Gorgeous photo by @stephanie_garber
Welcome, welcome to the Finale of Caraval!
Can you believe Caraval is coming to an end? I can’t quite believe it! I love this series and whilst it is sad that it is coming to an end, I cannot wait to see how Stephanie has wrapped up this story. It’s going to be bittersweet, but I am so excited to get back into the world of Caraval.
Let’s dive right in and get started on today’s chapters!
Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for chapters 1-9 of Finale by Stephanie Garber. Read only if you’ve finished those chapters!
-!SPOILERS!-
The first thing we find out is that every night Legend has been visiting Tella in her dreams, and whilst she can control what she wears he controls the surroundings (how cool is that?!). Psst… if you received the Finale Collector’s Edition box you’ll notice that the box had an exclusive deleted scene, and that was one of the dreams that Tella has with Legend!
In her dreams, he comes in like a beautiful nightmare every night and asks her if she wants to collect her prize for winning Caraval. It’s clear that he wants her to, but she says no because she’s mad at him (girl, I would do the same even though I’d really want to say yes haha! I am petty like that). I love how his moods and everything is written, I can’t help but get all fangirly.
One day, one of the dreams goes wrong and she’s worried something has happened to him so she follows him at the Sun Festival. What she finds is that he goes to meet his maker, and he betrays her, making Tella feel like Legend is so untrustworthy because he would even betray his maker. We’re left not knowing what to think of who Legend actually is. He’s stolen the witches powers so his powers must be at full strength now! We learn that to beat the Fates they need to kill the Fallen Star, who has the same weakness as Legend. WHAT IS THAT WEAKNESS? I feel like it might be love (because I mean it usually is haha!)? I don’t know! Tell me your guesses!
I love the dual perspectives, because we switch to Scarlett who is mad at Julian because he left for 5 weeks and is now on the way to meet the count. Of course Julian comes too and his whole scene with the count has just left me in stitches! Boys will be boys haha. Scarlet proposes a competition for the count and Julian, which is a bad idea and I can already see it go to ruin haha. On the way back, Scarlett notices a family that has been poisoned and it seems to be done by a fate, which means the fates are waking up. I’m so worried for everyone!
What do you guys think of the first 9 chapters? Do you think these first chapters have set everything up for the rest of the books? I would love to know your theories!
I cannot wait read chapters 10 – 18 with you tomorrow!
With Love,
Anissa
I’m so happy to be back in the world of Caraval but sad that this is the last book.
I don’t think love is Legend’s weakness but the way he freed the Fates to get Tella out of the card would suggest so. Although the way he treats her isn’t very lovely.
I think Legend dressed as commoner when he went to his maker’s so that no one would follow him (even if Tella did haha!)
The game with Julian and Nicolas will be interesting. Not sure who I want to win yet.
Can’t wait to read more
Yes! He definitely did not want Tella seeing that, but I’m so glad she did!
I’m very curious about Nicolas.
I love that we are back in this world. This series has easily become my favorite since picking up caraval at the beginning of this year. I did not know what I had been missing. I love the dual perspective because we finally know everything that is gling with both sisters all that once. I feel like these chapters were just a hint of all the ups and downs we are going to feel. Love being Legend’s weakness would make sense because love was what made him want to be Legend.
Julian and Nicolas I feel like those 2 will be the death of Scarlett but deep down I hope Julian wins. I don’t care for the count to me he’s still the big baddie from Caraval.
Me too! I love the dual perspectives. I feel like Julian has to win haha! 🙂
I love the fact that Tella can alter her dreams! I have a feeling she will use it for her advantage later on….
Yes – me too!
Im so in love with this world and these charaters ❤
Same 😀 <3
I didn’t realise how much I missed Scarlet and Julian’s relationship until reading Finale. Everything they do is just so sweet! I’m not sure how I feel about Legend right now. How much of Dante was an act? I think he really does like Tella but I don’t know where the dreams end and the real world begins with him…
That was the thing I didn’t like about Legendary was we had spent a whole book with Scarlett and then everything with her kind of got brushed aside. While I 100% understand why it had to be this way for the story of Legend. I am very happy with the dual perspectives.
I totally agree! It’s been a while since I read Caraval so it was so great getting back to Scarlett and Julian. I love them!
Stephanie is just amazing. I think we can all agree on that. I opened this book and was transported back into the world of Caraval. I can’t believe this series is coming to an end.
I kinda miss Dante, is that bad? I can’t figure out how much of Dante was Legend in the first place. If this confuses me I can’t imagine how confused Tella must feel…
Scarlet has changed so much since Caraval and I love it! She’s so much stronger. I like how she didn’t completely forgive Julian for hurting her but instead she’s giving him a chance to prove to her that he truly wants her. They’re honestly the best!
I agree! Excited for the rest of this book! 🙂
I’m finally gonna start reading FINALE now, but I can’t find the reading schedule anywhere on the site.
I’ll get back to write my initial thoughts once I’m done reading these first few chapters!
The readalong schedule is on the original readalong page (it’s a few pages back in our community page): https://fairyloot.com/blog/caraval-series-readalong-in-preparation-to-finale-box/
First of all, thanks for tagging the schedule, Anissa!
On what comes to the first nine chapters now, I love how Tella is trying to separate Legend’s personality from Dante’s, because I had a feeling that one of the two is the persona and the other one the actual boy with whom Tella fell in love.
That scene with Esmeralda and Legend sent shivers down my spine. For a moment I thought that she was going to steal something from him, but Legend stayed true to the trickster he always is!
As for the weakness he shares with the Fallen Star, it’s either love or trust. Like, it has to be one of the two!
Finally, the multiple POVs are going to be the end of me.
I still can’t decide how I feel about Scarlett because I liked Julian since day one and I know that many of the things he does aren’t actually his personal choices, but rather the choices Legend makes for him.
There’s something fishy about the count. I can’t actually put my finger on it, but, personally, I wouldn’t trust a man who would be intrigued by playing a game to win my hand and, eventually, my heart.
See you on Day 2 post! ?
Hi everyone
I love being back in the world of Caraval
I just loved the back to past scenes of Thella and Scarlet with their mom so sweet
It is cool how he appears in her dreams and the fact se can dtes differently in eadh of the dreams
But I’m not loving Legends behaviour towards Tella. I guess they are bost stubborn and dont want to give into their feelings.
Oh the scene with Legend and the witch. Legend being so cunning going back to his old ways not cool Legend not cool
The scenes between Julian and Scarlet are so cute and funny I kind of like the games they are gonna play I just cant waith whst kind of challenges she comes up with
I have a feeling its going to be a good book
I’m not loving his behaviour to Tella either, I wonder how things are going to progress throughout the book between them!
This book starts of so good! It is filled with magic from the first sentence and I just love that I had the magical feeling through all these chapters, I’m just so in love with the magical!
I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t this, and I feel like these chapters has set a high standard for the rest of the book. I can’t wait to continue reading tomorrow.
I am a little sad that the contest between Julian and Nicolas is happening because I am afraid of who will be winning, I wouldn’t be as nervous if Scarlet hadn’t promised her hand in marriage to the winner. And I am still a little afraid that Nicolas is just acting and will turn out to be something/someone else in the end of the contest.
I feel that way too! Everything is so magical.
I love Legend coming to Tella in her dreams, but man are all these characters stubborn! Not one of them just opens up about how they’re really feeling, although it does make for some interesting twists and turns :). Love seems to be everyones weakness, it would make sense for it to be Legends too since it was the reason he ended up becoming Legend. I do love all Tella and Legend’s interactions though.
Yay more Scarlett and Julian, and Scarlett traitorous dress! I like that Scarlett has set her suitors a game to play. Although her hand in marriage is such a serious prize something is bound to go wrong. I am very suspicious that the count will turn out to be someon/something else.
Looking forward to Jacks’ return to the story too, assuming he makes an appearance
I am so highly anticipating Jacks returning because I feel like he must! He’s one of my favourite characters. 😀
Jeesh, what a beginning.
I wish I could slap Legend in the head for being a jackass, but he must have a lot ot frust issues and just released the Fates… Not sure if he’s right on being annoyed. And why did he kidnap Esmeralda? And to where? o.o
I really wonder what Legend is up to!
Am I the only one annoyed at this love triangle between Scarlet/Julian/Nicolas? It seems like Stephanie didn’t know what to do with Scarlet so she created all this unnecessary drama. I just want Scarlet and Julian to be together. ?
We shall have to see! I’m wondering if the whole thing between Nicolas is even going to amount to anything?
I am falling more in love with this book as I keep reading, I can’t wait to see what the gifts are that Scarlette recieves. I totally want her and Julian together.
It’s so sad that this will be the last book in the series. I’ve loved exploring Caraval.
I’m loving the dual perspectives. I honestly like Tella way more than Scarlett, but it’s nice to be able to read about them through both POVs. ❤️
I’m so happy to be back in the world of Caraval, and sad at the same time. I don’t want it to end.
I love that we get the story from both Tella and Scarlett’s perspective. I need more Scarlett and Julian in my life. I’m so glad he finally showed up after 5 weeks, I would be mad at him to! What was he off doing??? And Nicolas… I’m impressed Scarlett even suggested a game between the two of them. I can see this going terribly wrong.
Uh-oh the Fates… I can’t wait to read on and see what else we have in store.