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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This book has a special place in my heart. I read it in middle school, but it opened literary doors I may never have found.
Always a no spoiler/no plot detail review...
I wish I would have read this book when I was like 12 or 13, what a very powerful book this would have been to me. But, sadly I only just read it now at age 41 but since I'm still a huge lover of children's fiction (especially dark children's fiction) I still found this story to be every bit as magical and scary as it intended to be.
This is my first Clive Barker book that I've finished. I started previous works (Mister B. Gone and The Great and Secret Show but didn't finish either of them--not for me).
But wow, I love this book. Clive Barker wrote this in such a way that the naivete of the young characters is your top layer of narration but as you read it, this subtle feeling of insidiousness grows and festers like a clogged pore.
I recommend it to anyone! Anyone who loves magic, creepy illustrations and dark creatures. Good vs. evil and friendship and a morally sound protagonist fighting his inner compass to do the right thing. Who wouldn't love THAT??
Read this at Halloween, Christmas or when it's a dark and stormy night. You'll mark it as an instant classic too. And if you have read it, I'm joining you now at the Holiday House!
I wish I would have read this book when I was like 12 or 13, what a very powerful book this would have been to me. But, sadly I only just read it now at age 41 but since I'm still a huge lover of children's fiction (especially dark children's fiction) I still found this story to be every bit as magical and scary as it intended to be.
This is my first Clive Barker book that I've finished. I started previous works (Mister B. Gone and The Great and Secret Show but didn't finish either of them--not for me).
But wow, I love this book. Clive Barker wrote this in such a way that the naivete of the young characters is your top layer of narration but as you read it, this subtle feeling of insidiousness grows and festers like a clogged pore.
I recommend it to anyone! Anyone who loves magic, creepy illustrations and dark creatures. Good vs. evil and friendship and a morally sound protagonist fighting his inner compass to do the right thing. Who wouldn't love THAT??
Read this at Halloween, Christmas or when it's a dark and stormy night. You'll mark it as an instant classic too. And if you have read it, I'm joining you now at the Holiday House!
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
"Evil, however powerful it seemed, could be undone by its own appetite."
Cute and clever. I would've loved this as a kid.
Cute and clever. I would've loved this as a kid.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
It's an eerie disconnected Children's horror book with Coraline feels.. or rather Coraline feels like this one since this book preceded it by a decade. It's a cautionary tale of being careful of what you wish for and appreciating what you have as well as your parents. GREAT book. I really enjoyed it.
My (13 year-old) loved this. I thought it was pretty good. Barker owes a lot to Bradbury for this. Everything about it reminds me of Bradbury's writing and I read a lot of Bradbury when I was younger so it kind of brought me back. Now I'm wondering if we should try Barker's other YA stuff (Arabat etc...)
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fans of Caroline by Neil Gaiman might like this one. I picked this up because I’m looking for new dark fantasy favorites and I suspect Barker might be my guy, but Imajica is too daunting for me at this point. I wasn’t expecting a YA/children’s story, since this is shelved as adult fiction at my library. It was fine. Not sure which Barker I’ll pick up next.