Abarat by Clive Barker

Rating:
Characters: 20/20
Plot: 19/20
Originality: 20/20
Writing: 20/20
Recommendation: 20/20
Overall: 99/100 or A+
Source: Library

Summary: Once upon a world, where time is place, a journey beyond imagination is about to unfold. . . . It begins in the most boring place in the world: Chickentown, U.S.A. There lives Candy Quackenbush, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold.

When the answer comes, it's not one she expects. Out of nowhere comes a wave, and Candy, led by a man called John Mischief (whose brothers live on the horns on his head), leaps into the surging waters and is carried away.

Where? To the ABARAT: a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day, from The Great Head that sits in the mysterious twilight waters of Eight in the Evening, to the sunlit wonders of Three in the Afternoon, where dragons roam, to the dark terrors of Gorgossium, the island of Midnight, ruled over by the Prince of Midnight himself, Christopher Carrion.

As Candy journeys from one amazing place to another, making fast friends and encountering treacherous foes--mechanical bugs and giant moths,miraculous cats and men made of mud, a murderous wizard and his terrified slave--she begins to realize something. She has been here before.

Candy has a place in this extraordinary world: she is here to help save the Abarat from the dark forces that are stirring at its heart. Forces older than Time itself, and more evil than anything Candy has ever encountered.

She's a strange heroine, she knows. But this is a strange world.

And in the Abarat, all things are possible.


Review: The imaginative world of Abarat has found a spot in my heart and has nestled deep down, never to be forgotten. "One of the best, most amazing books I've ever read", is something I say about only a few really good books. This is most definitely one of them, no doubts. As you can see, I gave it a very high rating, nearly perfect. It certainly deserves it.

After reading Abarat, I have become a great fan of Clive Barker. His mastery of literature rivals his beautiful and very imaginative illustrations. It is a truly gorgeous book, strange and very appealing artwork adorning nearly every other page, encouraging the reader onward with the story. A true work of art.

I have always believed that the ultimate fantasy is a fantasy that appeals to every emotion of the reader. Wonder and excitement yet also hatred and disgust are prevalent throughout the plot of Abarat. Hearing this might cause some people to be overly hesitant about reading it, but it should not be the case. Fantasies are where readers will lose themselves in strange new worlds. Without all emotions, those pleasant and those unpleasant, the world will feel hollow for the reader. The fantasy will no longer be a fantasy. Fortunately, I found the world of Abarat to be one of the most fantastical and mind-capturing worlds I have ever delved into. Absolutely amazing. ;-)

Abarat is the first of The Books of Abarat series, a supposed quintet. The next installment is titled Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War. Look for my review in the future, I will definitely be keeping my eye on this series. ;-) 

http://www.clivebarker.info/