Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2010 *Starred Review* Fisher concludes her high-intensity, mind-bending duology in this sequel to Incarceron (2010). In the two months since Finn has escaped Incarceron and assumed his role as Prince Giles, he has failed to adapt to courtly life. Finn is wracked with guilt over leaving Kiero and Attia behind, and his brooding, unpolished demeanor makes him an easy target for the conniving queen. With their attempts to change the Realm stalled, even Claudia has doubts about Finn’s real identity, which are worsened when another boy appears, claiming to be the true heir. In Incarceron, Kiero and Attia search for another way out, and when they run across the mad magician Rix, who may own the fabled Glove of Sapphique, they believe they’ve found it. Meanwhile, Incarceron is maneuvering behind the scenes, and sapient Jared may factor into its all-seeing design. Fisher further explores themes of reality, illusion, and freedom without losing her intensely original world building and authentic characters. The bittersweet conclusion may frustrate readers expecting a traditional happy ending (or even just a more conclusive one), but it fits perfectly—although a glimmer of hope may be all the characters receive, it’s a real hope, and like the stars, it endures. - Copyright 2010 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 12/01/2010 After escaping the living, breathing hellhole of Incarceron (see Incarceron, BCCB 2/10), Finn makes the unfortunate discovery that the Outside world, despite its vastness, has its own versions of prison; his fate as the embattled prince of the Realm limits his freedom as much as any jail cell. The Warden’s daughter, Claudia, remains insistent that Finn is the true heir to the throne, but Finn himself is unsure, especially when, after months on the Outside, memories of his life before prison still fail to surface. Complicating matters further is the power-hungry Queen, whose attempts to discredit both Finn and Claudia are becoming increasingly convincing. Meanwhile, Keiro and Attia, Finn’s companions in prison, assume (mistakenly) that Finn has abandoned them and decide to take their chances searching for a magical item rumored to be the key to escape. Their quest inevitably brings them back to Claudia and Finn, and the group is forced to confront the very heart of the prison if they are to save both worlds from apparent destruction. As in the previous book, Fisher’s superb world-building marks this title, effectively drawing the reader in to a place so rife with secrets even its inhabitants don’t entirely understand the depth of its illusions. Incarceron itself becomes a fully realized character here, one so capably drawn that the reader even begins to feel sympathy for the prison, despite its villainous tendencies. Admittedly, the action does get bogged down by a certain amount of philosophizing; there are complicated and sometimes lengthy scenes in which much is discussed but not much is done. The stunning ending, however, with its allusions to an ultimate savior and a defunct reality, seamlessly integrates the book’s more cerebral elements with a heady dose of action adventure. Knowledge of the first book is a must, but readers who have pieced together Incarceron’s clues will do doubt find satisfaction in its sequel as they unlock its secrets. KQG - Copyright 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2010 Gr 7 Up—Picking up after the surprising revelations of Incarceron (Dial, 2010), Fisher abruptly returns readers to the dystopian world and its living prison. Still trapped inside, Attia and Keiro are doing whatever they can to survive on their quest to find the Outside. Finn, meanwhile, has escaped and is now preparing to take his place on the Realm's throne. Not completely convinced, Claudia and Jared are attempting to groom Finn to take his place as Prince Giles. Things are almost on track when a Pretender makes a bid for the throne, threatening both Finn's and Claudia's lives. Amid the discordance in the Realm, Incarceron itself hunts for Sapphique's famed glove, an object that may help the prison gain a human body. Now, Attia, Keiro, and the Warden are attempting to keep the glove from Incarceron, while Finn, Jared, and Claudia are trying to hold the Realm together from the Outside. Fisher again crafts a dark, interesting foray into vivid imagery, danger, surprising twists, and intriguing revelations. This story is not quite as strong as Incarceron, but return readers will nonetheless enjoy it; new readers should, however, be steered back to the first volume. Readers will be left breathless hoping for another installment to explore the repercussions brought on by everything that happens in Sapphique's final chapters.—Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT - Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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