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A review by booksong
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
4.0
While not quite up to par with the tour-de-force that was Incarceron, I was very satisfied with this sequel and close to a fascinating tale of a living Prison and the Prisoners both inside and out.
Finn has Escaped Incarceron, but he's not at all sure that he's free anymore. Trapped by a web of court intrigue and palace enemies, Finn still isn't sure in his heart of hearts that he is the lost prince Giles. And his moodiness draws doubt from those around him, even his strong supporters like Claudia and her gentle mentor, the Sapient scholar Jared. And when an Impostor arrives at court claiming to be Giles as well, Finn is going to have to make a choice once and for all as to the fate of the Realm.
Within the depths of Incarceron, the former slave Attia and Finn's wild oathbrother Keiro are still trapped, left behind in the wake of his Escape. Claudia's father the Warden also skulks somewhere within the prison. But Incarceron is more unstable than ever before, and some think even it is dreaming of escape.
With the world both inside and outside on the verge of breakdown, each character will have to come to terms with true reality, if they can discern what it even means anymore.
The plot sometimes jumped around too much or had odd pacing, and I would have liked some scenes with the inhabitants of Incarceron to have been extended (like the Cygni). The plot itself was slower-paced and not as riveting as the first book, but I must say I really enjoyed the last few chapters and ending. I thought the author's writing shone when the truly mystical, mind-bending twists and aspects of the story finally came to light and everything was tied together, and that really touched me. The ending was surprisingly satisfying to me, despite its abruptness, and I liked that it hinted at so much in the future while leaving much to the imagination.
In the end, a wonderful duality with an incredibly original idea and characters.
Finn has Escaped Incarceron, but he's not at all sure that he's free anymore. Trapped by a web of court intrigue and palace enemies, Finn still isn't sure in his heart of hearts that he is the lost prince Giles. And his moodiness draws doubt from those around him, even his strong supporters like Claudia and her gentle mentor, the Sapient scholar Jared. And when an Impostor arrives at court claiming to be Giles as well, Finn is going to have to make a choice once and for all as to the fate of the Realm.
Within the depths of Incarceron, the former slave Attia and Finn's wild oathbrother Keiro are still trapped, left behind in the wake of his Escape. Claudia's father the Warden also skulks somewhere within the prison. But Incarceron is more unstable than ever before, and some think even it is dreaming of escape.
With the world both inside and outside on the verge of breakdown, each character will have to come to terms with true reality, if they can discern what it even means anymore.
The plot sometimes jumped around too much or had odd pacing, and I would have liked some scenes with the inhabitants of Incarceron to have been extended (like the Cygni). The plot itself was slower-paced and not as riveting as the first book, but I must say I really enjoyed the last few chapters and ending. I thought the author's writing shone when the truly mystical, mind-bending twists and aspects of the story finally came to light and everything was tied together, and that really touched me. The ending was surprisingly satisfying to me, despite its abruptness, and I liked that it hinted at so much in the future while leaving much to the imagination.
In the end, a wonderful duality with an incredibly original idea and characters.