{Review}: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Title: Incarceron
Author: Catherine Fisher  Website
Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books (May, 2007)
Paperback: 458 pages
ISBN: 9780340893609
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

My Rating: 4/5

Description from GoodReads:

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 ...

My Review:
Incarceron has a very original plot. I have not read a book quite like it. It had mystery, magic, a fascinating world, interesting characters, and a plot that kept me eagerly turning pages. The first few chapters were a little difficult to get through because I was confused as to what was happening but as the plot developed I was engulfed by the mystery. I enjoyed solving the mystery along with Claudia and Finn.

Finn does not accept that he was born in Incarceron, a prison unlike any other you have read about before. Imagine trying to escape a prison that thinks, adapts and is always watching you. A "perfect" prison created to send away the worst prisoners because it is impossible to escape. Yeah, doesn't sound like fun. Even though Finn has seizures where he believes he sees a world outside the prison, he begins to doubt his origin until Claudia comes into his life. Claudia the daughter of the Warden wants to escape an unwanted marriage. When they come across a device that allows them to speak to each other they discover that they can help each other escape their prisons.

The adventure was wonderful, full of twists that kept me entertained. I would have liked more descriptions of the inside of Incarceron because I was unable to picture it clearly. The characters were also a little distant. I liked them but I did not love them. Maybe things will change in the next book.

I recommend this book if you can't get enough Fantasy mixed with adventure and spoonfuls of dystopian. I am looking forward to reading Sapphique.

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