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Sapphique (Incarceron #2)

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 10,308 ratings · 1,295 reviews

Finn has escaped Incarceron only to find that he must defend his right to the throne from another challenger. His life and Claudia's hang on Finn convincing the Court that he is the lost prince, even though he has his own doubts about being the true heir.

Paperback, 470 pages

Published September 18th 2008 by Hodder Children's Books (first published 2008)

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Dec 06, 2010 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ya-kids-teen, series-books, dystopian, penguin, annoying-protagonist, mc-guy

I give this about a B/B- - somewhere in between "Pretty good" and "Very nice".

This book was pretty good. I think I enjoyed it more than Incarceron, pretty much because I was familiar enough with the basic storyline and didn’t have to spend so much time figuring everything out. The pacing was pretty good, but the last 100 pages really, REALLY dragged…and it got to the point where I came dangerously close to not caring anymore…that’s not usually a good sign.

And yet…

I don’t want to make it sound...more I give this about a B/B- - somewhere in between "Pretty good" and "Very nice".

This book was pretty good. I think I enjoyed it more than Incarceron, pretty much because I was familiar enough with the basic storyline and didn’t have to spend so much time figuring everything out. The pacing was pretty good, but the last 100 pages really, REALLY dragged…and it got to the point where I came dangerously close to not caring anymore…that’s not usually a good sign.

And yet…

I don’t want to make it sound like I didn’t like the book, because I did…but Catherine Fisher is not the greatest author on the planet, and her writing style actually aggravated me. You know the phrase “show, don’t tell”? Well, she pretty much tells how characters feel/act, she doesn’t show. Characterization is definitely not her strong suit in this series – everybody was pretty wooden and it was hard for me to relate to them because they didn’t seem very real. There was just this hollow, shell-like feel to her characters and that was a major distraction. Claudia, in particular, was just incredibly frustrating. She was easier to relate to in Incarceron because you understood *why* she acted like such a conceited brat. In Sapphique, pretty much all of her conflicts have been resolved, so why is she still so MEAN?! It was stuff like this that made reading Sapphique a bit cumbersome. I didn’t really like Keiro, either, because to me he seems like the embodiment of Evil: he’s an individual with pretty much no conscience – he doesn’t know compassion or humility, and according some of my teachers (and the Harry Potter series), true evil is that which is excessively vain and devoid of compassion or consideration for others. I’ll admit it: I like it when characters “get their comeuppance” and he didn’t get any comeuppance!

Also, the ending…very mediocre and a bit bizarre. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the ending just really didn’t make sense if you take into account the overall story. It seems like Catherine Fisher spent so much time creating this really intense situation, and then the ending comes and it’s “ta da! We’re finished now! The end!” I think the first thing I said when I finished Sapphique was, “ohhhkay…I’m hungry.”
Let’s compare that to another book…oh, say…The Last Olympian. I finished that book and was like, “OMG!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO READ NOW?!?!?!” *hyperventilates*

It was a pretty engrossing read, most of the way through. Catherine’s exceptionally imaginative, and the Incarceron series is one of the most thoroughly original books I’ve ever read in my life. However, her books aren’t the best books I’ve ever read. Strengths: creativity and action. Weaknesses: very wooden and shallow characters and a spiraling last 100 pages…and a lackluster ending.

(less)

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Mar 12, 2011 rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, sci-fi-fantasy, read-for-one-of-four-book-clubs, own, 2011

Sometimes when I'm sitting on the couch at night reading, loopy with exhaustion, I look over at my cats and start thinking about how weird it is that they're sentient beings who have feelings and communicate in ways that I will never understand. Then I pass out with my book on my face. But if you are like me and have a hard enough time grasping animal consciousness, then you will probably also have a hard time taking seriously the idea that a prison is not only a sentient being but wants to buil...more Sometimes when I'm sitting on the couch at night reading, loopy with exhaustion, I look over at my cats and start thinking about how weird it is that they're sentient beings who have feelings and communicate in ways that I will never understand. Then I pass out with my book on my face. But if you are like me and have a hard enough time grasping animal consciousness, then you will probably also have a hard time taking seriously the idea that a prison is not only a sentient being but wants to build a human body to escape -- from itself.

That is one of the story lines in Sapphique, which I hadn't planned to read upon finishing Incarceron until my YA book club's fabulous discussion of that book. We were all curious: Would Keiro and Attia ever escape the prison too? Is Finn Giles? Is the Sapphique mythology just a myth or a true story? Would anything ever come of Jared and Claudia's father/brother/lover relationship (as we had all taken to calling it)? Emphasis on lover, because that's what about half of us wanted to happen and half of us thought was icky. I'll let you guess which camp I fall into. If you know my thoughts regarding smart older men, it shouldn't be too tough.

I want to be nice because the last chapter of this book is really fabulous and moving and tricky; after reading it, I wanted immediately to rate the book higher than it deserves. Some of the images are executed very well -- I loved the dark carnival feel of the opening scenes featuring Rix and Attia, previewed at the end of Incarceron -- and Fisher's prose continues to be rich and poetic, compared to the blander norms of YA writing.

But, in the interest of honesty, the book is a mess. Fisher has got so much mad genius subterfuge going on here that I had to keep flipping back through the pages, wondering if I had missed something or if a twist really had come out of nowhere. There's bouncing back and forth many times per chapter, from Keiro and Attia in the prison trying to find the portal to escape, to Finn and Claudia trying to prove to both the Realm and themselves that Finn is the rightful Heir to the throne, to Jared researching the portal himself, to Incarceron (hilariously) wanting to escape itself. I tired quickly of how much action was happening, but how little these subsequent plots were being furthered as the pages piled up, how little the characters I'd grown to like by the end of the first book were developed. To reference a metaphor from the book: yeah, I guess they were all just pawns after all.

Pawns to what purpose? I couldn't even tell you. I can't imagine how others have digested this book amidst the convoluted layers. Is it a noble cause to want to stop Incarceron from abandoning itself, leaving its prisoners to die without food and warmth, as Attia wants? Sure. And once you get past the silliness of a prison wanting to escape itself, it's cool to think about the idea of artificial intelligence becoming so intelligent that it wants its own freedom. I would read another book about that -- one that gives the idea more space and me more breathing time to think it through before sending me into some inconsequential sword fight with a (regrettably, not ass-to-mouth) human centipede or a climb up or down yet another chain-link ladder for what seems like 50 pages or whatever.(less)

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May 29, 2011 Indigo rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who liked Incarceron

Shelves: reviewed, some-favorites, favorite-series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. WHAT?! It's over! And the ending was maddening!!! Absolutely maddening! But, let me backtrack a bit.

Plot: Slow in parts. But overall, I liked the way it moved along. This book was full of action and suspense, like Incarceron. I liked how there were many plot lines running at once, with many different characters. I actually liked how the point of view changed around a lot, because it gave me a look in everyone's motives. It was fairy unpredictable, which was cool in parts and aggravating in othe...more WHAT?! It's over! And the ending was maddening!!! Absolutely maddening! But, let me backtrack a bit.

Plot: Slow in parts. But overall, I liked the way it moved along. This book was full of action and suspense, like Incarceron. I liked how there were many plot lines running at once, with many different characters. I actually liked how the point of view changed around a lot, because it gave me a look in everyone's motives. It was fairy unpredictable, which was cool in parts and aggravating in others.

Characters: I actually like these characters. The characters are the reason that I ordered this book from the U.K. so I wouldn't have to wait for it to be released in the U.S. The characters in this one were still the characters I loved (well, I loved most of them). I'm still rooting for Jared/Claudia, even though I've finished the book. Jared is still my favorite character, and the relationship between him and Claudia was great. There were more Jared/Claudia moments in this book, which I loved. But, they're totally separated in the end, and that's maddening. They love each other, so why do they have to be separated? I wasn't a huge Attia fan in the last book, but I really liked her in this one. Maybe that's the result of seeing more from her point of view. Although, I really wish she'd been able to teach Keiro a lesson. In fact, he's the one character I didn't like. There were times where I did, and then didn't again. I guess the reason I didn't like him more was because he didn't learn anything or change at all. I kept waiting for karma to come and beat him over the head, and it never happened. I still loved to hate Sia and her son, and the Warden. Finn however, bothered me a bit in this book. He got mopey and annoying. And I really don't think Finn and Claudia should get married. For one, I want her to be with Jared, and two, I just plain don't see that.

Ending: Maddening. Just. Plain. Maddening. Jared's fate wasn't unpredictable, but the fate of the Outside Realm was. I also really don't want Claudia to marry Finn. Anyways, it was maddening because there's not another sequel. It's maddening because it's the end of the road.

Writing: I don't mean to say anything bad about the writing (because Catherine Fisher is brilliant), although I do have a few complaints here. Catherine Fisher is brilliant for her ideas and characters, but sometimes she's not as good at going into her character's emotions. There were so many points where she could have had the relationships between characters grow or become more complicated, and make the story even more interesting, and she didn't. Which kind of bothered me. But, I have to give her credit for the brilliant idea of Incarceron, Sapphique, and for creating good characters (even if I don't like Keiro, I do think Attia could bring out a better side of him). I am keeping my fingers crossed for another sequel, if only to delve deeper into the emotions and motives of the characters and tie up the loose ends.

Overall: It was good, but not as good as Incarceron. I had high hopes for a sequel with more emotion, and just as much action, and I got some of that. Incarceron was better, but I did really like Sapphique. If you liked Incarceron, you should read this one. It goes deeper into the backgrounds of some characters, it brings minor characters into the limelight, and it explains more in Incarceron, the Outer Realm, Jared's illness, and Sapphique. Despite my complaints, I really, really liked this book.(less)

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Nov 14, 2008 R.j. rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 02, 2010 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-scifi-pics, ya

I was so interested to read the follow-up to Incarceron that I ordered the UK version of Sapphique so I wouldn't have to wait until December to find out what happened to Finn and Claudia (and c'mon, having a UK edition is pretty cool, too).

MILD SPOILERS:

In Fisher's sequel, Finn's been sprung out of one prison and into another -- as future king of the Realm, he's trapped in all the usual politicking. He still can't remember his past life as Prince Giles, and he's plagued by memories (Keiro, trap...more I was so interested to read the follow-up to Incarceron that I ordered the UK version of Sapphique so I wouldn't have to wait until December to find out what happened to Finn and Claudia (and c'mon, having a UK edition is pretty cool, too).

MILD SPOILERS:

In Fisher's sequel, Finn's been sprung out of one prison and into another -- as future king of the Realm, he's trapped in all the usual politicking. He still can't remember his past life as Prince Giles, and he's plagued by memories (Keiro, trapped in Incarceron; the Maestra's death) and the lack thereof; he's got nothing but strange seizures and blackouts to back his claims of tampered memory, and a second Prince Giles has showed up to challenge Finn's claims. While Claudia handles the court intrigue, Jared tries to figure out a way to open the Portal, and what to do about the illness that is out to kill him sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, back at the ~~ranch~~hell that is Incarceron, Keiro and Attia are chasing after the eluse Sapphique's glove as their emergency exit out of the prison, and mixing it up with run-ins with the Warden and a strange magician named Rix. Throw in some strange Sapphique apparitions, a disintegrating Realm, and a war, and you've got another action-packed story.

But there were some cons: 1. Many narrative changes, and it's not always smooth or pretty. Everything's in second person, but even within a page the author switches between perspectives so much that it's a little distracting. I kept asking myself, wait, who thinks this? Finn or Claudia? Jared? 2. Not enough Incarceron. After that whole dark, horrible, awesome world was established in book one, there just wasn't enough of it in book two. We see it in Keiro and Attia's adventures, but they always seem to be on the fringe or on the borders, in these strange exceptions-to-the-rule kind of places. 3. Not enough Finn, Claudia, and Attia. Poor Finn -- this guy takes a beating and has to keep going, over and over again. Book one built up so much anticipation for his reunion with Claudia, but in the end, it was a let-down. She's cold and frustrated, and doubts his identity. He's desperate for affirmation and gets none. Meanwhile, Attia is desperate to see Finn again, but he barely gives her a thought -- he's too worried about Keiro. The author points this out to us repeatedly, which set me up for some kind of story there, but then left all those threads hanging when the book finished (and to my knowledge, this is only a set of two -- no trilogy planned). I would have loved to see Claudia and Finn's relationship deepen to the point that she's forced to make choices about who she believes Finn really is, independent of facts and proof, and that never really happened.

Nevertheless, there are some major pluses here that kept the sequel from completely falling flat: 1. lots of action, as stated above. I never sighed with boredom or had to plod through long, dry conversations. Fisher really moves the pace. 2. More Jared and Keiro. I loved those guys in the first book, and there's so much more to them in the second. I guarantee, you'll like Keiro better once you're done reading. 3. no simple answers. Incarceron is small and big, Inside and Out. The mystery of who Sapphique is gets more convoluted, and although the questions of what makes reality, imprisonment and freedom are sort of Matrix-y, there's a fair degree of originality here, too. Sapphique somehow manages to span all cultures in the book, Out and In, and multiple histories and narratives. Everything about his story that Fisher eludes to (I love those little quotes at the beginning of the chapter) just ups the mystery factor.

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Feb 01, 2011 Jessica Vitela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-and-creepy, dystopian, fantasy, favorites, fierce-ladies, sci-fi, theres-a-prince-yall, ya, reviewed-books, steampunk, pretty-prose

I swear that people simply must not get this series (I say “series” hopefully, because for right now it looks like there will only be the two books). I don’t mean that in some kind of pretentious, exclusive way, it’s just my only rationalization for why both books are only thisclose to being 4 stars. Are the wrong people reading them? Are people going in with certain, um, expectations and not feeling that they’re met? Do people just not want to do any real thinking?

I really need to stop sounding...more

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Jul 02, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-mt-bookpile

I loved Incarceron, and perhaps had too high hopes for Sapphique... it's a good sequel, but not a great sequel. Part of that may have been my hope that it would be more like Fire was to Graceling than an addition to the original story - there's no reason for me to have thought that just wishing.

Anyway, Sapphique picks up shortly after Finn Escapes to Outside, with Claudia and Jared trying to figure out how to work the Portal and Sia trying to prove that Finn is not Prince Giles; Inside, Keiko an...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Nely rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, for-review

Sapphique!!! Oh yes, the follow-up to Incarceron. WARNING: If you have not read Incarceron please do not read the following review as it does contain mild spoilers... just know that it rocked just as much as the first and you should quickly run to your nearest bookseller and get both books stat.

In this sequel to Incarceron, Finn has left the only world that ~~he's ever known~~ he can remember and is now in a new one... the outside. But it definitely is not the paradise that he envisioned. As future...more Sapphique!!! Oh yes, the follow-up to Incarceron. WARNING: If you have not read Incarceron please do not read the following review as it does contain mild spoilers... just know that it rocked just as much as the first and you should quickly run to your nearest bookseller and get both books stat.

In this sequel to Incarceron, Finn has left the only world that ~~he's ever known~~ he can remember and is now in a new one... the outside. But it definitely is not the paradise that he envisioned. As future king of the Realm, he is under heavy scrutiny as to his whereabouts for the years he was missing. He still does not remember that he was Prince Giles, his seizures and blackouts continue, and to make matters worse, an impostor acting as the "real" Prince Giles has come to challenge Finn's claims.

Claudia believes Finn is the missing prince but there is so much court intrigue, deception and even death threats that she has to constantly be on guard, all while Jared spends his time trying to re-open the portal to Incarceron and, of course, keep himself alive long enough to get it done - since his health is rapidly declining.

Meanwhile, Keiro and Attia are still in Incarceron. It's been months since Finn escaped and they no longer trust nor believe that he will be back for them. They have decided that if they want out, they must do it on their own. Thus, they are on a mission to find Sapphique's Glove - rumored to be an emergency exit out of the prison. But as always, the prison has its own agenda and it wants the glove for itself and will stop at nothing to get it.

What an amazing adventure Sapphique was. I honestly felt much more comfortable reading this second installment. Ms. Fisher's writing felt more fluid, it was more fast-paced, there weren't as many ups and downs as there were in Incarceron, it was more steady when it came to action, adventure and just keeping you at the edge of your seat - it was a definite thrill ride. Once again I really felt connected to these characters. I went through the same emotions they were going through - and let me tell you this was one angst-filled book. I felt my heart at my throat more than once. There were so many things going on that I just was never sure where it was going to go.

All in all, this was a very satisfying sequel. I think I might even like it more than Incarceron. It is full of adventure, danger, excitement, and a few surprises (which I didn't see coming). My only concern is whether or not this is the end of the story...? I mean, it does resolve satisfactorily, and most of my questions were answered, and this seems like the end (and very likely is the end) but I still felt like there should be more. I think (and hope) Ms. Fisher left an opening for a possible third book... that's my opinion. Then again I am biased since I am in love with the world created in these books. I'll just keep my fingers crossed in the hopes that she'll succumb and give me us more. Phenomenal.(less)

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May 13, 2013 Holly rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 08, 2013 Red Solo Cup rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like steampunk and sci-fi

Recommended to Red Solo Cup by: Incarceron

Shelves: steampunk, science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, mystery, series-ending, contemporary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Honestly I didn't think that this sequel would be any good, but I was proven wrong and it turned not all that bad. However, the ending still has me a bit perplexed.

I felt that this book was a bit more fast paced than the first one and it seemed to go places quicker. However, like I said earlier this book blew me away with the ending. But I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but I'll get to that in a bit...

First off, it is in this book where we realize that it is truly a dystopia. I didn't...more Honestly I didn't think that this sequel would be any good, but I was proven wrong and it turned not all that bad. However, the ending still has me a bit perplexed.

I felt that this book was a bit more fast paced than the first one and it seemed to go places quicker. However, like I said earlier this book blew me away with the ending. But I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but I'll get to that in a bit...

First off, it is in this book where we realize that it is truly a dystopia. I didn't see it very much in the first one, but this book portrays the government as a corrupt force that has masked it true self (and quite literally at that.) It has given people false hope and security by creating the Protocol and all the technology to make the people believe that they are happy and comfortable. This is what a dystopia is, and this is an accurate representation of a controlling government which many young adult dystopian books seem to forget.

Then, of course, we meet "The Pretender" who is this look alike prince who claims to be Giles, but is actually a random person in a spell to look like Giles. A bit on the cliche side and a bit unnecessary, but interesting as well. Also, Jared discovers the portal to go to and from the prison and Keiro becomes this cool magic wielding dude....yipee! And then Keiro finally finds Incarceron's glove only to put it on himself instead of giving it back to the prison. Then, Jared puts on the glove and it is revealed that he was Sapphique the whole time!

This brings me back to the ending. Either I was hallucinating or I need to take reading lessons, but did Jared's mind absorb the prison? Or was it the other way around? Not only that but is he a prisoner again? I still don't really have any idea how the ending happened or how it even works but there it is.....just there.....
I don't know it's still really confusing. I'll even read it again if I have to but I will not abmit stupidity! I refuse to take the walk of shame!

Anyways. Something that also bugged me a little the the overall genre. I kept getting the feeling that this book (and the first one) was a science fiction, yet a majority of stores and readers tag it as a fantasy. Then there's the "science fiction fantasy" department. However, let me just say that science fiction fantasy can't really be considered a genre and here's why. When looked at individually science fiction is fiction based on the science of man, this is not limited to the science that we currently have today. In fact, many futuristic novels are tagged as science fiction because they define what science could be in the near of very far future. Fantasy however, is a genre that deals with the concepts of magic and things that are beyond any explanation (with, ladies and gentlemen, includes science). Fantasy is based off folklore and legends; things we know could never happen in any lifetime no matter how advanced science becomes. It revolves mainly around the concepts of mythology and magic which are definitely not obtainable through science.

With that said, this book mentions the Protocol and technology used to fabric the current society. Also, everything about the prison is technologically advanced. So therefore, I'm sticking to tagging this a science fiction. (less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Lark rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a lot less satisfying to read than the first book, Incarceron. No longer was there a brand new world to discover and new characters to get to know.
Instead, we fall deep into confusion with a thinner plot line this time around.

There was almost nothing holding the plot together - it was one problem after another thrown at you. Of course the main goals were to get Keiro out and also to be crowned King. But those were lost in the mass of new information, subterfuge, and a strange scifi sc...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Alex Watkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, steam-punk, science-fiction, fantasy, medieval, dystopia, apocalypse, young-adult

As you may be able to tell from the ridiculous number of tags I gave this book, there is a bit of genre melding going on here. In many ways it resembles Japanese manga: a future that looks like the past in the aftermath of some cataclysmic war. But in other respects it is more like American Sci-Fi with a fearsome AI that has broken lose of its programming, a HAL that has quite a bit more than two astronauts in his grasps. This is the sequel to Incarceron, and I have to say it's just as good if n...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I honestly like Sapphique better than Incarceron, but that's mainly because we got more of the mythology surrounding the titular character and also there was considerably less Keiro. (Keiro is a jerk. Just saying.)

The second novel of the pair tends to...hmm, how to put this? It was sort of like reading the third Pirates of the Carribean movie in book-form. There are several antagonists and the plot threads start to get rather tangled, but Fisher handles it pretty well. I never felt like I was co...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Taiba rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. so right after i finished incarceron, i really wanted to find out what would happen to keiro and attia and how finn would help them.

first of all, im really disappointed by how it ended.

i enjoyed the story, but i really wished there were some romance. some character development.

she is good on the adventure part, which i like, but i also like some romance in there.

the only reason i kept reading this book is because i wanted to find out who is going to end up with who and how will they save themse...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Celestemycelestial.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, dystopian-stories

Sequel to Incarceron where the further adventures of Fin and his other companions play out on the Inside and Outside. Four stars because it's a rollicking good adventure and the author really created an amazing and detailed world.
I know a lot of folks say the characters were underdeveloped and not very special but hey look at Harry Potter. Not especially bright or devoted to his craft yet he always comes out on top.
Fin and Kiero really seemed to need each other. Maybe Kiero is Fin's doppelgänger...more

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May 17, 2012 Julianne rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First of all, I have to say the plot itself was horribly confusing for me and there was a lot that wasn't clearly explained. Not only that, I absolutely hated Claudia in this sequel. Fisher built up Incarceron in a way that leaves you anticipating a growing relationship between Claudia and Finn. If not, I at least expected a comfortable companionship or alliance. However, Claudia is constantly cold towards Finn and is always doubting him. Her main focus is always whether or not Finn is Giles. Sh...more

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May 07, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the sequel to Incarceron. There are two worlds that intersect: the prison of Incarceron, which is alive, and the outer realm of kings and other royalty. When Giles was younger, he was killed presumably. Now Finn, who has been in the prison but is now out, must figure out if he is really Giles. When another Giles shows up on the scene, Claudia is torn. Who is the real Giles?
Furthermore, Keiro and Attia are inside and trying to figure out how to escape. Did Finn leave them and forget all...more

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Apr 14, 2012 V.E. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Incarceron was passable but this book was just incoherent. Halfway through the "action" I was checking to see how many pages were left and that's never a good sign.

What was the power source for the kingdom and how were they able to mask the true state of their infrastructure? (If things were so bad, then how would a mere illusion stop buildings from crumbling?) How was their food and water provided?

The parts set in the Incarceron became tedious, especially in the later part with Rix (because h...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

Finn has escaped the prison, Incarceron. Or has he just substituted one prison for another?

This action-packed sequel to Incarceron has many twists and turns as Finn finds that being the heir to the throne is just as suffocating as being in prison. He still has spells and is very depressed until an imposter rises to claim he is the prince. Finn’s life is in danger as he and Claudia search to reopen the portal to the prison freeing the warden who is trapped there and knows the truth about Finn’s b...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Lynn rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 06, 2012 Sarah Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alas, I still couldn't find it in me to give this book 5 stars. My hopes were too high, it seemed.

Nonetheless, I must say that these two books have been a very good read.

The story of Incarceron and Sapphique turned out to be more of an adventure or an epic tale than I initially anticipated, but as I expected, many things came together towards the end of this book. I found it intriguing how some of the more prominent characters overall ended up playing out lower roles in the grand scheme of thing...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Jenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, young-adult

Reviews and more on my blog.

I enjoyed reading Incarceron and was excited to read what happened next. Sapphique was a solid sequel. The writing is decent and the plot was interesting. Like Incarceron it changes viewpoints, unlike Incarceron it wasn't limited to two character perspectives.

I think the shifting viewpoints was a bit of a weakness in this book as it slowed the climax and made the last part of the book less exciting. Attia has a substantial amount of the story and she wasn't one of my...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Spark740 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, Incarceron was good enough to read the sequel. Verdict? MUCH better. Wow! The only reason Sapphique isn't getting a 5/5 is for two uses of "b-----". The prose is excellent; linguistical style sensitive, effective, and not drawn out. Claudia continues to be a bit of a tool throughout but that is her character, I suppose. Although the new aspects of the quest for the Glove and the Pretender are introduced, the transition is smooth and does not throw the reader off. There were only two funny...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Vern Whitt rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's often difficult, in my mind, for a book to be as good, or maybe even better than the first. However, I think Sapphique nears that achievement. Catherine Fisher is an articulate and talented storyteller. In this day of copycat, manufactured literature (especially this genre), I feel as though storytellers are rare and writers are plentiful.

The story of Finn, Claudia, Keiro, and Attia matures well, and twists in some ways that I did not predict. Overall, one of the things that I enjoy most ab...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Andrew Shuping rated it 2 of 5 stars

I felt the same way about this book as I did with the first one in the series, disappointed. It has such a great premise, a hidden unescapable prison and a world living in a past era all joined together with a lost prince. But there are so many unanswered questions! And I don't mean just little nagging ones, but huge pivotal points of the plot. It's mentioned many times that the world experienced some kinda of catastrophe and so they put themselves back in a past era (this also plays a pivotal r...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Anna B rated it 2 of 5 stars

[This review covers both books in the Incarceron series.]

Age Group: YA (utterly gratuitous mature language; mild graphic violence)
Pages: 448, 480
Rating: Idea 5★; Execution 2★
Genre: dystopia, sci-fi, & (some) fantasy with overtones of steampunk

Total: ★★1/2

Claudia lives in The Realm—a place where an Era of Victorianesque habit and aesthetic is enforced by a malevolent monarchy. She dreams only of escape from the life that has been planned for her. Her only solace is her tutor, Jared, who has b...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a rare find, a sequel that is as enjoyable as its predecessor. In the first book, our hero, Finn escapes the sentient prison, Incarceron. He swears to return and free his oath-brother, Kiero, and his friend Attia. But Finn finds that Outside is as much a prison in its way. If Finn expected to be greeted with joy as the lost Prince, he was much misled. Even his rescuer and supporter, Claudia, did not react as he hoped. Evil Queen Sia, his step-mother, wanted nothing less than his death. T...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some books you read, expecting it to be a failure, or planning to hate it with all your might- and then the author squashes all your attempts at being a hater because she's just that good.

I don't know if it's because of my age, but I loved this book. The world Fisher describes, while run-down and ghastly, feels beautiful through her words. It's well worth it if you're a fan of post-apocalyptal/group-of-kids-with-close-relationships-save-the-world(sorta), or if you're looking for a good adventur...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I had a really hard time getting into this one. I remembered really liking Incarceron, as odd as it was, and being very excited about the second book in the series, but I feel slightly let-down.

For one, I had a difficult time connecting with the characters. Part of that may be due to the fact that the point of view shifted around to so many characters that it was difficult to get a true sense of the character. Kiero was a fabulously well-written character, but I really had no sympathy for him. I...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

I just finished this book and I'm not sure if I like it or not. I read Incarceron as well and one thing I feel about both books is that the ending left me feeling rather unfulfilled. There wasn't the sound, complete resolution that you hope for where everything feels happy. I think she tried that with this one, but I just wasn't feeling it. Overall, a good book and I do like how she wrapped everything up, though I'm not sure all the problems were solved. There is some wiggle room here if she wan...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Were you disappointed with the point that nobody 'ended up together' in Sapphique? Which pair do you support and why?	21	106	Jan 23, 2013 07:34pm
Attia and Keiro?	4	33	Nov 07, 2012 05:31pm
Should I read Incarceron first?	7	19	Sep 02, 2012 01:47pm
the ending	3	38	Jul 19, 2012 04:15pm
Is this the last?	17	95	Jun 06, 2012 04:31pm

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About Catherine Fisher

Catherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.

Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups o...more

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Books by Catherine Fisher

The Oracle Betrayed (The Oracle Prophecies, #1)

The Sphere of Secrets (The Oracle Prophecies, #2)

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Trivia About Sapphique

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Quotes from Sapphique

“Once Incarceron became a dragon, and a Prisoner crawled into his lair. They made a wager. They would ask each other riddles, and the one who could not answer would lose. It it was the man, he would give his life. The Prison offered a secret way of Escape. But even as the man agreed, he felt its hidden laughter.
They played for a year and a day. The lights stayed dark. The dead were not removed. Food was not provided. The Prison ignored the cries of its inmates.
Sapphique was the man. He had one riddle left. He said, "What is the Key that unlocks the heart?"
For a day Incarceron thought. For two days. For three. Then it said, "If I ever knew the answer, I have forgotten it."
--Sapphique in the Tunnels of Madness” — 19 people liked it

“The Stars.
Jared slept beneath them, uneasy in the rustling leaves.

From the battlements Finn gazed up at them, seeing the impossible distances between galaxies and nebulae, and thinking they were not as wide as the distances between people.

In the study Claudia sensed them, in the sparks and crackles on the screen.

In the prison, Attia dreamt of them, She sat curled on the hard chair, Rix repacking his hidden pockets obsessively with coins and glass discs and hidden handkerchiefs.

A single spark flickered deep in the coin Keiro spun and caught, spun and caught.” — 18 people liked it

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Sapphique (Incarceron #2)

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