2021
WISE Score
Amazon
A magical, high-stakes scavenger hunt where the world is made of velvet and lies, and the only thing you can trust is your sister.
4.8
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Caraval is basically the gold standard for 'clean-ish' YA fantasy. It’s atmospheric, fast, and doesn't talk down to its audience.
If your kid is bored with standard school reading, this is the series to hand them. It’s high-fantasy candy that actually has a heart, specifically focusing on how siblings protect each other when the world (and their parents) let them down. It’s not 'educational' in the traditional sense, but it’s a masterclass in imagination.
Best for the 13-17 crowd. It’s got enough 'ship-ability' for the romance fans and enough dark magic for the fantasy nerds, but it's safe enough for middle schoolers who are ready for slightly more mature themes.
The central engine of the story is the fierce, unbreakable bond between two sisters. While the world is full of trickery and a pretty terrible father figure, the loyalty Scarlett and Tella have for each other is a solid emotional anchor.
Stephanie Garber is a master of 'vibes.' The world-building is lush, sensory, and genuinely original, featuring a magical circus where you can buy things with secrets or days of your life. It’s a creative powerhouse.
It's standard YA territory. There is some violence, emotional abuse from the antagonist father, and romantic tension that stays mostly within PG-13 bounds. No graphic gore or explicit sexual content, but the psychological mind games are intense.
Beyond the 'magic' of it all, it deals with agency and the consequences of the choices we make. It’s also an 'entry drug' for reading—this is the kind of series that turns non-readers into bookworms because the pacing is so relentless.
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