Book Review: Sapphique

Sapphique, by Catherine Fisher is the sequel to Incarceron.

Finn has escaped the prison Incarceron, leaving behind his friends Attia and Keiro. Attia and Keiro still search for a way to escape, and are given hope in the form of a glove that supposedly belonged to the legendary Sapphique, the man who supposedly tricked the prison into letting him escape years ago. But Incarceron itself is tired of being trapped in his prison and is determined to form a body of his own and escape, using the glove. Meanwhile, Finn has not given up on his friends and, together with Claudia and Jared, is trying to find a way to bring people through to the Outside. But the Outside has its own share of troubles. The Queen sends Jared away, refuses to let Claudia be the next Warden as her father was, and will do anything to stop Finn from taking his rightful place as Prince Giles.

Fisher’s incredible world of a sentient prison and an Outside world where Protocol forbids more advanced technology is fascinating and riveting. The characters, whether likeable or not, are impossible to resist. I actually enjoyed this sequel even more than the first. The suspense and drama seemed to increase, with plenty of mystery and surprises. Though the ending leaves plenty to the imagination, I found the resolution completely satisfying. A fantastic, science fiction/steampunk novel for young adult and adults alike, this duology is not to be missed.

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