Reviews - Abarat | The StoryGraph

477 reviews for:

Abarat

Clive Barker

4.03 AVERAGE

kara_bou's review against another edition

5.0

I don't see how this series passes as children's books

nyky11's review against another edition

2.0

It was a fine book for what it was...

blut_binden's review against another edition

5.0

I'm pretty sure that I've read this so many times, I can recite to you word for word the entire first two novels. This book has been a staple in my life, basically an old friend I go back to year after year.

First off, I usually listen to thi via the audiobook. I only learned of the wonderful artwork a few years after my first listen. Knowing this, I'd recommend reading the book-book first. The images are pretty helpful as a guideline to imagining this brand new world of 25 islands and their inhabitants. Then I would suggest listening to the novel if not for the pronunciation of names, but just as a wonderful listen via all the different voices the narrator lends to Clive Barker's creations.

This novel exudes great potential. Fantastic world building, relatable characters, and villains you love to hate (and love to love, I'm looking at you Christopher Carrion!) There's names thrown, places alluded to, and magic that you cross your fingers you leanr more about in the next book. Whether you're into the print or audio version, you won't regret reading the first two novels in the "Abarat" series.

bwinton's review against another edition

5.0

I still like it, even on a re-read.

katemilty's review against another edition

5.0

I can't help but find myself just as excited as the first time I read it. Knowing that the third is only a few months away makes the excitement real as well. I remember thinking two years ago what a pity it was that Barker had abandoned such a great story.
I'm intrigued by characters that I had dismissed last time: Finnegan, Rojo Pixler, Christopher Carrion are my favorites right now. The notion that Carrion is not inherently evil, just dark is something I missed before in my dismissal of him as the token bad guy.
I look forward to the release of book 3 with an anticipation I have not felt the likes of since (dare I say?) Harry Potter.

tea_rex_love's review against another edition

4.0

This is one of the most bizarre books I have ever read. Think Alice and Wonderland, with characters of the same kind of a weird as a faceless man with his eyes, mouth, nose and ears all on spider like creatures and running around his face.
This book didn't really have a conclusion. It ended with Candy and her friend escaping yet another conflict, and evading the hand of their enemy further. Not really an ending.
But it was interesting, and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

mariko88's review against another edition

3.0

Mi è piaciuto, ma non riesco a vederlo se non come una introduzione ai prossimi episodi. Vediamo la protagonista, Candy, arrivare nel mondo fantastico e fare moltissimi incontri, ma non si sa ancora bene quale sarà lo scopo del suo viaggio. Spero di scoprirlo nel seguito...
4 giu 2010, 13:03:52