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caden_t5052's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
emzeewoolzee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
aoifecm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I relate a lot to Candy. I think this story captures perfectly the mind of someone trapped in a world they don't belong.
Abarat is a beautiful, horrifyingly strange creation- a mix between Alice in Wonderland and ones darkest nightmare
Abarat is a beautiful, horrifyingly strange creation- a mix between Alice in Wonderland and ones darkest nightmare
badseedgirl's review against another edition
4.0
I have found that there are certain things one can expect when reading a Clive Barker novel. Mr. Barker is not only an author, but an artist as well and he brings this artistic eye to his writings. His descriptions of scenes and characters are designed to create an artists’ picture in the readers mind. I have found this to be especially true in his Young Adult novel Abarat: The First Book Of Hours. Mr. Barker’s best skill is the visuals his writings create. He is able to breathe life into the creatures of The Abarat with this skill.
The heroine of our story is Candy Quackenbush, a young woman growing up in the Minnesota town of Chickentown. After getting in trouble for a project she did for a hated teacher, Candy feels compelled to run away from school. She finds herself in the middle of the prairie. There she meets the amazing John Mischief and his seven brothers, eight brothers on one body, and Mendelson Shape, an evil creature chasing John and his brothers. In the events that follow Candy calls forth the magical “Sea of Izabella” And thus begins Candy’s adventures in Abarat.
Abarat is the story of the magical series of Islands found on another plain of existence. These islands are known collectively as “The Abarat”, which is made up of 25 islands each representing one hour in the day, and the 25th island representing the “25th hour”, or time out of time. A magical island in a land of magical islands. When I say the island represents the hour, I mean that on the Island of Yebba Dim Day, the first Island Candy lands on, it is always 8pm.
Clive Barker is a master at making monsters that are not always evil, and pushing the boundaries of what is evil. When hearing of Christopher Carrion, the lord of Midnight’s back story of unrequited love for the Princess, it was hard for me, as the reader, not to feel sympathy. I mean who has never loved someone and been rejected by them? This does not negate the fact that he wants to bring perpetual darkness to all of Abarat. And call forth beings called “Requiax” who seem to me to be some sort of super evil beginnings (Think the Titans from Greek mythology) who can only survive in utter darkness.
The development of the scenes and visuals are defiantly the stand out in this novel. As is usually the case in Mr. Barker’s novels the non-human creatures that inhabit this novel are the best characters in the novel. But don’t be fooled, Clive Barker just loves to play with the idea of what is monstrous on the outside and a beautiful outside hiding a monster on the inside. This holds true for this novel also. Take for example the character Rojo Pixler, Candy describes him as the most human creature she has met in Abarat, but he is systematically putting a strangle hold of power over the Islands of Light, and is trying to destroy magic in Abarat, to make the citizens dependent on him. I see great and evil things from this character in the future.
All and all Abarat: The First Book of Hours was an amazing introductory novel in what appears to be a dark and entertaining young adult series from Clive Barker.
The heroine of our story is Candy Quackenbush, a young woman growing up in the Minnesota town of Chickentown. After getting in trouble for a project she did for a hated teacher, Candy feels compelled to run away from school. She finds herself in the middle of the prairie. There she meets the amazing John Mischief and his seven brothers, eight brothers on one body, and Mendelson Shape, an evil creature chasing John and his brothers. In the events that follow Candy calls forth the magical “Sea of Izabella” And thus begins Candy’s adventures in Abarat.
Abarat is the story of the magical series of Islands found on another plain of existence. These islands are known collectively as “The Abarat”, which is made up of 25 islands each representing one hour in the day, and the 25th island representing the “25th hour”, or time out of time. A magical island in a land of magical islands. When I say the island represents the hour, I mean that on the Island of Yebba Dim Day, the first Island Candy lands on, it is always 8pm.
Clive Barker is a master at making monsters that are not always evil, and pushing the boundaries of what is evil. When hearing of Christopher Carrion, the lord of Midnight’s back story of unrequited love for the Princess, it was hard for me, as the reader, not to feel sympathy. I mean who has never loved someone and been rejected by them? This does not negate the fact that he wants to bring perpetual darkness to all of Abarat. And call forth beings called “Requiax” who seem to me to be some sort of super evil beginnings (Think the Titans from Greek mythology) who can only survive in utter darkness.
The development of the scenes and visuals are defiantly the stand out in this novel. As is usually the case in Mr. Barker’s novels the non-human creatures that inhabit this novel are the best characters in the novel. But don’t be fooled, Clive Barker just loves to play with the idea of what is monstrous on the outside and a beautiful outside hiding a monster on the inside. This holds true for this novel also. Take for example the character Rojo Pixler, Candy describes him as the most human creature she has met in Abarat, but he is systematically putting a strangle hold of power over the Islands of Light, and is trying to destroy magic in Abarat, to make the citizens dependent on him. I see great and evil things from this character in the future.
All and all Abarat: The First Book of Hours was an amazing introductory novel in what appears to be a dark and entertaining young adult series from Clive Barker.
komali_2's review against another edition
4.0
This is a damn good story. Straight up, homeslice. It will hook you like a chipmunk on crack is hooked onto crack. Barker has created a whole mysterious world here, and you'll want to explore it.
Abarat follows a girl by the name of Candy Quakenbush from Chickentown into a totally ballistic world where time doesn't flow in the normal sense. There are 24 islands, each with an hour assigned to it. Damn neat concept. Anyway, Candy has to save the world or some shit, you know how it goes. She's super special and is the only one. But it's still cool, cause there's like fifty different ways the world of Abarat can be totally wrecked, so there's intrigue and mystery and suspense and whatnot. Also, breath of fresh air, GAY COUPLES! Am I right or am I right? Well, there's only one gay couple, but I mean look at Barker stretch those boundaries!
Anyway the language is simple but not childish. It's an easy story to grasp for all ages, but the images Barker invokes can be absolutely terrifying. Remember that f-ed up creature from Pan's Labyrinth? The one who carried his eyes around? It's like that but all the time. Good stuff. Barker's fantastical world is beautiful and brutal.
Honestly you need to read this book. It's glorious.
Abarat follows a girl by the name of Candy Quakenbush from Chickentown into a totally ballistic world where time doesn't flow in the normal sense. There are 24 islands, each with an hour assigned to it. Damn neat concept. Anyway, Candy has to save the world or some shit, you know how it goes. She's super special and is the only one. But it's still cool, cause there's like fifty different ways the world of Abarat can be totally wrecked, so there's intrigue and mystery and suspense and whatnot. Also, breath of fresh air, GAY COUPLES! Am I right or am I right? Well, there's only one gay couple, but I mean look at Barker stretch those boundaries!
Anyway the language is simple but not childish. It's an easy story to grasp for all ages, but the images Barker invokes can be absolutely terrifying. Remember that f-ed up creature from Pan's Labyrinth? The one who carried his eyes around? It's like that but all the time. Good stuff. Barker's fantastical world is beautiful and brutal.
Honestly you need to read this book. It's glorious.
natixii's review against another edition
2.0
For most of the book I thought it just wasn't my thing and couldn't put my finger on why, but the events at the end drove it home for me. The entire plot is driven forward by outsiders, chance, or deus machina events with little or no action on the part of the main characters themselves. There are exceptions of course and when they occur if allows for a good story, but they are far to rare (off the top of my head I can think of two.)
That being said the book has some good point too. The world is a creative concept. The characters, even some of the brief ones, are for the main part not just thrown in as illustration of the oddity or the world but are full characters that the author attempts to give believable and relatable lives.
That being said the book has some good point too. The world is a creative concept. The characters, even some of the brief ones, are for the main part not just thrown in as illustration of the oddity or the world but are full characters that the author attempts to give believable and relatable lives.
adastrame's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite sure what to think, because it's hard to judge without reading the other 4 Abarat books out there / planned.
craftysnailtail's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Funny enough, I had no idea who Barker was before I read this eons ago. The cover caught my attention at the library and that was it- I read it and fell in love. My partner gifted me the set with the original art and that's really the best way to read it. His art is amazing and added so much to the experience.
This book is Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere and I adore it. Barker's world building is so trippy and fantastical that sometimes the plot seems to be completely lost in the oddities of his world, but not in a bad way. I REALLY hope he eventually finishes this series, but even if he doesn't, I'll continue to recommend them. There is a horror sort of undercurrent to them, but nothing like his adult works. I scare very easily, but this is more... disconcerting with mildly disturbing elements every once in a while. If the rest of the trippy fantasy vibes seem like your type of book, then definitely give it a try! It's truly in a class of its own.
This book is Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere and I adore it. Barker's world building is so trippy and fantastical that sometimes the plot seems to be completely lost in the oddities of his world, but not in a bad way. I REALLY hope he eventually finishes this series, but even if he doesn't, I'll continue to recommend them. There is a horror sort of undercurrent to them, but nothing like his adult works. I scare very easily, but this is more... disconcerting with mildly disturbing elements every once in a while. If the rest of the trippy fantasy vibes seem like your type of book, then definitely give it a try! It's truly in a class of its own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying and Body horror
Minor: Child abuse and Toxic relationship
veraweatherly's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0