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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Oh.
Christopher Carrion..
Kamu sudah datang.
Aku merinding.
Tapi penasaran, hehe..
*bertekad menyelesaikan soal ulangan harian malam ini juga sebelum mencebur lagi ke laut Izabella*
Christopher Carrion..
Kamu sudah datang.
Aku merinding.
Tapi penasaran, hehe..
*bertekad menyelesaikan soal ulangan harian malam ini juga sebelum mencebur lagi ke laut Izabella*
The story was so-so, but the illustrations make it worthwhile.
I thought it was quite an interesting concept, the world of Abarat being based on the hours of the day, whilst the writing was vaguely reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. An interesting read, even though I know it is geared to young adults, I still found myself interested it what would ultimately happen, and that kept me reading, although at times it was a bit too juvenile for my tastes. I'm still deciding if I'm going to continue on with the series, or leave it as it is.
Barker's drawings make this so much more than just a YA lark. A lovely work of art.
Interesting and different. Barker's prose is inelegant at times, and he introduces so many colorful characters with such a range of oddnesses that I found his portraits quite helpful, just to keep people straight. The art is gorgeous and strange, dream-like. I look forward to seeing how things develop.
I am not usually drawn into a book by its cover, as I know that the author often has little to do with it. In this case, Abarat should absolutely be judged by its cover, as it features Barker's own work that is used throughout the book as illustrations to the story. The pictures are amazing and really enhance the tale and Candy's journey, as she meets a number of interesting characters (a man with seven heads on antlers?!) and travels through the magical land of the Abarat.
There's plenty of action and a lot to learn about the islands Candy finds herself on, which makes for some fascinating reading. The only aspect of the tale that is a drawback is where it ends. While the book is already a decent length, so it makes sense to cut it off at some point to continue on in the next, this particular story feels like we had only just begun to get answers to some of the questions introduced. Then bam! It's actually done. But I look forward to picking up the next. Also -- the addition of the "excerpt" with further information about the Abarat at the end was very useful for filling in the blanks.
There's plenty of action and a lot to learn about the islands Candy finds herself on, which makes for some fascinating reading. The only aspect of the tale that is a drawback is where it ends. While the book is already a decent length, so it makes sense to cut it off at some point to continue on in the next, this particular story feels like we had only just begun to get answers to some of the questions introduced. Then bam! It's actually done. But I look forward to picking up the next. Also -- the addition of the "excerpt" with further information about the Abarat at the end was very useful for filling in the blanks.
I loved this book sooooo much and I didn’t think I would at first? All the plot lines merged together fantastically, I could tell all the characters apart and didn’t get confused with how they were connected or who they were. The world building was just breathtaking.
I love good world building and this has some of the best that I have ever seen. And I know this review isn’t very long but this book doesn’t need it.
I love good world building and this has some of the best that I have ever seen. And I know this review isn’t very long but this book doesn’t need it.
When I took up Abarat, I knew that it was likely going to be very imaginative and, even though it was young adult novel, have some pretty gruesome imagery. I was not disappointed.
What made the book enjoyable for me were our two heroes. The main character is Candy Quackenbush. She is good natured and fun to be around. She's also prepared unfazed by magical horror because she has been prepared by the types of common horror we recognize. After the evil of an alcoholic father who can decide to beat her for no particular reason, the sudden appearance of a huge monster with spiderish almost fleshless limbs and rods that looked like four swords which had been fused to its back...and who immediately starts chasing her... is nothing much. As the book opens she lives in Chickentown, USA, a town where everyones livelihood depends on the massive slaughter of chickens. Barker makes this place sound more gruesome than any of the creatures she would meet in Abarat.
I tried not to fully imagine the appearance of the characters even the 'good' characters in this book. They were too frightening for me. The secondary hero is John Mischief. "His left eye was round and wild was narrow and sly....There were large downy ears, and above them two enormous antlers, which would have resembled those of a stag except that there were seven heads...growing from them. Heads with eyes, noses and mouths." I'm not as accepting as Candy. And sometimes the character of the characters wasn't nearly as fleshed out as the nature of their flesh. That is why the book lost a star for me. However, the plot is wonderful. We follow the unpredictable journeys of two main characters. We aren't sure what will happen to them next, but we know that somehow they will survive because Fate needs them to.
I will definitely continue on to the next book in the series.
What made the book enjoyable for me were our two heroes. The main character is Candy Quackenbush. She is good natured and fun to be around. She's also prepared unfazed by magical horror because she has been prepared by the types of common horror we recognize. After the evil of an alcoholic father who can decide to beat her for no particular reason, the sudden appearance of a huge monster with spiderish almost fleshless limbs and rods that looked like four swords which had been fused to its back...and who immediately starts chasing her... is nothing much. As the book opens she lives in Chickentown, USA, a town where everyones livelihood depends on the massive slaughter of chickens. Barker makes this place sound more gruesome than any of the creatures she would meet in Abarat.
I tried not to fully imagine the appearance of the characters even the 'good' characters in this book. They were too frightening for me. The secondary hero is John Mischief. "His left eye was round and wild was narrow and sly....There were large downy ears, and above them two enormous antlers, which would have resembled those of a stag except that there were seven heads...growing from them. Heads with eyes, noses and mouths." I'm not as accepting as Candy. And sometimes the character of the characters wasn't nearly as fleshed out as the nature of their flesh. That is why the book lost a star for me. However, the plot is wonderful. We follow the unpredictable journeys of two main characters. We aren't sure what will happen to them next, but we know that somehow they will survive because Fate needs them to.
I will definitely continue on to the next book in the series.
Magical places, beautiful creatures, and blood-freezing enemies fill this unique masterpiece. One book where you finally like the villain without him being a stud. I highly recommend it to both fairytale and horror lovers, it's a book that will suck you in and you won't be able to easily put it away. A pleasure both as a read and as imagery as it is illustrated by Clive Barker himself.
Interesting gender dynamics, but felt as if it was full of hastily filled plot holes.