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brandypainter's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars if I could
My review of [b:Incarceron|332775|Incarceron (Incarceron, #1)|Catherine Fisher|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51baJ9ujjcL._SL75_.jpg|323310]with some added thoughts on this one can be found here.
My review of [b:Incarceron|332775|Incarceron (Incarceron, #1)|Catherine Fisher|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51baJ9ujjcL._SL75_.jpg|323310]with some added thoughts on this one can be found here.
perilous1's review against another edition
3.0
A bit disappointing after being so impressed by its predecessor: Incarceron. The story of the enigmatic and techno-mystical Sapphique himself is much more fleshed out in this continuation, as one might already guess from the title. Just as with the first book, the pacing was excellent. But the character development seems to stall and their emotional growth struck me as stunted--to the point where I wasn't sure anymore how anyone felt about anyone else...or why.
The plot almost seemed to fragment toward the end. Without ruining it for anyone, I'll just say that the ending left me unsatisfied and more than a little baffled. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, and I lost a good deal of interest in the thought of reading any additional books from the series—assuming that there will be more of them. Perhaps the author was rushed to meet a deadline and her intent wasn't conveyed as completely as she might have liked?
The plot almost seemed to fragment toward the end. Without ruining it for anyone, I'll just say that the ending left me unsatisfied and more than a little baffled. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, and I lost a good deal of interest in the thought of reading any additional books from the series—assuming that there will be more of them. Perhaps the author was rushed to meet a deadline and her intent wasn't conveyed as completely as she might have liked?
soartfullydone's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'd give Sapphique five stars for Keiro alone, but masterpiece duology to be honest. My heart cries that two books is all I'll ever have.
luisasm's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very good. The end was incredibly confusing, but in a way that makes sense. It wasn't supposed to be completely explained. Still, a little more explanation about the prison would have been nice. I loved the characters development, between Attia and Keiro especially. The fate of the Realm was perfect. All in all, a thrilling, beautiful story about "the grass is always greener"
orcaseatingstrawberries's review against another edition
4.0
Rather good, although a minor quibble is that when crawling through the tunnel, almost to the Sapphique's Door area, it felt very much like stuff was being made up on the spot to stretch things out, to fill time.
stressedspidergirl's review against another edition
4.0
It was super engaging the whole way through.
I do wonder a lot about what caused the world to suddenly age and fall apart.
If it was an illusion the entire time, then how was no one dying at random? Or the maintenance of things being sucked apart because the prison needed power?
But that aside I suppose it doesn't really matter.
I do hate when the author refuses to outright answer a question in a series, like is this person really x or is that really the solution or what happened, and while I get why they do it, it's a gimmick I don't like.
I do wonder a lot about what caused the world to suddenly age and fall apart.
If it was an illusion the entire time, then how was no one dying at random? Or the maintenance of things being sucked apart because the prison needed power?
But that aside I suppose it doesn't really matter.
I do hate when the author refuses to outright answer a question in a series, like is this person really x or is that really the solution or what happened, and while I get why they do it, it's a gimmick I don't like.
aneeqah's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars.
I hated Finn in this book, at least for 3/4 of the book. He was just so...frustrating. He was wayy better in the ending, I just don't know what happened to him in the beginning!
The ending was pretty confusing, and it seems like there needs to be another book.
There's other small problems with the book, but other than the major problems above, it was a good book. Just not great.
I hated Finn in this book, at least for 3/4 of the book. He was just so...frustrating. He was wayy better in the ending, I just don't know what happened to him in the beginning!
The ending was pretty confusing, and it seems like there needs to be another book.
There's other small problems with the book, but other than the major problems above, it was a good book. Just not great.
thatkorigirl's review against another edition
3.0
Well. The first book I loved - not one of my favorite books ever, but full of innovative new concepts, characters I felt emotionally attached to (even if that emotion happened to be 'kill that person now' for more than one person), an enchantingly horrid world, and writing that pulls you in.
I started this book, and by the time I was a quarter through I hated it.
In the beginning of this book, we see Attia involved in an elaborate con, with Keiro nowhere to be seen. Claudia's father has disappeared, and in the 'real world' the Queen has been playing alone with the pretense of civility while Finn and Claudia try to figure out a way back into Incarceron. Just when Finn is about to officially be crowned King, a contester appears, claiming himself as Giles, causing both Finn and Claudia to face internal doubts.
The writing, while not outright poor, was at the very least below average for a published book (well, for a published book outside of the romance genre). Certainly it had deteriorated enormously since the last book. Except for Keiro, the one character who stayed consistent throughout the transition, my view of each player changed completely from the end of the last book to the beginning of this. I still loathed Keiro, while waiting for him to commit any act that showed he was redeemable, but suddenly Claudia and Finn were also on my bad side. Yes, they were going through a bad time, but suddenly Claudia outrighted succumbed to emotion without thinking about Finn at all, and Finn was so obsessed with the past that he refused to realize how he needed to behave to gain control. He came from a world of madness, and in the next one he can't even try to cope, despite the looming danger?
Attia was the only person that reversed in a good way. When she was introduced last book, I had high hopes for a past full of intrique, but she turned out to be only a subservient yet intelligent girl with little going for her or against her. Not enough to make me pay attention to her, and certainly not enough to become anywhere near my list of favorite/most interesting person.
Master Jared also began to play a part in this book, that is, a part where he was not just a tutor but also a character. Saying much more might spoil a few twists, so I'll move on.
After the first quarter, however, the writing improves. Although it takes a while to return to the level of the previous books, the writing eventually stops being an eyesore that prevents enjoyment of the story. Character interest begans to pick up, and the subplots begin to move forward.
By the end of the book, several scenes have actually entertained me in the same way as the last book, but many of the characters seem unlikeable or just foreign by now. There's a character, who, though introduced in the beginning of the book, keeps getting crazier and crazier that he really just seems to be a bundle of traits conveniently packaged in one form for the author to advance the plot with. The ending ties most of the subplots up, but somehow it feels hollow. Reading the ending, I couldn't believe the story had actually ceased - not because it blew my mind, or anything of that nature, but because it seemed so ...unrealistic? For a steampunk science fiction novel that word might not be fitting, but the ending seemed to stretch plausibility while semi-boring me, while at the same time leaving me anticipating a satisfying ending (which never came).
For this book alone, I would hardly advise it. For the interesting worlds introduced in the entire series, I might recommend it, but note that this book is a sore disappointment when following the first. I almost abandoned it by the first 100 pages, and though I enjoyed the book overall, it wasn't great.
I started this book, and by the time I was a quarter through I hated it.
In the beginning of this book, we see Attia involved in an elaborate con, with Keiro nowhere to be seen. Claudia's father has disappeared, and in the 'real world' the Queen has been playing alone with the pretense of civility while Finn and Claudia try to figure out a way back into Incarceron. Just when Finn is about to officially be crowned King, a contester appears, claiming himself as Giles, causing both Finn and Claudia to face internal doubts.
The writing, while not outright poor, was at the very least below average for a published book (well, for a published book outside of the romance genre). Certainly it had deteriorated enormously since the last book. Except for Keiro, the one character who stayed consistent throughout the transition, my view of each player changed completely from the end of the last book to the beginning of this. I still loathed Keiro, while waiting for him to commit any act that showed he was redeemable, but suddenly Claudia and Finn were also on my bad side. Yes, they were going through a bad time, but suddenly Claudia outrighted succumbed to emotion without thinking about Finn at all, and Finn was so obsessed with the past that he refused to realize how he needed to behave to gain control. He came from a world of madness, and in the next one he can't even try to cope, despite the looming danger?
Attia was the only person that reversed in a good way. When she was introduced last book, I had high hopes for a past full of intrique, but she turned out to be only a subservient yet intelligent girl with little going for her or against her. Not enough to make me pay attention to her, and certainly not enough to become anywhere near my list of favorite/most interesting person.
Master Jared also began to play a part in this book, that is, a part where he was not just a tutor but also a character. Saying much more might spoil a few twists, so I'll move on.
After the first quarter, however, the writing improves. Although it takes a while to return to the level of the previous books, the writing eventually stops being an eyesore that prevents enjoyment of the story. Character interest begans to pick up, and the subplots begin to move forward.
By the end of the book, several scenes have actually entertained me in the same way as the last book, but many of the characters seem unlikeable or just foreign by now. There's a character, who, though introduced in the beginning of the book, keeps getting crazier and crazier that he really just seems to be a bundle of traits conveniently packaged in one form for the author to advance the plot with. The ending ties most of the subplots up, but somehow it feels hollow. Reading the ending, I couldn't believe the story had actually ceased - not because it blew my mind, or anything of that nature, but because it seemed so ...unrealistic? For a steampunk science fiction novel that word might not be fitting, but the ending seemed to stretch plausibility while semi-boring me, while at the same time leaving me anticipating a satisfying ending (which never came).
For this book alone, I would hardly advise it. For the interesting worlds introduced in the entire series, I might recommend it, but note that this book is a sore disappointment when following the first. I almost abandoned it by the first 100 pages, and though I enjoyed the book overall, it wasn't great.
barbarianlibarian's review against another edition
3.0
I have mixed feelings on this one. I liked most of it, but was unsatisfied with the ending and a few other bits.
painterbek's review against another edition
3.0
If this is truly the end of the Incarceron series, then I really don't understand the point. We still don't know the outcome of either the prison or outside, and it leaves me a little lost for closure. The writing was good and it kept me reading, but ultimately lost and wondering why there was no resolution.