Review: Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Review: Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

The book is the sequel to “Incanrceron" ,

Cover of Sapphique

which I reviewed here.

Synopsis

In this part the alternating story lines between the Realm and Incarceron are much more distinct. Finn, an Incarceron prisoner who had escaped  with some help of Claudia, the Warden of Incarceron’s daughter, tries to get his kingdom back. Claudia believes that Finn is no other than Prince Giles, the lost son of the late king, abducted and imprisoned by his step-mother, queen Sia, in order to make room for her own progeny. John Arlex, the Warden of Incarceron, having tricked the queen into presenting Finn as the heir to the throne, removed himself temporarily from the scene. Now, his daughter is on her own to prove her point and make the rest accept Finn. Her belief is not widely shared to say the least of it, not even by Finn himself. Even Jared Sapient, her terminally ill tutor, doubts it, although he does what he can to re-open the portal to Incarceron and find some proof. Courtiers and aristocrats simply shun the newly-found prince as he is moody, taciturn and has no manners to speak of. What’s more, Finn himself seems to doubt this new persona more and more, as his memory hasn’t returned completely and his seizures and blackouts continue. Apparently the Realm is not going to be handed down to him (if it is really his) on a sliver platter. Apart from that, it turns out the world outside the prison is hardly a Paradise Finn had been expecting. Has he stepped out of the frying pan into the fire? Queen Sia hasn’t been idle either – once defeated, she is hell-bend on setting everything right again, staging a show with her own prince Giles as the main character. With two heirs apparent to choose from, who is an impostor and who is the real thing? Even Claudia has her moments of doubt. Is there any way of finding the truth?

Meanwhile inside the prison Finn’s oathbrother, Keiro, who, like Attia, Finn’s friend, was left behind, struggles to find his own way out. He believes Finn has forgotten about the oath and won't help them (or won't be let help them) to escape so he is after a mysterious artifact, the Glove of Sapphique, which, allegedly, might allow him to get the upper hand over Incarceron and be released. The rumour has it that the Glove is in the possession of a prisoner called Rix, a con artist and a vagabond, who travels with his troupe all over the prison to earn a living. Keiro makes Attia join that troupe and find out as much as she can about the Glove and its owner. They are running out of time, though, because Incarceron itself decided to abandon its prisoners, create a body and run away from it all - it's been feeling imprisoned without glimpsing the outside world. Unfortunately it means nothing more or less than death of all the people, inhabiting Incarceron. All the prison needs is the Glove. As Keiro doesn’t give a damn what happens to the others, it’s Attia’s job to make sure the Glove won’t fall into wrong hands. Will the Warden help her with that dangerous task? Whose hands are good and whose are wrong anyway?

What I liked:

Undoubtedly the storyline is a strong point of this series. The same verbal sleights of hand and creative story elements that made "Incarceron" so exciting a read are back in Sapphique; the authoress populates the prison with sentient beings that are unique and original. Nothing is as easy as it seems at the beginning of this dystopian tale and the main characters undergo huge changes to achieve their goals. I must admit this was one angst-filled novel, definitely darker than the first part but I liked it. The pace of narration was very quick, with enough twists and turns to keep you glued to the book right to the end.

What I didn’t like:

My concern is whether or not this is the real end of the story. I mean, it does resolve satisfactorily for all the main characters, but some of my questions remained untouched. I mainly think here about supporting characters like Queen Sia, the evil woman of the series. A powerful baddie should have been presented better in my view. Who and what was she? How did she manage to marry a king and become a queen in the first place? What gave her so much power and skills? Why did she decide to imprison rather than kill prince Giles? None of these was answered and it's a pity. I also feel there should be said more about John Arlex and his motives - why did he choose to return to Incarceron after all, knowing fully well the system was unstable?

Apart from that, I was expecting more character development; for example at the end of the book I still wasn’t completely sure what was the relationship between Jared and Claudia - was he a father-figure or a love-interest or maybe both? The same can be asked about Finn/Giles and Claudia - were they trully in love or were they just friends, allies and future married couple? I think (and hope) Ms. Fisher left an opening for a possible third book... that's my opinion.

ETA: The eyes of the Warden are still gray.

The final verdict:

If you haven't read Incarceron and Sapphique yet, start the series now and you won’t regret it. It is not flawless but it remains good and imaginative nevertheless.

Time for a break

 Hi everyone,

It's time for a break - I am being rather busy right now so there might be no other review coming soon. I would like to seize that opportunity and thank all these people who have visited my blog and commented here - you really rock, all of you!

Thoughtful Thursday - beauty

Ok, this time it will be a real can of worms. Why does beauty matters soooo much in our modern times?  Why did it matter so much for ancient Greeks and Romans? First some quotes:

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.  ~Kahlil Gibran


Against Him those women sin who torment their skin with potions, stain their cheeks with rouge and extend the line of their eyes with black coloring.  Doubtless they are dissatisfied with God's plastic skill.  In their own persons they convict and censure the Artificer of all things.  ~Tertullian


That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.  ~Ninon de L'Enclos


It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.  ~Leo Tolstoy


There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect.  ~Gilbert Keith Chesterton


I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep.  That's deep enough.  What do you want - an adorable pancreas?  ~Jean Kerr, The Snake Has All the Lines


Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.  ~Saint Augustine

Beauty isn't worth thinking about; what's important is your mind.  You don't want a fifty-dollar haircut on a fifty-cent head.  ~Garrison Keillor

Image via Wikipedia - a real beauty of a manuscript

Now my questions: 

• why, in your opinion, beautiful people get better grades, earn better salaries and rise more rapidly to important positions than their plain-looking colleagues (just don't say it is not the truth because it is) ?
• why some people delude themselves and their children that you can be ugly and still succeed easily if only you are clever/good/intelligent/hard-working/pious enough etc...?
• what should an ugly person do in a society where good looks are so coveted that people practically worship them as they can open almost every door?

• is plastic surgery a solution for ugly ducklings? 

Wishful Wendnesday 28 July

The meme is hosted by Brooke Bluestocking Guide.

My wish today concerns a whodunnit entitled "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley.

Cover via Amazon

Synopsis (from the publisher):

It is the summer of 1950—and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

To Flavia the investigation is the stuff of science: full of possibilities, contradictions, and connections. Soon her father, a man raising his three daughters alone, is seized, accused of murder. And in a police cell, during a violent thunderstorm, Colonel de Luce tells his daughter an astounding story—of a schoolboy friendship turned ugly, of a priceless object that vanished in a bizarre and brazen act of thievery, of a Latin teacher who flung himself to his death from the school’s tower thirty years before. Now Flavia is armed with more than enough knowledge to tie two distant deaths together, to examine new suspects, and begin a search that will lead her all the way to the King of England himself. Of this much the girl is sure: her father is innocent of murder—but protecting her and her sisters from something even worse.

Review: Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer.

Synopsis:

Cover of Cousin Kate

The plot of this book seems to be a cross between Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice by J. Austen with a dash of “Vanity Fair” by William Makepeace Thackeray.

Kate Malvern, the main heroine, is a daughter of a British officer, Major Malvern. She was born and brought up on the Iberian Peninsula during Napoleonic wars, 'following the drum'. At the beginning of the novel she finds herself in dire straits although not for the first time in her life. Her mother died when she was only twelve, her father was a victim of an accident not long ago and, being a gamester, he left his daughter a few trinkets and significantly more debts. After his death Kate was obliged to earn her living – not an easy task for a Regency period woman without any training. She was lucky to find a place as a governess but her luck didn’t hold too long - after the brother of her employer had proposed marriage and met with a refusal, she was fired. Now she is looking for a new ‘situation’ staying meanwhile with her former nurse, Sarah, now Mrs Nidd, whose husband owns a small inn in London.

Kate doesn’t lack brains, she is quite pretty and enterprising to boot, but these factors are actually hindrances in the career of a governess – rich families are afraid of pretty scheming women who might try to ensnare any eligible bachelor among their lot. Sarah, seeing that her beloved Miss Kate becomes quite desperate and wants to find any job, even as an ‘abigail’ (i.e. maid), decides to take matters into her able hands and write to the closest living relative of late Major Malvern – his younger sister, Minevra Broome of Staplewood. The letter, written without the knowledge of ambitious Kate who had opposed such a plan, achieved fantastic effects. Short afterwards Lady Broome presented herself personally in London, talked with her niece and proud Sarah, expressing the kindest concern when it came to the fate of her late brother’s only child, and invited Kate to Staplewood for the summer. It was an offer no impoverished orphan could refuse. What’s more, Minerva almost immediately started showering Kate with presents, repeating that she had always wanted to have a daughter. Soon enough her niece feels very much indebted to her – being a honourable girl she is determined to show her gratitude when the occasion demands it. However, she can’t even guess what she might be asked to do. After all her aunt, being such a rich lady, can’t possibly want anything from a penniless orphaned girl of twenty-four?

Staplewood is a great manor with a splendid park but the family which lives there is not especially happy. Sir Timothy Broome, the husband of Minevra, is a kind gentleman but rather feeble and their only son, Torquil, a very handsome boy of nineteen, is prone to sudden swings in mood and difficult to manage. Soon enough Kate meets another cousin, Philip Broome, who doesn’t like her aunt and seems to think ill of Kate too. Torquil enjoys her company very much but in a peculiar manner – once he even tries to strangle her for ‘fun’. Overall Kate feels rather let down. Although she doesn’t have to worry where to find money for food and shelter she lacks company and entertainment. There’s no busy social life going on in Staplewood – no dances or parties, even family dinners are a bit too formal. In the meantime Kate's aunt very indirectly tries to sound her niece out: what would she say if anybody offered her the undeniably lucrative 'position' of the future Lady Broome…the reason of Minerva's uncommon generosity is going to surprise Kate in a very negative way.

What I liked:

Certainly the main heroine was likeable enough as she was given plenty of Lizzie Bennett’s traits (from “Pride and Prejudice”). The narration was well-paced so I found myself riveted to the book very soon; in fact I finished it in one day! Apart from that the sense of period is superb indeed, especially when it comes to the language of lower classes. Mr. Nidd Senior is a treat every time he opens his mouth, Sarah too!

What I didn’t like:

Don’t expect the plot to surprise you - this book does sound a bit schematic, especially if you read any other Heyer romances. I also found it strange that after a week of very casual acquaintance any sensible man might feel obliged to propose to a girl…especially a dowryless girl. I am not especially fond of such rapturously romantic gentlemen but perhaps, being a woman who lives in the twenty-first century, I am somewhat spoiled.

The final verdict:

A nice, light, entertaining novel but nothing more – I can recommend it to any Austen fan, especially as a summer reading. I am curious about other books of this author - are they are similar?

Silent Saturday - say it with pictures!

Thoughtful Thursday - children's books

"There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction; they can only be dealt with adequately in a children's book." — Philip Pullman

 Do children's books and Young Adults books nowadays -all these fantasy fairy tales, novels and poetry- are, in your opinion, better or worse than they used to be? Why so many adults admit to reading them? Does it mean the children's literature has got better or the adults have become more childish, immature? Can children's books be deep and thoughtful? Can adults actually benefit from reading kids' lit? Is reading YA books really "as easy as eating popcorn" (according to one lit professor)?

And finally: do adults who find that their recreational reading requirements are in the main met by children's books really miss a lot?