Scan barcode
leighhecking's review against another edition
2.0
There was just too much going on in this book. The first book, Incarceron, created an intriguing world, but it also set the stage - for an escape from prison, for Finn's rise to King, for a romantic relationship between Finn and Claudia. And while these things do happen in Sapphique, they come about in the most unsatisfying way possible. We go from one dizzying plot turn to another, with little explanation of the character's motivations. And while every page seems to bring some new action, the real action that the pages promise never comes to fruition. A duel ends with the Pretender being shot in the hand and Finn fleeing, Jared easily escapes assassination when his would-be-killer is electrocuted, the great Battle between Finn and the Queen ends before a real shot is even fired. The real opportunities for confrontation and understanding fall limp and lifeless under Fisher's hand.
None of the questions that Incarceron posed are ever answered in Sapphique. In the end, the reader has no idea who Sapphique is and if he really existed or escaped, we don't know what illness Jared suffers from, we don't know if Rix is a madman or a true magician, we don't know if Finn is really Giles, we don't know if the cube on the watch was really the prison or not, the fate of both the Kingdom and the Prison are tenuous and there's no hint that either Finn or Claudia care about each other though they briefly talk about a wedding at the end.
It would almost be excusable to fail on some of the major plot points, as Fisher has woven herself such a complicated scenario, if only the relationships shone. But in Sapphique, the interpersonal relationships fizzle - Claudia doesn't even seem to like Finn (a far cry from the girl who went to lengths to release him from prison), Keiro is at one moment untrustworthy and the next Finn's steadfast brother, Jared's strange relationship with Claudia is never explained, the Warden is cold and remote. Attia, the dog-slave who has scraped her way through Incarceron, is the only remotely likable character, but we never get to understand much about her.
None of the characters' actions were ever explained, scenes that were built up deflated in the end and the whole book sank like a overcooked turd soufflé. Do not want.
None of the questions that Incarceron posed are ever answered in Sapphique. In the end, the reader has no idea who Sapphique is and if he really existed or escaped, we don't know what illness Jared suffers from, we don't know if Rix is a madman or a true magician, we don't know if Finn is really Giles, we don't know if the cube on the watch was really the prison or not, the fate of both the Kingdom and the Prison are tenuous and there's no hint that either Finn or Claudia care about each other though they briefly talk about a wedding at the end.
It would almost be excusable to fail on some of the major plot points, as Fisher has woven herself such a complicated scenario, if only the relationships shone. But in Sapphique, the interpersonal relationships fizzle - Claudia doesn't even seem to like Finn (a far cry from the girl who went to lengths to release him from prison), Keiro is at one moment untrustworthy and the next Finn's steadfast brother, Jared's strange relationship with Claudia is never explained, the Warden is cold and remote. Attia, the dog-slave who has scraped her way through Incarceron, is the only remotely likable character, but we never get to understand much about her.
None of the characters' actions were ever explained, scenes that were built up deflated in the end and the whole book sank like a overcooked turd soufflé. Do not want.
theoliveprincess's review against another edition
4.0
So often the second book isn't as great as the first, but Catherine Fisher just has an amazing imagination. Loved both books!!
charlottee96's review against another edition
3.0
I was really looking forward to this after how much I enjoyed Incarceron however the story and arcs of the characters went off in a direction I wasn’t expecting.
tacochelle's review against another edition
4.0
I read Incarceron about 5 years ago, the first book that my library's book club read. So with that being said, this is more of a review of Sapphique as a book, rather than the series as a whole. I enjoyed reading this, but I enjoyed reading about what Attia was doing in the prison rather than about Claudia and Finn in the Realm. I also found the climax very predictable. It was a good climax, it made sense, it fit the plot well, but I saw it coming. Even without the foreshadowing, it seems like a very obvious route for the story to go through. I also wish there was more to the ending. It felt sudden, and unfinished. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this. It's a very satisfying read, after what feels like so many books that have disappointed me recently.
thisbookishcat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
1.5
This one was somehow far worse than the first one.
First of all, if you took a shot for every time the word "acrid" was used, you'd be so far down the bottle you'd lose sense of time, much like this book did. Thesauruses exist, and jumping back and forth through a story is all well and fine as long as it doesn't come off being disjointed, which this one did not.
Secondly, there was no real character development, everyone was either pissed off and arguing the whole time, or doing exactly as you'd expect them to. I don't know how anyone was supposed to be sneaky in this, it was so evident I figured some of the major points out in the first book.
Lastly, this book was almost 500 pages, I really expected more out of it, even if the first one was middling despite being a bit disjointed.
I wouldn't bother with this duology unless you've got nothing else to read.
First of all, if you took a shot for every time the word "acrid" was used, you'd be so far down the bottle you'd lose sense of time, much like this book did. Thesauruses exist, and jumping back and forth through a story is all well and fine as long as it doesn't come off being disjointed, which this one did not.
Secondly, there was no real character development, everyone was either pissed off and arguing the whole time, or doing exactly as you'd expect them to. I don't know how anyone was supposed to be sneaky in this, it was so evident I figured some of the major points out in the first book.
Lastly, this book was almost 500 pages, I really expected more out of it, even if the first one was middling despite being a bit disjointed.
I wouldn't bother with this duology unless you've got nothing else to read.
marimoose's review against another edition
3.0
Well, it's a wee bit better than the first book, only in that there was actually a conclusion, and things greatly picked up at the end. Sapphique is probably more scifi than fantasy now, even though there is some fantasy element within the Era. Claudia is still annoying as frell, and I kind of was on and off between wanting to read about Keiro and Attia, and not caring either way. It was definitely the reverse nearer the end, because to be honest, I still liked Finn after all this time.
That said, I was amused by how things ended, and I'm still glad Jared and the Warden are hanging in there to the very end (somehow!). Much respect to the Sapienti. No, seriously. The Steel Wolves have nothing on them.
That said, I was amused by how things ended, and I'm still glad Jared and the Warden are hanging in there to the very end (somehow!). Much respect to the Sapienti. No, seriously. The Steel Wolves have nothing on them.
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
Sapphique picks up where Incarceron left off with Jared, Finn and Claudia in the "real world" of the Realm dodging Queen Sia and the Steel Wolves' political machinatations while back in the prison of Incarceron, Keiro and Attia meet up with adventures in their continuing quest to Escape.
Finn must contend with both Claudia's doubt that he is the true Prince Giles when another contender shows up claiming that he is the true Prince. Claudia is lost without her father, the Warden, and knowing whether she can trust Jared who is the only key to restarting the Portal to Incarceron.
On the inside, Attia and Keiro travel through different wings of the Prison under the watchful eye of Incarceron itself, keeping a powerful artifact (Sapphique's glove) away from the prison while trying to figure out how to use it to Escape. Many horrific scenes ensue, including a fight with a flesh-linked Chain gang, and a run in with a town of plague victims.
Secrets upon secrets and the mythology of Sapphique's history with Incarceron are unpeeled, until Incarceron's final goal is revealed: to escape the prison of itself.
The horrific climate of the first book is kept up (reminds me of Clive Barker sometimes in the bleakness of it all) in this second installment. However, while Keiro and Attia and the new Dark Enchanter, Rix, kept my attention, I felt a bit bored by Claudia and Finn. Neither of them seemed to grow much, and while Jared kept me interested in what was going on outside, I have to confess I enjoyed the Incarceron bits more.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Oreo cookie for being a bit dull on the outside but still containing an addictive filling on the inside.
Finn must contend with both Claudia's doubt that he is the true Prince Giles when another contender shows up claiming that he is the true Prince. Claudia is lost without her father, the Warden, and knowing whether she can trust Jared who is the only key to restarting the Portal to Incarceron.
On the inside, Attia and Keiro travel through different wings of the Prison under the watchful eye of Incarceron itself, keeping a powerful artifact (Sapphique's glove) away from the prison while trying to figure out how to use it to Escape. Many horrific scenes ensue, including a fight with a flesh-linked Chain gang, and a run in with a town of plague victims.
Secrets upon secrets and the mythology of Sapphique's history with Incarceron are unpeeled, until Incarceron's final goal is revealed: to escape the prison of itself.
The horrific climate of the first book is kept up (reminds me of Clive Barker sometimes in the bleakness of it all) in this second installment. However, while Keiro and Attia and the new Dark Enchanter, Rix, kept my attention, I felt a bit bored by Claudia and Finn. Neither of them seemed to grow much, and while Jared kept me interested in what was going on outside, I have to confess I enjoyed the Incarceron bits more.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Oreo cookie for being a bit dull on the outside but still containing an addictive filling on the inside.
ashleyrhyan's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the bulk of the book more than the first one. Towards the end it got slightly confusing and they didn't tie the ends up on a particular item that I wanted more information on. Still, I had a good time reading it.