Honest Book Review of Finale by Stephanie Garber
Check out my honest review of the final book of the Caraval trilogy, Finale, by author Stephanie Garber. If you’re been reading the Caraval series up to this point, this one is worth waiting for, too!
You need to read the previous books to understand what’s going on in this third book because it starts right after the end of Legendary. I have a summary and review for the first book, Caraval. And I have a review and recap of the second book, Legendary.
Here’s a short synopsis of the book:
“It’s been two months since the Fates were freed, since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.
With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.
Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. . . .”
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Full Book Review Without Spoilers
I was a big fan of the world of Caraval going into this book, and it did not disappoint. This final installment was well written ending to a magical series that really pulls you in, wrapping up all the major loose ends. Coming right off the first books, I didn’t want to put this one down and finished it in just a few sittings.
In the book, there’s even more fantasy in this one than the first two, which is a big plus for me. And the love story part of the book doesn’t overshadow the actual plot and fantasy elements. The writing weaves the romance and fantasy together so well that you don’t feel overwhelmed or bored with either one.
While I’m sad there was so actual Caraval in this book, there is still a lot of magic and secrets. A lot of history and folklore that affects the characters is explored in this one, and answers the questions still left from the previous novels. We get to hear about tons of different people, and even more about the magic system in this world.
My biggest problem with the book is that the true ending felt a little rushed, but the story throughout the whole book was still so enjoyable. And overall, I was still happy with the ending.
Characters
I’m a big fan of these main characters, especially their dynamic together when all four of them are involved. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the new characters especially the Fates. Although I didn’t really feel the need for Scarlett’s former fiancé to be in as much as he was.
I did want more of both Tella and Legend in this book, like in the last one. I’m definitely a much bigger fan of Tella than her sister, Scarlett and prefer Tella and Legend’s romance over Scarlett and Julian. But I did like getting to see the sisters together since this all started because of their bond as sisters.
Plot
The concept of the whole series makes for a great plot for the entire trilogy, and the plot for the this book alone does not disappoint. The story line and pace of the book moves along well because a lot happens throughout the entire book. And the return of the Fates only makes it more enticing.
Writing
I really enjoy Stephanie Garber’s writing style which I find beautifully descriptive and well balanced between fantasy and romance. I know some people think she’s a little too wordy with the descriptions, but it helps me feel more immersed in the story. And I can really picture everything that’s happening.
Full Book Review With Spoilers
You’ve been warned that from here on out there will be minor spoilers.
After finishing this book, I needed a few days to come down from the emotions to organize by thoughts. There is a lot that happens and the whole book is engaging, but the last one third of the book really hits you. There’s a ton of fantasy elements with all the Fates showing up, and a ton of romance elements that happens between the love interests.
And once I was done with the book, I still wanted more. It’s one of those series that you really feel like you’re in it, and you become so emotionally invested in the characters that it feels real. I think it was to do with the author’s writing style, the plot, and the characters themselves.
This book is heavy on the romance plot line in addition to the fantasy, but I’m a big fan of it. I like a well-written love triangle, and I was dying for the romantic angst between Tella, Legend, and the Prince of Hearts. By the end, I was almost routing for Jacks, but I was too much of a fan of Legend.
If you’re a fan of romantasy with a morally grey, brooding MMC who’s also tall, dark, and handsome, you need to read about Legend. He really set the foundation for the popular book men like Rhysand before romantasy really blew up.
I didn’t love Scarlett’s love triangle as part of the story, but luckily that ends earlier in the book. But both of the couples together was one of my favorite things about the story.
Pros of the Book
The biggest pro of this book for me that sort of builds off the last book is the idea of Fates including their magic and folklore. It really adds to the fantasy element and the world building in this book. I really enjoyed that not only were they the main problem, they were also a huge piece of the solution to the problem.
Another pro of this book for me was the romance built into the main plot, especially between Tella and Legend. Legend is a great love interest for me as the reader, so I enjoyed getting to see more into the relationship between him and Tella. If you’re not a fan of romantasy, it might be too much for you, but I thought it was well balanced.
Cons of the Book
One of the biggest cons of this book for me was that the ending felt a little rushed. After so many new things are introduced and then go wrong throughout the book, everything works out so well, so fast in the last one or two chapters of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted a happy ending for all of them, but I wanted more of an ending.
Another small con of the book was that there is no game of Caraval in this one. The magic, the secrecy, the clues, and the overall intrigue of Caraval were such a great part of the first two books. And with that, I missed seeing as much of Legend and his performers in this one.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a wonderful ending book to a trilogy. If you started the series and liked either of the other two, you should read this one. If you’re a fan of well-balanced fantasy and romance with a unique magic system, you should give this whole series a try.
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
Like the first two, this book has everything I like as a fantasy/romance fan, and is a satisfying ending to the series. I had a great time reading it, and am still thinking about the main characters, especially Legend. The whole reading experience was just the right amount of emotional, tense, reeling and swooning.
Here’s how I rate all my books: My Rating System
Who Would Enjoy Reading?
If you’re a big fan of romantasy, then you should definitely read it. If you’re a fan of fantasy based largely around magic, you should definitely read it. And if you like your fantasy with a strong female main character or a dark male main character (or both!), you should definitely read it.
What to Read After Finale
Whether you liked this book because of the fantasy, the characters, or just the writing, I have a few recommendations for you. There’s some more books by the same author and some by other authors but that have the same vibe.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
If you’re like me and almost wanted Jacks to win or you just like this author’s writing, get this book ASAP. This series follows Jacks after the events of Caraval. You can get it here.
Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
Spectacular is a cute holiday novella about Tella and Legend that takes place after Finale. It does contain spoilers, so finish this series first. You can find the book here, or I have a summary to check out.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
This book has a lot of the same vibes and shares the idea of an enchanted deck of cards. I really loved this one, too. You can find it here.
Lightlark by Alex Aster
If you’re looking for a series that has the same feel as Caraval, but is more adult, try Lightlark. This is a true romantasy and does contain some spice, but has a lot of the same things as Caraval. You can find it here.
