Hello again, all! So, it would seem Monica and I are still entangled in the Incarceron
and are pretty happy about it. Our conversation for the next section is below.Monica: Gasp. GASP! A missing prince, with references made to his seventh birthday? An amnesia-suffering teen boy with mysterious origins, with references made to his seventh birthday!? OMG I WONDER WHO FINN COULD BE?!?!
Shel: Who, indeed. Color me unsurprised. How long do you think it will take the characters to figure this out?
Monica: I’m hoping Claudia does, although I can see why she might be running into some trouble – There are so many bad and/or questionable people in this, I’m surprised all the good people aren’t more suspicious and twitchy than they already are. Seriously, is Keiro a good guy or a bad guy? How did Jormanric get people’s lives into his rings? What exactly makes the Warden so evilish? Can we trust that earl dude!?
Shel: My money is on Keiro being bad. Finn needs to divorce him, or whatever you do to separate from an oath brother. I totally believe he's the one who destroyed the bridge. I didn't, by the way, see that coming. As for Jormanric, I repeat: "You want my word! I haven't kept my word since I was ten and knifed my own brother" (p. 87). That's my kind of bad guy.
Monica: Poor Claudia and Finn. I suspect they’re going to have a hard time coming out on top in this book.
Shel: And that's what book two will be for.
Monica: Hopefully a second book will give Finn time to work out any sort of personal crises that Gildas is inflicting on him. Seriously, “Everyone has memories, Finn. Your prophecies are what matter” (p. 81). Yowch. You know what he cares about. Oh, and PS, have you ever seen the show SuperJail? I’m imagining Incarceron as this terrible twist between that and Azkaban, with a little tiny bit of 1984 thrown in. (I think it’s all the Eyes. The idea that something is monitoring everyone is super creepy.)
Shel: Can't say I've seen SuperJail. I keep having flashes from The Labyrinth. For better or worse. Oh, David Bowie. "Slap that baby, make him free."
Monica: The make-up of the jail still escape me. It’s gigantic, but it’s not… physically present in Claudia’s world? I feel like someone would notice a huge domed jail sitting in the middle of the countryside. And if Incarceron is recycling organic tissue, is it doing the same for things like air and water? Who’s keeping track of climate control? Basically, I demand schematics.
Shel: At one point, Claudia hinted that it might be underground. I'm sure we'll learn more. I think the Incarceron is in charge of climate control--or lack there of. I kinda think of it as a Matrixy super smart machine which may or may not have homicidal tendencies. We shall see.
Monica: Like HAL! “I’m sorry Finn. I can’t allow you to escape.” Blahahahahahaha…..
Shel: I don't know how I feel about the changing of perspective every few pages. I was comfortable with it switching each chapter. It could be cool if the faster and faster perspective changes are working up toward them meeting.
Monica: I’m afraid for them to meet! I’m halfway convinced, the way this book is going, that there’s going to be a giant fake-out at the end. Claudia will have her arms outstretched, about to pull Finn out of the jail, and then the entire thing will collapse. Happy ending? NEVER!
Well, kids are you as entertained as we are? I certainly hope so! We'd love to hear what you think. Also, if you're not detained elsewhere, feel free to wander on back her Sunday when we'll post about chapters 13-17. Hope to see you then!
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