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Book Review of Sapphique (Incarceron, Bk 2)

Sapphique (Incarceron, Bk 2)
GeniusJen avatar reviewed on + 5322 more book reviews


Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

The end of SAPPHIQUE's prequel saw Finn released from sentient prison INCARCERON, but life Outside has not brought him the peace of mind he desired. Four months after his escape finds Finn still struggling with the inherent treachery and protocol required by court life. Couple that with the overwhelming guilt he feels for leaving his oath brother, Keiko, and friend, Attia, behind Inside, Finn has sunk into despair.

So deep is his depression, he's become useless in helping the Warden's daughter, Claudia, and her beloved tutor, Jared, search for a way back into Incarceron. The situation worsens when a young man who bears a striking resemblance to him challenges Finn's claim as the long-lost throne heir, Prince Giles.

Back inside the prison, Keiko and Attia search for their own means of escape: Sapphique's legendary magical glove. But Finn's prolonged absence and the increasing desperation of their situation - plagues, scarcity of supplies, entire sections of the prison shutting down - stretches their loyalties to the breaking point. As their enemies close in, each pair is in a race against time to save their very lives.

After reading both books in Catherine Fisher's duology, SAPPHIQUE emerges most decidedly as my favorite. While INCARCERON beautifully established this rich and complex world, the sequel brings more heart to the narrative. In SAPPHIQUE, we get a deeper exploration of the characters, a maturing of their perspectives, and a resolution of plot with the possibility of more stories to be mined in the future.