Stephanie Garber’s debut novel Caraval is a jewel box of a book, filled with unearthly delights. With its magical dresses, life-or-death riddles, and glittering carnival backdrop, it became one of 2017’s best loved fantasies. Now, Garber has returned with sequel Legendary, in which the magic is darker, the stakes higher, and the game of Caraval is played out across a far grander canvas. Garber is an author who’s funny and frank about her journey to publication and the battles she fights as a full-time author creating immersive worlds. We sat down with her to discuss worldbuilding, why she became a reader later than you’d think, and taking the wrong fictional roads so you can find the right ones.