Originally Published March 21, 2012
My rating of this book: ☆☆☆☆☆ out of 5 stars
My friend spies on the British for me. It’s nice to have my own personal spy. I never thought I’d have one, but now I do. Okay, she might not be just spying for me, and she may not be your average, everyday, espionage kind of spy, but she’s a spy nonetheless. She finds all sorts of fascinating books and novels by British authors...and then tells me all about them. Come to think of it, she’s a pretty good spy on the American front too. If I’m ever at a loss for what to read, I only have to give her a ring, visit her living room, or look on her or her goodreads page. She is a veritable storehouse of recommendations.
Now I can’t keep all the benefits of having a personal spy to myself, can I? So I thought I’d share with you (hopefully, I’ll convince her to do some guest posts on here soon too). My favorite book by a British author that she’s told me about so far is Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher.
It’s about a prison, but don’t let that scare you away. Incarceron is a prison where supposedly no one can now enter or leave. A place where people were given everything they needed to create a utopia...and yet it has become just the opposite. There is a boy locked away in Incarceron who doesn’t know his history, yet believes he may have come from outside. And there’s a girl, on the outside who might just be on the trail of finding a way in. The world she lives in has been forced into a veneer of perfection.
It’s a mind-bending, surprising and refreshing story. The world Fisher creates is extremely unique and fascinating, yet not too strange that your mind is constantly fighting to keep up. She’s written a clever combination about curious technology, human weaknesses and persistence in seeking the truth. The follies and beauty of humanity are seen against the backdrop of striving for reality and perfection. I highly recommend it! And so does my spy.
I’m currently reading another book by a British author that my spy told me about. I’ll fill you in on that one when I’m done!