This atmospheric read was beautifully written providing the reader with vivid imagery and an immersion into this Caribbean world.

This one was slow moving plot wise, but easy to get pulled into. It tackled subjects like colonialism, cultural identity, reclamation, and indigenous mythology. The author’s note in the end really made me appreciate the book even more because the author’s passion was evident.

While I appreciated the themes and the writing, I did think it could be shorter. And I would’ve liked a little bit more focus on plot. It seemed like it frequently lingered too long in all the words, which left me feeling like my eyes were glazing over and I lost focus.

Fans of fantastic world building, flowery prose, and books that take their time will love this one.

This book has extremely descriptive language that really allows you to feel as if you're present and seeing what is happening. It made it extremely easy to understand the themes that the author was weaving into the story and the way in which they drove the story. Carnaval is a setting that makes this extremely interesting, and the more you learn about the world, the more invested you are. This was a fun read with an excellent world!

Beasts of Carnaval is an immersive fever dream of a book steeped in Caribbean culture, and a story of revolution via reclamation. It's a colonized peoples' war cry felt through art, language, community, and joy.

The history of the Taino people is lush and organically built. I appreciated Rodrigo's focus on the little details; food, clothing, art, flora, fauna, speaking styles and language. Each reading session gives the vibe of being transported back in time. The gorgeous language is reminiscent of other lyrical writers such as Laini Taylor, Alix Harrow, or Renée Ahdieh.

The setting of the Carnaval as a separate, almost liminal space is absolutely genius and fits perfectly with both the mythos of Taino history and Rodrigo's overarching message. The surreal, trance-like experience of the Carnaval mirrors the feeling of living under colonial capitalism, where people are influenced to forget and dissociate by consuming in excess. Where indigenous cultures are co-opted, stolen, and exoticized into expensive entertainment while being inaccessible to the people they originally belonged to. The Carnaval is enthralling in its grandiosity and thematic symbolism, making the reader feel like they are unraveling its mysteries alongside the main character, Sofía.

Each night at the Carnaval features a different form of entertainment, from gravity-defying acrobats who walk on fire to magically floating ships that look like giant sea turtles. There are enigmatic masked figures who don’t speak, eat, or move aside from serving their wealthy guests, and each guest is hidden behind a glittering mask like a twisted masquerade. The delights are juxtaposed with unsettling discoveries and illusive, dissociative moments that feel like time is moving at once too fast and not at all.

Though the Carnaval is a joyride, it's also a puzzle begging to be unraveled, and something dark lies underneath. The first half or so of the book is a really similar feeling to The Night Circus in its spectacle-driven, dreamlike performance. Rodrigo pulls the reader along as Sofía feels the pull of forces much larger than herself, and begins to fight her way out of its labyrinthine halls. She discovers answers to questions that have haunted her for years, and in doing so, unearths a whole new world.

Sofía is agentic and likeable, and the arc of her character is the second strength of Beasts of Carnaval. She is a girl torn between two worlds; a slave so dehumanized that she was given as a “gift” to a wealthy, abusive family, but forced to assimilate so much that she struggles to fit in to her indigenous culture. Rodrigo’s depiction of her is complex and her journey as she finds her own identity and reconnects with her culture is emotionally fraught and layered. The relationship between Sofía and Adelina is strong and well-developed. Their relationship is complicated by Adelina being the daughter of Sofía’s enslavers, and their experience in trying to reconcile such a drastic difference is heartbreaking.

While I enjoyed the complexity of Sofía and Adelina’s friendship, the relationship between Sofía and her brother Sol felt less developed. The driving force of the book is the search for Sol, but their lack of on-page relationship causes an emotional distance that makes it a struggle to feel invested. The book could have included some scenes involving memory or flashback to better flesh out their relationship, so the reader feels more of a pull to rescue him alongside Sofía.

The pacing is slow, with most of the action being presented in small increments of excitement or intrigue, rather than huge earth-shattering events. Though I’m a fan of lyrical prose, some sections could benefit from some shaving down. Sometimes the descriptions or detailed dialogue cause the book to feel like it lags in certain scenes rather than driving the plot forward. It often works well to serve the hallucinogenic feeling of the Carnaval, but at times Rodrigo has a tendency to get lost in metaphors or similes to the point that the story can feel vague or meandering. Beasts of Carnaval struggles with a pretty hefty late-act slump, and the narrative slows and shifts from immersion to explanation, diminishing character intimacy when it’s most needed.

The final act is dramatic and explosive, but took a slightly unexpected tone shift. Rodrigo pivots away from rage and revenge, instead pushing for a more conciliatory ending rather than a violent one. While I would criticize other books for deciding on a liberal version of revolution, my opinion was swayed by the author’s note, which explains her desire for writing a colonial revenge story that centers joy and the recovery of indigenous culture by ending the cycle of violence. Rodrigo states that she thinks there is room for all types of revolution, and that she understands revolution comes with a price, but wanted to fill a gap she felt was missing. In this case, Rodrigo stayed true to her goal, which resulted in a resonant — if not utopian — ending.

Beasts of Carnaval is less a novel of vengeance and catharsis than one of reclamation. Even with its issues, its beauty lies in its prose, thematic allegory, and commitment to Rodrigo’s intended message. I admired it deeply, even when I didn’t fully love it.

I don’t typically pick up fantasy reads, but Beasts of Carnaval really worked for me. In it, we follow Sofia as she searches for her brother on the isle of Bestia. What follows is the most immersive reading experience. Rodrigo’s writing is so vivid that the reader can’t help but be drawn in and feel like they are on the isle of Bestias with Sofia. I believe the book is marketed as magical realism, which I suppose is true, but so much of it is rooted in Caribbean and Taino culture that much of the more fantastical aspects had a hint of familiarity for me (which I loved!). Overall, a really enjoyable reading experience. 4/5 stars.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo is a mixed first person plural and third person-POV fantasy horror inspired by Taíno Indigenous mythology, Puerto Rico, and the broader Caribbean. Sofía, a freedwoman and mestiza, is heads to Isla Bestia to find her lost twin brother Sol. But there's more on the island than she could have ever expected.

One of the themes is tied to Sofía’s relationship with Adelina, her friend who comes with her to Isla Bestia and is also the daughter of the same people who kept Sofía in enslavement. Over time, we see just how much Adelina did not realize the impact her actions and demands for play had on Sofía’s life and the work Sofía was still expected to get done. It's handled quite well because it recognizes that Adelina was ultimately a child who just wanted a playmate and she did have love and compassion for Sofía, but none of that changes that Sofía was still enslaved by Adelina’s family when she was a child herself. There was going to be resentment there no matter how much the two of them might have wished otherwise and the text acknowledges the complexity of their sisterly love for each other in a beautiful way.

I would definitely call this a fantasy horror. The use of nature, the prologue, and the little bits between acts that are in the first person plural really help add to the creepy atmosphere and sell that this is a narrative that is not going to be cozy. My favorite detail was those moments in the first person plural because they add so much in so few words and sell a kind of hive mind that is married to the island and its inhabitants very well.

It is very easy to root for Sofía to want her to succeed. She's intelligent, curious, compassionate, recognizes the complexity of a situation, and does try to do the right thing whenever she can. Her desire to save the people she cares about never feels forced and we get a lot of backstory into just how young she is when she starts to become someone who would help others whenever she can.

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy inspired by the Caribbean and readers of horror looking for a secondary world fantasy

Real Rating: 4.25* of five
I read this book back in May and enjoyed it; it was a good read, it hit many of my favorite notes of anti-colonialism, women empowering themselves to accomplish things, on and on. It's out this coming Tuesday so as I was picking Monday's review to write, I did the usual open-the-book-and-skip-around search for quotes...
...
...and reread the whole book. It's a magical fever dream first half, then the hangover...but still action packed...second half made up of problem-solving. It's a lot like The Maltese Falcon that way, only it's a more vivid first half than Chandler!

Sofía, a freedwoman who goes to Isla Bestia with her friend (and former owner) Adelina, to discover the fate of her five-years-missing brother Sol. Interesting that it was not Adelina who instigated this...Sol was valet to Reynaldo, her own father, the former main enslaver of both Sofía and Sol. The womens' multivalent relationship...owner/owned, friends, maybe more...intrigued me deeply because I found myself unable to predict what one would say to the other more than once in a while. Author Rodrigo's got "It" for dialogue in my ear. I wouldn't give her a note in that arena.

The problem is the two halves of the story aren't well knitted together. Like a sweater with rows of crochet holding the sleeves on, it's odd, but not *wrong*. The quest to Isla Bestia brings us into a world of Taíno mythology, bringing characters of whom I have no experience intensely alive. The events on the island lead us elsewhere, though, in fulfillment of the quest. So the hedonism, the vividness, the intensity of the pleasures so well evoked by Author Rodrigo's simile-rich prose, change to a more somber and menacing register when we get to Coaybay. It isn't a seamless transition, or an abrupt break; either of those would fulfil my desire for a narrative signpost that says "we're in a new narrative regime" clearly. It's a need I feel The Night Circus, which I *loved*, fulfilled a bit better than this read did.

I suppose this means I'm more like Sofía than anyone else here, the woman who muses that "{...h}ow much easier it would be to let faith patch the cracks in her knowledge, to accept that there were parts of this world not only beyond her understanding, but beyond all human understanding." She's not good at that, and neither am I. Her need to know, to be sure a thing's real and means what it's shown to mean, resonated with me. Myths are fun, interesting, but not real.

Until they are.

The questions that arise from that are the second half of the story. Adelina simply vanishes; she and her father just aren't involved after we leave Isla Bestia. There's a fascinating...fluidity...to meaning, definitions, certitudes in Coaybay. Gender roles there are, assigned by sex, not so much. It's one example of the intense Otherness that troubles Sofía, that causes her to feel she is not in control of the narrative of her life. Sol, whose long separation from her and residence in Coaybay have altered him into an Other to Sofía, offers more mysteries than certainties. For a twin, this is disorienting. Someone whose hearbeat was the soundtrack of your life, suddenly not reachable despite renewed proximity? This was less impactful in the positive sense; no exploration of what that means to the still-overworked-to-exhaustion Sofía's emotions. The world of Coaybay is, paradoxically, over-developed in its obstacles and under-developed in its sensawunda. Isla Bestia is the opposite.

A debut novel's issues, one and all. The lushness (yes, there are untranslated words, but you're not left to hang in tension by them) and the use of a fresh-to-me mythos was all the inducement I needed to finish the read twice.

A thing I very seldom do, read a story twice, since seventy is closer to me than forty is. Well done, Author Rodrigo!

This is an absolutely gorgeous book that reads like a wild dream. It combines historical fantasy, magical realism, and mythology. I’ve seen it compared to The Night Circus, and it does have that feel to it, but, this book has so much more depth. It’s not a fast read; I actually found myself rereading certain parts to get a better grasp of what was happening. It’s a completely immersive reading experience and one of those books that will stick with you long after. A definite 5 stars, most likely a top read of the year, and highly recommended for book club discussions!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read!

This was a beautifully written book that felt like a fever dream. The vivid descriptions immerse you right into a mysteriously alluring world in which you know something’s off but can’t quite figure out how or why. I absolutely loved the empowering Taino elements, which as a Dominican I’ve yearned to find in more stories, and how well the author explored Sofia’s internal conflict with justice and revenge as she comes to terms with all the trauma she and her people have experienced. It’s a bit confusing and verbose at times, and much longer than it needed to be, but if you stick with it, you’ll definitely be left in awe.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I'm starting to realize that I greatly appreciate fantasy novels with class struggles. (Feel free to give me any recommendations!)

I can agree, this novel read like a wondrous fever-dream. The descriptions colored a fantasy so vivid I felt I could reach for it. However, I enjoyed the "real" moments as well. Sofia and Adelina's relationship in a colonized setting definitely brought tension, whether on the mainland or on Isla de Bestia. Their fragile best friends/employer-servant bond highlighted the conflict of their world.

Beasts of Carnival is a beautiful standalone fantasy with roots in Caribbean history and culture.

The setting is rich and vibrant and surreal. The mystery and sinister undercurrent had me hooked, but the themes of decolonization and cultural reclamation are what will make it stick.

Thanks to Harlequin for providing an arc through NetGalley for me to review!

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This is a historical fantasy set in an alternate version of the Caribbean surrounding a carnival on a mysterious island. There is mystery, gods, colonizers and a party that never ends till it does. Very little romance, none for the lead of the story. I have mixed feelings about this one.

Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo (book cover is in image) tells the tale of Sofia, who crosses an ocean to save her brother from the enchanting el Canaval de Bestias, where many visit but never leave. The author seamlessly waves in Taino Mythology, and themes of colonization and the culture of Carnaval, engaging the reader in this enchanting and horrific world.

I had the opportunity to read the ARC and listen to the ALC and found it easy to transition between the two. The narration by Inés del Castillo was well done, keeping the reader engaged and allowing me to finish this book in one sitting. I highly recommend this to those who are interested in Taino and Caribbean culture and history.

Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Jul 29 2025

Thank you @readmirabooks, @htpbooks, @htpaudio and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and listen to the ALC. All opinions are my own.

#HarelquinAudio
#HTPBooks
#MiraBooks
#BeastsofCarnaval
#RosaliaRodrigo
#InesdelCastillo
#MagicalRealism
#HistoricalFiction

A fever dream built with immaculate prose and storytelling, rich with folklore and history and absolutely impossible to put down.

Rosália Rodrigo is officially an auto-buy author. I don’t usually say that after a single book, but this book is that good! It’s unique, expertly written, and the storytelling is unmatched. I need another book from her immediately!

What’s to love…
- lush prose and vivid imagery, lyrically written without being overdone
- perfect pacing, this was an impossible to put down story. Every time I started to get restless the story would hit me with intrigue, or a reveal, that kept me reading.
- rich world-building
- family forward story
- complex characters and relationships
- the MYSTERY was so good! I was intrigued the entire book
- the book left me wanting to learn more about Puerto Rican history and the Taino people! (and the author’s note provided detailed information on where to start)

What’s not to love…
- I have literally nothing negative to say about this book.

Audio Narration: 4.9/5 - The narration was absolutely phenomenal. Usually I read a fantasy book physically the first time, as I am not an auditory learner and sometimes fantasy can be hard for me to follow via audio. BUT this was SO FREAKING GOOD that I had to listen to the audiobook. I ended up doing a tandem read for the first time and it was an amazing experience. The only thing I will say about the audio is (mostly in the beginning of the recording) there were a few moments when the narrator sounded a bit nasally/congested. It wasn’t enough to detract from the overall experience but something I did notice. I’m eager to try out more audiobooks by this narrator!

I read this courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley. I knew nothing about Caribbean carnaval culture or Taino mythology, so this fantasy came as a welcome, amazing surprise. Author Rosalia Rodrigo’s weaving of the ominous tale of what happens when Sofia goes to Carnaval de Bestias looking for her brother, who went to Isla Bestia for work five years ago … and never came back is sometimes fantasy, sometimes horror, sometimes something … other. Sofia finds that things change at the drop of a hat, and worst of all, there’s a feeling that something is watching her watch those around devolve into … things. The vivid imagery of this story is almost like a fever dream, and you’ll find yourself holding your breath when Sofia turns a corner to discover … something.
#BeastsofCarnaval #NetGalley

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
I was really intrigued to read this. I really enjoyed the author’s prose, it was really detailed and helpful me get immersed into the world. I did think the story was a bit too long, some parts could’ve been shortened. The story took a drastic turn and it was not where I thought it was headed but I still liked it. I can see that the author took a lot of time for research and it shows. Overall I quite enjoyed this book.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC and ALC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

What a beautifully written novel! I don't know what I was expecting but the writing definitely blew me away. The atmosphere was rich and vibrant and I was sucked in from the beginning.

The author handled topics such as colonialism and cultural loss so well. It was probably my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and I definitely recommend it. Excited to continue reading from this author in the future.

Thank you to Mira publishing for a copy of this book. While I appreciated the idea of this book, it was just too slow paced. The descriptions felt enchanting but I had such a hard time getting lost in the story. I liked the characters but kept getting them confused, which may just have been from the third person. I may try this one again in the future but I’ve decided to put it down for now.

4.25⭐️

This book is a story of descriptive feverdream scenes, beautiful prose, adventure, determination, and resilience. Sofia and her friend Adelina go to Beasts of Carnaval to find their missing family members. Once they are on the island, Sofia soon realizes that the perfect utopia is actually extremely dark and something nefarious is going on behind the glitz and glimmer.

Beasts of Carnaval is one of the most unique dystopian stories that I've read before. While some scenes were hard to follow at times, it did not take away from the story. Sofia was confused about what was going on, and we were right there with her. The culture within this book was fascinating as well. I will definitely be reading from this author again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to this one. The promise of Taino influence, which was minimal at best, pulled me towards this novel. The story started off well enough, giving us a glimpse of a colony on the brink of change: freedom coming to the once enslaved and a shift in social construct between nobility, commoner, and enslaved.

Our main character is searching for her brother who had left on some excursion with their master, but had yet to return. Some knowledge exist as to where they are but not why they have not returned. So she sets off to find him.

I like how we are privy to how unprepared she is for what she will encounter on this isle of beasts and the pacing as she learns the ebb and flow of carnaval expectations. But then the pacing slows down and nothing happens that effectively moves us toward a conclusion, with moments occurring that feel repetitive re tensions and resentments between colonizer and colonized.

When we eventually get to meet the Taike'ri, enough time is not spent to build their influence on the plot, which disappointed me. This also disengaged me from the ending of the book. In the end, the premise gave more than what was eventually delivered.

Every once in a while, you come across a book that just stops time for you. Beasts of Carnaval is one of those gems for me. From the very beginning of this story, I was completely drawn into the beautiful writing and the compelling story of Sofia. Her determination to find her brother thrusts her into a journey of self-discovery not only in the present sense but of that of her ancestors and the life that was stolen from them. The island and Carnaval was an intense fever dream in some spots and as Sofia was slowly losing her grip on reality, I found myself being drawn further and further in. There is so much lore and history woven into this book and at times it can seem a bit overwhelming trying to navigate exactly what is going on. When you make it out of the other side and Sofia makes it out of Carnaval I feel like things get a lot more lucid and the story starts to solidify again. The world building in this is stunning and really makes you feel like you can see, smell, and taste every part of what is happening. I also think that the last 4 or five chapters are beautifully done. I will not say much about the ending except that I don't think that it could have ended in literally any other way to do the book justice. This story has a heavy undertone also and it's not just in the outright story itself. There is a reverence when you really sit with the weight of history of colonization and the people that were stolen from the world. I also really appreciated the authors notes at the end and her recommending books to further explore Taino history and culture. I also appreciate that she shares her sources for her research. This is one of the rare books for me that I want to start it over from the beginning immediately because I know that I know that I will keep finding more and more layers that I hadn't noticed.