Beasts of Carnaval

Last week Rosália Rodrigo released her exciting historical fantasy, Beasts of Carnaval. Rooted in Caribbean (especially Puerto Rican) history and culture, this novel follows Sofía as she searches for her missing twin brother Sol in el Carnaval de Bestias. But there’s something very disorienting about her travels, and soon she’s not entirely sure what she’s doing here or how long she’s even been here. But as Sofía pushes through the hazy barriers, she finds that there’s a lot more to Sol’s disappearance than she could have imagined.

What I Liked:

• Searching for her brother in the opulent Carnaval de Bestias. Sol went away years ago and Sofía has heard nothing from him since. So she travels to find him, but she gets caught up in all the luxury and frivolity along the way. She’s so determined to find Sol…. but something about this places messes with her head.
• Hallucinatory, dreamlike sequences. Sofía forgets what she’s doing as it’s happening. Her grip on time is slipping. What even is time? Is this happiness? What was she supposed to be doing….? Sofía may be the one losing her grasp on reality, but the effect is strong for the readers, too! I was almost as disoriented as Sofía as the book progressed, and I mean that in the best way possible. This was so well executed.
• Discussions of colonialism, slavery, and how to right past wrongs. Though this book is set in a fantasy world, it’s heavily rooted in the Caribbean and the real effects of colonialism there. Sofía was enslaved until recently, and yet despite having her freedom now, others still see her skin color and assume she’s the help. She’s close with the woman whose family enslaved her, but there are complicated feelings to untangle there. Then there’s everything happening within el Carnaval. No spoilers here, but there are major themes of fighting back against the evils of colonialism. How can people move forward in harmony? Is it possible to forgive and right the wrongs?

Audiobook:

Inés del Castillo does a marvelous job of narrating Beasts of Carnaval. She captures Sofía’s defiant personality, but also her confusion as time starts slipping away from her. She infuses the other characters with personality, too, and makes for an immersive listen.

Final Thoughts

Although I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading Beasts of Carnaval, I really loved it from start to finish. It’s hypnotizing and offers excellent commentary on the lingering effects of colonialism and racism. I look forward to reading more from Rosália Rodrigo.

Special thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Beasts of Carnaval here – it’s available as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo
Audiobook Narrator	Inés del Castillo
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Fantasy
Setting	Caribbean
Number of Pages	400
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	July 29, 2025
Publisher	MIRA

Official Summary

“From the lush setting to the evocative prose to the can’t-look-away characters, this is one of my most anticipated novels of the year.” —NPR

“Come for the fantasy; stay for the vengeance, and enjoy the beauty of both.” —Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer and Daughter of Smoke & Bone

For fans of The Night Circus,this sweeping historical fantasy set in a lush, Puerto Rico-inspired world, uses magical realism to combine Caribbean carnaval culture and the mythology of the Taíno—the Indigenous people of the region—in a gripping exploration of community, reclamation, and healing in defiance of a violent past.

When night descends, el Carnaval de Bestias rises. 

Within the shores of Isla Bestia, guests from around the world discover a utopia of ever-changing performances, sumptuous feasts and beautiful monsters. Many enter, but few ever leave—the wine is simply too sweet, the music too fine and the revelry endless.

Sofía, a freedwoman from a nearby colonized island, cares little for this revelry. Born an enslaved mestiza on a tobacco plantation, she has neither wealth nor title, only a scholarly pragmatism and a hunger for answers. She travels to el Carnaval de Bestias in search of her twin brother, who disappeared five years ago. 

There’s a world of wonder waiting for her on the shores of this legendary island, one wherein conquerors profit from Sofia’s ancestral lands and her people’s labor. But surrounded by her former enslavers, she finds something familiar in the performances—whispers of the island’s native tongue, music and stories from her Taike’ri ancestors…a culture long hidden in the shadows, thrust into the light.

As the nights pass, her mind begins unraveling, drowning in the unnatural, almost sentient thrall of Carnaval. And the sense that someone is watching her grows. To find her brother and break free, Sofia must peel back the glamorous curtain and face those behind Carnaval, before she too loses herself to the island…

What you can expect in BEASTS OF CARNVAL:

• Indigenous Taíno Mythology
• Themes of Decolonization + Reclamation
•  Atmospheric Island Setting
• Carnival Culture & Vejigantes
• Caribbean + Latine Adult Fantasy
• Historical Fantasy with Magical Realism
• The Revelry Never Ends