Stephanie Garber is an American author of young adult fiction. She is best known for her Caraval series. The first novel was a commercial success, staying on The New York Times Best Seller list for fifteen weeks and peaking at No. 2. Twentieth Century Fox optioned the film rights.
Stephanie Garber was born and grew up in Northern California. She began her writing career as a college resident director, writing novels in her spare time. Her fourth book, a space opera, secured her a literary agent after many rejections. She recalls the relentless support from her family during these times, particularly from her father, who encouraged her to continue writing despite the rejections. However, when the space opera did not sell, she wrote Caraval in 2016.
Later, in an interview, she said: "Querying and trying to get an agent was immensely challenging. Before I wrote Caraval, I wrote five other books, queried 3 of them, and received somewhere around 200 rejections."
After being sent out by her agent, Caraval was immediately picked up by publishers, leading to an auction with eight editors bidding for it.
Garber did not initially plan for Caraval to launch a series or to include romance. Following Caraval, she wrote two sequels, Legendary and Finale, completing the trilogy.
The reception of Caraval was mixed. Publishers Weekly praised the novel for its "intriguing characters and imaginative setting," while NPR's Caitlin Paxson found the book unclear.
Legendary (2018) continued the series' success, appearing on The New York Times bestseller list for eight weeks and reaching No. 1. Although Kirkus Reviews noted the book's weak plot, it acknowledged Garber's imaginative storytelling. Finale (2019) received criticism for its prose and convoluted plot but completed the trilogy's narrative arc.
Her subsequent series, Once Upon A Broken Heart (2021), is set in the same universe as the Caraval trilogy. The first book received praise for its lush storytelling and strong worldbuilding. The Ballad of Never After (2022), the second book, also made it to the New York Times bestseller.
Photo credit: stephaniegarberauthor.com
