Caraval by Stephanie Garber – Book 1 of the Internationally Bestselling Fantasy Trilogy (Original English Edition).

“Remember, it’s only a game...”

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live under the watchful, cruel eye of their powerful father. For years, Scarlett has dreamed of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show and magic fills the air.

Just as Scarlett's arranged marriage threatens to crush her dreams, her long-awaited invitation to the game arrives. With the help of a mysterious, roguish sailor named Julian, Scarlett and Tella manage to flee to the private island where the spectacles unfold. But moments after their arrival, Tella is abducted by Caraval’s elusive mastermind, Legend.

This year's game centers entirely around Tella: whoever finds her first wins Caraval and is granted a single wish. Warned that everything that happens during the game is merely an elaborate illusion, Scarlett is plunged into a carnival of secrets, deceit, and intoxicating enchantments. As the line between theatrical trickery and mortal danger blurs, Scarlett must unravel the game's riddles before the final curtain falls and her sister is lost to Legend forever.