Steampunkery- Book Review- Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Steampunk aspect: This book is full of everything!  Putting a finger on what exactly is Steampunk is nearly impossible.  I can say that this book had people and animals that had metal body parts, the prison was a metalwork of craziness that was alive and the people outside of the prison acted as though they lived in the Victorian age.  This book had fantasy, science fiction, dystopian and steampunk as strong aspects of it.  
Details: Hardcover, 442 pgs.
Published: Jan. 26th, 2010 by Dial
isbn: 0803733968 (ISBN13: 9780803733961)
Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Given to me by a friend

Description:

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 Thoughts:

I don't know why I put off reading this one for so long!  It was AMAZING!  It was nearly impossible to put down and I was anxious to watch the entire story unfold.  I was completely entranced by the characters and the situations they were put in.  I could relate to them and understand their actions.  I connected with them.

In the beginning I was curious as to this world.  We weren't introduced all at once to the world and how it all worked, it came at us gradually and through the characters eyes as they saw it.  That left me wondering but yet fairly satisfied.  If it had come at us all at once it certainly would have been overwhelming and confusing.

The book was so full of twists and turns I never knew what actions the characters might take or what sort of things may happen in the world created by this brilliant author.  I was constantly surprised at Claudia's bravery but was on pins and needles just waiting for her to slip up and things to go awry.  I felt similarly with Finn.  He was willing to sacrifice himself for his friends who were likely not so willing to do so themselves.  He was also full of compassion which was surprising due to his situation and circumstances.  I was terrified for him and his friends at many times and I kept those pages turning as I couldn't bear to set the book down.

The side characters were brilliant as well.  You never know who the good guys, or the bad, were.  I kept getting surprised by turns of events.  I would develop feelings that one person must be good, only to find out they were bad, and then later they would surprise me once again.

I very highly recommend this book.  This is a book that is full of Steampunk elements but is pure fantasy, although realistic enough to be considered dystopian.  I think this is one that people of many different genre's would end up loving.  Give it a try!

I give this one 5/5 moons!

This review is my own opinion and I was not paid or influenced in any way.
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