REVIEW: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Here's the extra Double Feature that I've been putting off and putting off, mainly because I couldn't find the right words to describe these books.
Incarceron, designed to house the poor and unfortunate, was meant to be a utopia that turned into an utter hell; still, regular society doesn't want them, and there is no way out. Finn is a child of Incarceron: he remembers waking up in a cell and crawling out into the vast labyrinth of hallways until he was adopted by a gang. Still, he knows, deep down, that there is an Outside and that he was there once. He has seizures, and the flashes of images come to him. A Sapienti, or scholar, is convinced that Finn might lead them out, although his oath-brother, Keiro, thinks it's ridiculous.
Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. She has no idea where the prison is, or if her father even goes there. All she knows is that her father's study is always mysteriously locked. She is sure, though, that the façade that is her world is nothing but computer-generated graphics. After a massive revolt, the king decided to halt progress in order to keep the kingdom in a stable place, so all the technology that exits is hidden and creates the image of something like 18th century England. But she is about to be placed at the center of this world, for she is engaged to the heir to the throne.
As Claudia begins to investigate the mystery of the prison and her father, she finds a key in her father's study that turns out to connect to its counterpart in the prison itself, which Finn has. They begin to communicate, revealing more secrets than either had originally bargained for.
For starters, this books is just plain awesome. The idea of a prison so vast that no one has any idea where it begins or ends is fascinating, and as Finn and his hangers-on begin to move towards escape, more wings are revealed, many of which are just plain bizarre. There was definitely an epic sense to Finn's quest, including the grand scale, the high stakes, and the touch of prophecy, which is cool considering the fact that it's set in a prison, not some majestic place. The prison itself is the coolest setting I've ever seen; I want to see more of it, but then I'm disturbed every time I get to.
But Claudia's world is just as fascinating. I had a hard time getting around the concept that everything is computer-generated (how is it solid/blocking heat and cold?), but I liked the setting where the entire world is fake. How much of the world is real, and how much fake, is definitely something that applies to both worlds, and really comes up in the second book.
The book is pretty fast-paced. There are lots of tight spots the characters must get out of. Speaking of the characters, I liked Claudia and Finn; they were likeable and well-balanced, and both really came into their own. Perhaps the most wonderful character of all is the prison itself, of course.
Overall, this is a really fun read. The setting is awesome and there's lots of action throughout. I loved how different elements come into play (there's lots of standard fantasy plotlines, but it's a mechanical world) to create the story.
Grade: 5/5
REVIEW: Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
***************SPOILER ALERT*******************************
Picking up right where Incarceron left off, the action of Sapphique is no less gripping. In Claudia's world at last, Finn is trying to adjust to his new place in court, particularly to the harsh reality that life under Protocol is just as confining, if not more so, than life in Incarceron. Everything becomes difficult when a look-alike steps forward, claiming to be the lost prince, and Finn's perception of himself begins to shatter, which Claudia steadfastly maintains her belief in him.
At the same time, Attia and Keiro are still stuck in Incarceron and are searching for Sapphique's magic glove, which is apparently how he escaped (Sapphique being the only person to escape from Incarceron). The hunt for the gloves locks them in a battle with the prison itself.
Like Incarceron, this story is really two simultaneous stories that merge, which, but the second book, got a little tiresome. There were a few times when one story paused in the middle of the action to go to the other one. Even though I knew the next chapter would pick right back up, I didn't like having to switch gears, especially because the two stories were both gripping, but for very different reasons. Still, it is true that this story is even more captivating than Incarceron, and there's tons of adventure, battle, etc. The ending dragged a little for me. It almost reminded me of how The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman got, almost philosophical in tone, since all the big issues of the books had to be dealt with. It's not bad, just different, and I didn't want to put this book down, so I sort of charged through what I should have taken some time with. I feel like this series (like the His Dark Materials trilogy) will be fantastic to re-read, because I'll get so much out of it again.
This isn't a cookie-cutter happy ending/nice characters kind of book. In one way or another, all the characters bug me on some level, because they all have flaws. The characters were masterfully drawn. They all develop and change in different ways, especially the prison itself. With Keiro and Attia travelling in the prison, more wings and inmates are revealed, even more bizarre than previous areas. Because there isn't a clear happy ending where everything is easily explained, the last quarter of the book takes some time. I think what made the book frustrating at times also made it a great book, because it's not an easy read.
This duology is just amazing. There are tons of fantasy elements, in a dystopian setting, which I loved. There's plenty of action, fascinating characters, even a touch of romance. Definitely look into this series-the mythology of Sapphique, and the questions of what really makes one world better than another, might get slow and confusing, but there's still plenty to highly recommend these books!
Grade: 4.5/5, leaning towards a 5
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