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Incarceron
- By Catherine Fisher
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Dystopian bestseller is full of plot twists, complex themes.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know this high-concept fantasy/scifi is classic dystopia, similar in both violence and romance to Graceling or The Hunger Games. Life in the prison world is no less cutthroat and dangerous than the political plots and assassinations of the "free" world, but it's grittier and of course more violent. Although there is more than one romance and no love scenes or depictions of sex, the themes of a depraved underworld and political use of children as pawns in the outside world are complex and make this book more suitable for older teens. Complex ethical and philosophical themes will encourage readers to ponder the idea of a perfect world, criminal justice, class systems, and individual freedom. The danger and immorality of the lower classes in the prison is shown to exist in the highest social levels also.
What's the story?
Seventeen-year-old Finn has always felt like an outsider -- but the prison called Incarceron is the only home he remembers, and nobody ever leaves it, let alone enters. Teenaged Claudia is the prison Warden's daughter, giving her high enough social status that she will marry soon and become the new Queen. Looking for escape from fates they never chose leads Finn and Claudia to each other in a desperate race through virtual worlds that are trying to keep them apart. Aided by unlikely friends and the wise men known as Sapienti, both risk death in their pursuit. The closer Finn and Claudia get to each other, the deeper and darker the puzzles become in this complex novel of a utopia gone horribly wrong.
Is it any good?
Fisher writes with the ethical undercurrents of authors Orson Scott Card or Kurt Vonnegut, the unpredictability of Arthur Clark, and the imagination of Nancy Farmer. The full integration of technology into this future society may intrigue teens but the young characters who are rebelling against their
socially assigned roles will be the hook that captures them. The author is masterful at creating worlds through her usage of descriptive phrasing and the narrative trades between Claudia and Finn. The sweeping scope of imagination and surprising plot twists will make this book as popular with adults as it will be with teens.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the idea of banishing certain groups of people forever. Was it done to make life better for the banished, or the society who stayed behind?
What do you think went wrong with the original idea of creating a utopia that was locked away?
Finn has almost unwavering belief that he knew another life than that of Incarceron. Does he still believe at the end of the book?
Many characters are revealed to be quite different than we think they are. Which revelation was most surprising? Who do you think is hiding the most about themselves?
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Teen, 13 years old
December 18, 2010
AGE
Teens Allowed!
Incarceron. Don't you ever get that storyline in your head just by looking at the cover and reading the summary? I do. When actually read the book and then closed it slowly and stared out in space for a brief moment, that impression changed forever. "That book was goo," I thought a bit dazed. I don't doubt you will think that as well.
"Incarceron" is a story that twists, surprises, and reveals just like the prison setting of this epic tale does. "Incarceron" will keep you hooked and rushing to read more. I'm counting days till "Sapphique" comes out. I was entertained by Claudia's defiant personality, interested by Finn's past, and just eye-glued reading about the other characters. I couldn't wait till the next night when I could red on and find out if Finn won his fight with the Incarceron monster, Claudia found the door to Incarceron, or they actuully go out of Incarceron. It's all Incarceron in this book.
I do warn you, the violence depicted in the book is comparable to the "Hunger Games", some references to sex, and the language is a bit iffy. But other than that, a great page-turner to put in front of your book-worm teen this winter.
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Kid, 12 years old
November 22, 2010
AGE
(no concerns..mild behavior and words)
its a pretty good series. It is pretty much like The City of Ember. Very enjoyable and Science-Fictiony. (is that even a word...?) A good pick for 11-12.
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Teen, 13 years old
May 3, 2011
AGE
One of my favorite books!!!!!
The educational value, role models, good messages, and an intricately created storyline make this my second favorite book only to The Hunger Games. The strong language is brief but isn't allowable for tweens. The violence is intense but commendable and important for the book. Great for teens, but inappropriate for tweens.
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Educator and Parent of 13 year old
June 2, 2010
AGE
Perfect for mature adolescents and up
This is a wonderful and engaging tale of intrigue, mystery and good vs. evil. Catherine Fisher has crafted a masterpiece for young people in which themes of trust, friendship, social status, and generic exclusion are artfully touched upon. I would recommend it as a read aloud for the younger, adolescent set, yet a definite read for 6th grade up through the early years of high school and into adulthood.
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Teen, 14 years old
December 21, 2010
AGE
Great Book
Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!
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Kid, 12 years old
May 8, 2010
AGE
I'm Buying It!
This book was absolutely amazing. Catherine Fisher's Incarceron is an incredible read. The reason I was so excited to read this book is because... well, it has everything that I love in a book. It takes place in the future, there's an insane tyrant/King who is completely totalitarian, there's a surprising twist as to the "era" of the Realm (the Kingdom), there's a conspiracy (LOVE THAT!), and... and... oh my gosh there's just too much to love in this book. For me, anyway. I have the feeling that this is the sort of book that you'll love to death or say 'Oh, well that was kinda cool...'. Either way. This book is totally incredible. It's action packed, gripping, and I was madly flipping the pages of this one. Some will be annoyed at it, but I simply loved how vague Fisher was as to the history of the Prison Incarceron; more look forward to in the sequel!! The only down side was in a few spots, the author kind of lost me, and I had to look back several times to understand. That, and I didn't quite understand the ending. If you love futuristic, conspiracy-packed, totalitarian ruled fantasy stories, this is the book for you. There was violence, but only enough necessary to the plot. There was language, but nothing too serious, and certainly nothing a mature ten year old can't handle. It really raised ethical questions and kept me up, thinking about it. I'm totally buying it. I'm kinda annoyed. The sequel, Sapphique, is only available in Britain! It doesn't come here till December!
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Teen, 16 years old
October 17, 2010
AGE
Brilliant dystopia!
I absolutely loved Incarceron! It's high on my list of Science-fantasy works. Fisher writes with finesse: the book opens with your unceremonious dumping into the world of Incarceron. From that moment it's constant action, suspense, drama, etc.
What really amazed me was the way Fisher introduces information, mostly being through dialog rather than through exposition.
The book does contain infrequent swearing and some violence, but it isn't presented in a glorious fashion.
My full review:
thestuffiread.blogspot*/2010/10/incarceron.html
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Teen, 13 years old
July 4, 2010
AGE
Okay Book;
This was a relatively good book. It was a little hard to get into, and I didn't like many of the characters. The ideas in the book were pretty good, but I don't see myself rereading it or buying it anytime soon.
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Teen, 14 years old
September 3, 2011
AGE
hard to get into
i thought this was a really good book. i started reading it a few months ago, but it was really boring. so i gave it another shot and im glad i did. it is boring in the beginning, but thats only because they need to build up to the middle. don't give up on it! it's a really good book!
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Teen, 13 years old
July 11, 2010
AGE
A great book for sci-fi and fantasy lovers alike!
The minute I read the back cover of "Incarceron" I was hooked. The idea of a prison that's alive and watches everyone is an idea that got my sci-fi-oriented brain working. And I was not disappointed: it's a great book for everyone, and Finn is a good role model for kids due to his loyalty to his friends and his unwillingness to leave them behind. I can't wait to read the second book! Jared is my favorite character.
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| Author: | Catherine Fisher |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Publisher: | Dial Books |
| Publication date: | January 26, 2010 |
| Number of pages: | 442 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
| Read aloud: | 14 - 14 |
| Read alone: | 14 - 14 |
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