Monday, August 8, 2011

REVIEW: Incarceron



Incarceron (Incarceron #1)
by Catherine Fisher
Genre: YA, Steampunk
BUY: Amazon / B&N
My Copy: Library Audio Book
RATING: 


Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...



REVIEW:

I love The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I've been on the hunt for another Dystopian book. So I put Incareron on my TBR list. Then last week I ran across it on CD in the library and check it out.

I was half through listening to Incarceron and I felt like I had missed some important information and was lost on some of the plot so I started over and there was still a few times I was a little confused about some of the characters. I don’t know if it was because I was listening to it while I was working and just tuning out from time to time or if it was how the book was written.

Things that really bugged me about Incarceron was the fact that the narrator read the characters with a British accent so I don’t know if the story was set in England or if that was just how the director wanted the actress to read the parts. Incarceron is one of those books where you don’t know if the setting is in the “real” world or a “made” up world. There was no real point of reference as to want country the story takes place.

Another thing that kind of had me wondering was the reference to Sapien; they are the educators, doctors, scientists of the world but they way that talked about them was almost like they were a different race or species. It seems like the Sapiens should have been the rulers of the world not the Queen. After all it was the Sapiens that made Incarceron.

After I let go of my OCD about a few issues I really enjoyed the story and characters. I am glad that I stuck with Incarceron and it’s many twists through the multiple storylines from both past and present.

Catherine Fisher has created a mind blowing world with Incarceron. Her imagination is outstanding. As I listened I kept picturing aspects of movies like The Truman Show and The Matrix; there was even a few elements similar to The Hunger Games.

I have the sequel, Sapphique on my iPod and I can’t wait to start it next. There was so many questions unanswered and a cliffhanger that I NEED to know what happens next.





1 comment:

  1. I read this one last year and really enjoyed it as well. I've been meaning to read the sequel every since. Great review!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.