Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

In this sequel to Finn's harrowing escape from Incarceron and Claudia's narrowly aborted wedding to Prince Casper, Claudia, Finn and Jared are trying to hold together Finn's tenuous place as Prince Giles, heir to the Realm. Attia, Keiro, and the Warden are all trapped in Incarceron and trying to Escape. The mystical and mythical Sapphique is an ever-constant presence.

I really liked Incarceron but Catherine Fisher's follow-up novel, Sapphique, absolutely blew me away. This is science fiction/ steampunk/ post-apocalyptic dystopia at its finest.

I never knew what was coming and that is a huge compliment. So often in young adult literature I can predict the the twists. Not so with Sapphique. The Realm and Incarceron are never what they appear to be. Fisher has created a world with its own deeply entrenched mythology. The references to familiar fairy tales and fables create a tantalizing tie to our own time and place. The Sapphique Legend is a masterful creation. I found this book to be utterly magical.