Incarceron by Catherine Fisher is a horrifying yet stunning science-fiction/ fantasy book with powerful and compelling themes that will stay with you for as long as you live. This story is about Finn’s escape through Incarceron- a prison that has been sealed away for centuries. It’s where inmates live not only in cells, but in dilapidated cities and unbounded wilderness, it’s where breaking out is impossible as the prison itself is alive. Belief, courage and freedom were themes evident throughout the story in the character’s thoughts, memories, words and actions. Belief is one of the significant themes that were shown throughout the book in Finn’s attempts to escape from Incarceron. His determination and belief to achieve freedom and liberty was shown in his conversation with the prison itself. “I’ll escape from you, I swear it. There must be somewhere to go. Where you can’t see me. Where you don’t exist.” (Finn) “I am everywhere, it whispered, everywhere.” (Incarceron) (Quote from page 236) This quote implies that there’s no way at all to escape from Incarceron as many have said that the prison is all there is to the world, another example, “I mean you didn’t come from the outside. No one has ever came from the outside. Because you see, there’s no outside.” (Quote from page 287) These quotes show that even though this was said by an intelligent sapient in Incarceron, Finn did not shake off the belief that he came from the outside. This type of “belief” was also shown in Finn’s dream and the talk he had with Sapphique, the only one who’s ever escaped the clutches of Incarceron. “So many have tried, Sapphique whispered in his ear, have died trying.”(Quote from page 98)This theme teaches us to believe in ourselves no matter what other people say or think and that belief is important as it can shape you character and your destiny.
Courage is another theme that appeared throughout the book several times as Incarceron is a prison that