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stephxsu's review against another edition
5.0
If Incarceron was a great book that “shakes the foundations of your literary beliefs” (quoting from my review of Incarceron), then SAPPHIQUE is a fantasy achievement of canonical proportions. It takes everything we appreciated and were in awe of in the first book and takes it to the next level, making sure that this is a two-book series we will remember for decades to come.
Whereas Incarceron took me a couple of chapters to get into, SAPPHIQUE captured my attention immediately, opening with one of Attia’s attempts to get the Glove. We are already fairly well aware of how Incarceron as well as the Protocol-mandated “real world” operates, and thus the stakes can be all the higher in this sequel. Catherine Fisher loves to write chapters with nail-biting endings that just force you to keep on reading. It’s fast-paced and utterly brilliant.
Incarceron and SAPPHIQUE are part of that rare type of novel where the fast-paced expansiveness of the story excuses weaknesses in characterization. Some readers will still not like Finn, Claudia, Keiro, or Attia in this second book—but they are not really meant to be liked. They are people stuck in life-or-death situations, and they can’t afford to be nice, for to be nice is to lose.
So SAPPHIQUE’s appeal lies not in its characters, but rather in the way Catherine Fisher can tell a story that keeps you glued to the pages. The ending may frustrate some readers, but personally I thought it was the perfect ending to the story, and something that had been building up for a while. SAPPHIQUE is a must-read if you were a fan of Incarceron, and I can only hope that Catherine Fisher will write more extraordinary books in the very near future!
Whereas Incarceron took me a couple of chapters to get into, SAPPHIQUE captured my attention immediately, opening with one of Attia’s attempts to get the Glove. We are already fairly well aware of how Incarceron as well as the Protocol-mandated “real world” operates, and thus the stakes can be all the higher in this sequel. Catherine Fisher loves to write chapters with nail-biting endings that just force you to keep on reading. It’s fast-paced and utterly brilliant.
Incarceron and SAPPHIQUE are part of that rare type of novel where the fast-paced expansiveness of the story excuses weaknesses in characterization. Some readers will still not like Finn, Claudia, Keiro, or Attia in this second book—but they are not really meant to be liked. They are people stuck in life-or-death situations, and they can’t afford to be nice, for to be nice is to lose.
So SAPPHIQUE’s appeal lies not in its characters, but rather in the way Catherine Fisher can tell a story that keeps you glued to the pages. The ending may frustrate some readers, but personally I thought it was the perfect ending to the story, and something that had been building up for a while. SAPPHIQUE is a must-read if you were a fan of Incarceron, and I can only hope that Catherine Fisher will write more extraordinary books in the very near future!
scarylions's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jaklettke's review against another edition
3.0
The direct continuation of Incarceron, this book wraps up some of the mysteries presented in the first part. Then it introduces a whole new twist to keep you imagining what the characters do with their lives even after this book finishes.
I'd pick this up again for a light read.
I'd pick this up again for a light read.
angelacolon_'s review against another edition
3.0
Estos libros son taaaan pesados de leer, aunque si son entretenidos por momentos solo queria saber que era lo que pasaba y no entrar en tantos detalles. En lo general me gusto pero ese final, ESE FINAL! Que rayos le pasa a esta mujer para dejar un final asi, a menos que haya otro libro lo cual por lo que se no hay, siento que fue un final muy abierto. En fin creo que si se merece esas 3 estrellas :)
getthatbagel's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
punkassbookjockey84's review against another edition
5.0
Enjoyed much more than the first. I had trouble getting into Incarceron until towards the end of the book, but this one I read in two days--I couldn't put it down.
luciearan's review against another edition
4.0
Tak druhý díl byl, alespoň pro mě, rozhodně lepší než ten první. Zajímavější, akčnější. Tato série je celkově velice neotřelá a nestandartní, je to naprosto něco jiného, než s čím jsem se prozatím setkala a i když jsem u prvního dílu byla navážkách, druhý díl se skutečně povedl.
jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Upsides: Fast pace, lots of questions (some of which get answered, others which don't, by the end of book), high tension, interesting intertextual references, philosophical questions about life to ponder. Downsides: abrupt, sometimes hard to follow shifts in points of view; not enough relationship development, particularly between Finn and Claudia.
deborahharroun's review against another edition
3.0
First read through was a 4 star - second was a 3 star