Abarat

My best friend recommended this book to me over the course of 5 years. Only finally last year I read it and fell in love with it. He was very specific to get the hardcovers so that I could fully enjoy the illustrations that the author himself created. Not only has Clive Barker created an entire universe of his own he brought it to life with illustrations that are unique. This is an amazing start to a book series that keeps you wanting more.

Kids, young adults, and adults alike will enjoy this book. Read this about 10 years ago in my early teens and loved it. Recently repurchased to reread and it's still a super fun book. For younger kids, it would have to be read aloud, but Clive's illustrations throughout the book really help pull you into this world, and make it seem almost possible. So glad this was gifted to me as kid, and would make a great gift to a parent/niece/nephew.

I wasn't sure if I was even going to read this book when I first picked it up. It seemed sort of dark, from the illustrations I was looking at. And I'm not quite a fan of dark tales. However, this isn't a morbid tale...it's as fantastic and light as any other. Even more so. PLOT: Candy Quackenbush has lived somewhat uncontentedly in the small Chickentown and longs for a change. When she is asked to do a report on the history of their small town, things change dramatically in Candy's life and viewpoint. Leaving Chickentown with a group of unlikely friends, she begins her journey to another world full of nightmares and dreams. POSITIVE POINTS: The illustrations are incredible, once you get over the fact that the story isn't quite morbid. It's wonderful for any age, but I feel that teens would love it the most. NEGATIVE POINTS: Not knowing if Clive will disappoint me in the rest of the series. :) RECOMMEND? Definitely. Not only do you get a great story, but a wonderful book complete with masterful illustrations. AGE RANGE: This book is definitely hard for me to determine. I'd say probably 8 and up. It is somewhat dark, but no sexual references (I don't recall any anyway). I cannot remember if there is any swearing. I think the illustrations and subject MAY be nightmarish for younger kids who don't quite understand and only see the illustrations. Parents should read it first and then determine it themselves. MOOD: Surprisingly, this is very lighthearted, so I recommend reading it when you are in a negative or depressed mood. It will actually lift it. EFFECT: Read somewhere private or quiet, where you can envelop yourself into the imaginative world. If you listen to music when you read, I'd recommend listening to something light but deep. Such as Rock, Oboe, Viola, Pipes.... As always, if you have a question about the book, feel free to email me. HAPPY READING!!!!!!!!!

ABARAT is Clive Barker's best and most consistent book in quite some time. As with Barker's previous children's book, THE THIEF OF ALWAYS (which he wrote long before the Harry Potter craze), there's a simple purity about ABARAT that makes for a truly riveting and satisfying reading experience. The first in a planned quartet of self-illustrated children's books, Clive Barker's ABARAT tells the story of Candy Quackenbush, a young girl from a conservative Midwestern town who finds herself drawn through an oceanic portal into an alternative world called the Abarat. The Abarat is actually an archipelago of twenty five islands (one for each hour of the day, and another existing outside of time). As she travels from island to island, the precociously independent Candy makes many strange humanoid and not-so-humanoid friends and not a few horrible enemies. Chief among her foes is Christopher Carrion, the Lord of the isle of Midnight, whose powers include the ability to make nightmares real.This lavishly illustrated volumes is beautiful to look at and is also a pleasure to read. Barker's imagination is in top fertile form. There are no missed steps or idle meanderings as there have been in some of Barker's recent efforts. This is a great book for all ages, and for all kinds of readers. A great celebration of the imagination.

You can tell from the other reviews what this book is about, but Abarat is the most creative, wonderful book written since the twenties rolled out The Lord of the Rings-- at true epic! If some adults would consent to read it, they would instantly know that this is not the "kid's book" everyone is calling it. In fact, it could be called a much more sophisticated version of the Phantom Tollbooth, but with much more of an interesting plot and loveable characters. I found myself even being able to get in the minds of the evil characters. Everyone of Barker's characters has a purpose, feelings of love and hate, and are NEW! I've heard many people praise the inventive names of Harry Potter (which,after reading Abarat, suddenly seems boring), but names are a grain of pepper next to the importance of colourful characters... which in fantasy lately, ONLY barker has pulled off. The ending seemed unsatisfying until I realized Abarat is part of a series. An ending that gives away none of the secrets that are hinted throughout the book is an excellent ending for a series. I can't wait until next year for the second book to appear... and I am so frustrated by the lack of information on these books! The whole world should have the heads ducked behind the delightful purple cover and silky pages of this book ASAP!

If you liked Harry Potter, then you will love Abarat. This is the first book that I've read by Clive Barker. Now I want to read all his books if they are as good as this one. As soon as I opened the book, I was immediately taken with this wonderful story told by Clive Barker. It's about a young girl named Candy, who deep inside wants more than what her life is offering. Her home life is not going well, and she isn't treated very well at school by her classmates or her teacher. Not being able to take it anymore, she runs away from school and just starts walking as far away from Chickentown as she can. She ends up in this field right outside of town where she meets a strange creature with many heads which she befriends. She helps him return to his world Abarat, so he ends up taking her with him. They get separated at the beginning of the story. So Candy is left by herself, but she meets new creatures along the way. She knows that she has a purpose in Abarat, she feels that she has been there before. During the story, The Prince of Midnight finds out she is there and is desperately trying to find Candy. He wants to make her his. His obsession of her grows strong, and this leads to others trying to capture her. This story can get really strange, but I loved it. I like when I'm reading a book and it takes me to that world. I would definately recommend this book to anyone. Also, I heard that Abarat the movie will be coming out in a couple of years. I know I cant wait to see it, and after you have read this book, you wont be able to wait either!

It seems a whole lot of authors who have written in other genres, mainly for adults, have taken to this 'genre,' which Rowling, and CS Lewis before her, had already pioneered: books that seem aimed at children but are really for all ages. Chabon's Summerland is another such title.But this one does it brilliantly. Barker doesn't rely on borrowed mythology, cobbled together. He has created a world, complete with unique illustrations. This man has an incredible imagination and can render the narrative drive of the story in a strong, consistent voice that sweeps you away. I've not read anything by Barker before. I may just try to see what else he's done. I just sort of associated him with the Dungeons and Dragons kind of crowd. I look so very forward to the sequels to this book.