Sapphique (Incarceron #2) by Catherine Fisher

SPOILERS FOR FIRST BOOK
In the stunning sequel to Incarceron, Claudia and Finn are on the outside trying to get Keiro and Attia Out.  Meanwhile, on the Inside, that same pair have stumbled onto the Glove of Sapphique, the only man to have ever Escaped.  But the Prison wants the Glove too as it provides a means for It to Escaped Itself.  And on the Outside, Claudia and Finn play their own dangerous game with the Queen who will stop at nothing to preserve the Era and stop the Prison.

The library of the Academy was a vast and hushed collection of room.  Great oak cabinets of books, some of them chained, stood in ranks down the galleried halls.  p.221 ARC

I must admit that I was surprised to find out that Incarceron was only two books.  I mean everything else in the book world seems to be a trilogy.  So it was refreshing to find that the author wasn't going to drag out this story over an unnecessary three books.  Consequently there is tons of action and a satisfying conclusion.  I approve.  Sapphique moved the characters along, never keeping them anywhere long enough to get comfortable and kept me on my toes.  I also approve.

Really I would say that the Prison is the most interesting character.  All the characters have something to add to the story though a few (Claudia and Finn) are a little annoying about it.  But the Prison.  Wow.  A sentient Prison bent on escaping itself and seeing the Outside, all because of *SPOILER* the dreams of one man who the Prison actually loved and who shared his dreams with it.*END*  I was intrigued.  The people characters provided the action, the background, but Incarceron really provided the emotion.

My only complaint is that the point of view shifted much too often, in the middle of a scene most of the time.  It threw me off a bit.  I preferred how the first book was written in a more chapter oriented alternation, rather than in the middle of a paragraph.  And I almost wished for a POV directly from Incarceron though that might have been too dark a place to go. **And you almost get that in the end anyway**

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Dystopian