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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Clive Barker's take on an Alice in Wonderland-esque adventure. If you are looking for a book which takes you on a tour through a dark, dream-like, and wildly imaginative world, pick up Abarat. The first book in the series, the plot serves as a great introduction to our main character Candy, the land of Abarat, its mysteries, and the players who may soon come to seriously threaten the stability of the Abarat. HIGHLY recommend reading an illustrated version!
Rating: 8/8 John Mischief heads
Rating: 8/8 John Mischief heads
Es un 2,5 nada de fiar.
Digo nada de fiar en cuanto a mi valoración. Sí, vale, en las características ponía fantasía. Que sí, que también ponía young adult... Pero coj*nes, que hablamos de Clive Barker! Ese Clive Barker que escribió la maravilla de Hellraiser! El de Cabal, Demonio de libro o Libros de Sangre. Ost*as, el rey del gore, las visceras y lo desagradablemente asqueroso! El de los monstruos imposibles!
Pues eso, que me he encontrado un libro de fantasía young adult de cabo a rabo como lo puede ser Alicia en el país de las maravillas, al que se asemeja bastante, la verdad.
Y dirás... "pero subnormal, si lo pone en las características!!!" Pues sí. Me he encontrado justo lo que avisaban... subnormal perdido por esperar otra cosa.
Pero no todo es malo. Personajazo el tal John Fechorías y sus siete hermanos. Ya. El resto es un libro de fantasía young adult. Lo que ponía. Lo que no quise creer. Que inútil me siento...
Si a diferencia de un servidor lo que estás buscando es un libro de fantasía young adult, es una apuesta segura. Si buscas al Clive Barker que yo buscaba, huye y no mires atrás.
Digo nada de fiar en cuanto a mi valoración. Sí, vale, en las características ponía fantasía. Que sí, que también ponía young adult... Pero coj*nes, que hablamos de Clive Barker! Ese Clive Barker que escribió la maravilla de Hellraiser! El de Cabal, Demonio de libro o Libros de Sangre. Ost*as, el rey del gore, las visceras y lo desagradablemente asqueroso! El de los monstruos imposibles!
Pues eso, que me he encontrado un libro de fantasía young adult de cabo a rabo como lo puede ser Alicia en el país de las maravillas, al que se asemeja bastante, la verdad.
Y dirás... "pero subnormal, si lo pone en las características!!!" Pues sí. Me he encontrado justo lo que avisaban... subnormal perdido por esperar otra cosa.
Pero no todo es malo. Personajazo el tal John Fechorías y sus siete hermanos. Ya. El resto es un libro de fantasía young adult. Lo que ponía. Lo que no quise creer. Que inútil me siento...
Si a diferencia de un servidor lo que estás buscando es un libro de fantasía young adult, es una apuesta segura. Si buscas al Clive Barker que yo buscaba, huye y no mires atrás.
It took me almost two years to read this book and that about sums up my experience of it. It reads like a disconnected set of travelogues which I suppose are some kind of preamble to the series. Art was weird but in keeping with an author known for writing horror.
This is YA and it reminds me of a Ghibli like howls moving castle or the never ending story. There's really weird characters (and a lot of them) and the action never takes a break and there's not really time jumps in Candy's narrative. It does drive me crazy she apparently tells literally everyone she meets she's from the Hereafter.
This book was enjoyable but also definitely the beginning of a story. I really hate the name Candy and Chickentown so it took me quite awhile to really get into this book.
I did enjoy it, but I’m not entirely sure I’ll finish it.
I did enjoy it, but I’m not entirely sure I’ll finish it.
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It's nice to see authors who understand that YA fiction doesn't not mean 'watered down popular concepts for people who really don't read or write very well.'
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When it comes to imaginative surrealism that so perfectly oscillates between wondrous and disturbing, I would expect nothing less from the creator of Hellrasier. Clive Barker has created such a unique world in the Abarat, a place where each island represents a different time of day. There are creatures both beautiful and terrifying, helpful eccentrics, malevolent foes, and a promise for a most eventful future for our protagonist.
For the first book in a series, this book does well to establish the world and what sort of adventures may lay ahead for Candy Quakenbush. However, other than her arrival in the Abarat, it really felt like she didn't have much to do during this story. She doesn't really have a goal in mind other than to get away from her ho hum home in Chickentown and escape from the baddies trying to capture her for the nightmarish Lord Carrion. It's a bit Alice in Wonderland that way, where you go from one oddity to the next without much plot developing. It made for a slow read at times, but the worldbuilding and cast of characters makes up for it.
The art in this book is simply breathtaking. It's weird, cerebral, abstract, the kind of thing you would only see in dreams or nightmares. It really helps drive some of the more horror aspects of the book, as there are definitely some images that are bound to linger with you.
I'm a little hesitant to continue the series since last time I checked it has been at least twelve years since the latest book came out and I really don't want to commit myself to another series that's had over a decade between releases. This is a promising start though, so I hope there is some kind of continuation at some point.
For the first book in a series, this book does well to establish the world and what sort of adventures may lay ahead for Candy Quakenbush. However, other than her arrival in the Abarat, it really felt like she didn't have much to do during this story. She doesn't really have a goal in mind other than to get away from her ho hum home in Chickentown and escape from the baddies trying to capture her for the nightmarish Lord Carrion. It's a bit Alice in Wonderland that way, where you go from one oddity to the next without much plot developing. It made for a slow read at times, but the worldbuilding and cast of characters makes up for it.
The art in this book is simply breathtaking. It's weird, cerebral, abstract, the kind of thing you would only see in dreams or nightmares. It really helps drive some of the more horror aspects of the book, as there are definitely some images that are bound to linger with you.
I'm a little hesitant to continue the series since last time I checked it has been at least twelve years since the latest book came out and I really don't want to commit myself to another series that's had over a decade between releases. This is a promising start though, so I hope there is some kind of continuation at some point.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
No
L'idea del mondo di Abarat è carina e alcune delle creature che lo abitano sono originali, ma la storia è troppo piatta e inconsistente. Riprende il modello di Alice, Lucy Pevensie, Wendy Darling e Dorothy, ma senza aggiungere niente di davvero nuovo. La protagonista Candy non ha una vera personalità e fa quello che ci si aspetta che faccia: è coraggiosa, audace e scaltra, ma tutte le eroine già citate lo sono. Solo che loro avevano un'identità ben riconoscibile. Candy è speciale, la predestinata, ma è speciale perché deve esserlo. È l'eroina della storia perché è la protagonista, fine. L'epico scontro che tutti attendono è il classico, vecchio scontro tra buoni e cattivi. Il supercattivo è il tipico cattivo cattivissimo un po' da cartone animato, che vuole dominare il mondo perché sì, perché lui è il cattivo. In conclusione, bella l'ambientazione, ma la trama non regge.