may be the more level-headed one, but Tella’s character makes for a more intriguing story because of her impulsive, thrill seeking nature. She adds to the twists and turns of the book, and is just a lot of fun to read about.
The other new characters that appear in this book, especially Dante and Jacks, make for a great story as well. If you like a love triangle with a lot of banter, you’ll want to read this. And the new magical characters make for an even more interesting story that pulls you in.
Plot
This book truly has a fast-paced plot with a fun amount of twists, and one big plot twist at the end that makes you want to pick up the next book right away. And it didn’t feel like filler just to get you to the next book like some second books in trilogies.
Writing
Like the first book, there’s so much descriptive writing that you can really picture of the scenes, and it makes everything feel more enticing. The writing made me get caught up in the characters and the story to the point that I forgot how long I had been reading. And while there is a lot of description, I didn’t feel like it was slow or wordy.
Full Book Review With Spoilers
You’ve been warned that from here on out there will be spoilers.
As I wrote earlier, I liked this book better than the first one, and for being the middle book in the trilogy it was much better than a bridge just to get you to the last book like other trilogies. One of the main reasons I thought this book was better because Tella and Dante as the main characters made for a more interesting story, and I just liked their romance better. I know some people probably still prefer Scarlett’s POV, but she felt a little too boring for me.
Everything in this book is higher steaks than the first, but you’re still guessing whats real and whats not because that’s what you’ve always heard in Caraval. But the fact that everything does become real throughout makes the story more intense and harder to put down. The series veering away from just being a magical game makes for a great twist.
The hunt for Legend’s name in addition to the actual Caraval made for a fun twist, but the best part for me was the introduction of the Fates. This added a whole new level of fantasy on top of Legend’s magic. Not only did it add a lot to the world building, these added characters were intriguing to read about.
If you liked the first book at all, you need to continue the series. I think a lot of the things that were missing for me in the first book come along in this one, and I’m still thinking about it even after I finished.
Pros of the Book
The biggest pro of the book for me was the new fantasy elements added in this book. I wanted even more fantasy in the first book, so I was so excited when this book included more Caraval, Legend, the Fates, and the magical objects that come in. It felt like a richer story, and I was more invested as a result.
A close second positive of the book and another reason I was more invested in this book was because of Tella as the main character. I just liked her more and liked reading about her more than Scarlett. And I liked the romance between Tella and Dante more, too.
Cons of the Book
I didn’t have any major complaints with the book, but one of my minor complaints was that Legend’s true identity was not really a big mystery. I thought it would be more of a big reveal since that was what the whole premise of the book started as. But you figure it out way before the end of Caraval.
Conclusion
Overall, this second book was even better than the first in my opinion. There was more magic, more fantasy, and more interesting characters. The end of the book also wasn’t exactly what you expected and left you wanting to read even more.
You can find the book here.
I have a full summary of the book here if you need a refresher on any of the main points.
Rating- 4.5 Stars Out of 5
I had no major complaints about this book, and I really enjoyed reading it. For being the second book in a trilogy, it was very good on it’s own, and I finished in just a few sittings. I can’t wait to pick up the next one, get more Tella and Legend, and finish the series.
Here’s how I rate all my books: My Rating System
Who Would Enjoy Reading?
If you’re a fan of fantasy that centers around magic and has some romance in it, you should give this series a try. It doesn’t have as much romance as a true romantasy, and there’s no spice if you’re looking for that. A good part of the story is around the romance, but it’s still more story.
What to Read After Legendary
If you liked this book, keep going with the series or grab another fantasy book with a similar feel. Here’s the next book in the series and a few of my favorites that are like Legendary.
Finale by Stephanie Garber
After you finish Legendary, get right to the final book in the series that brings everything together. I have a review and summary for this one as well. You can get the book here.
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
If you liked the magic in this book, give House of Salt and Sorrow a try. It’s also centered around sisters with a romance in it as well. Check it out here.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Another book with a unique magic system in it, this book has the same vibes as Legendary. It also has a similar feeling romance in the series that I really enjoyed. You can get it here.
