Review: Clive Barker's Abarat
Abarat is one of those long winding stories that you settle into and meditate on. The Abarat is a Galapagos of time and space, an alternate reality and a reflection of our society all the same. Let's not forget that it's also a young adult novel, and it shows.
Conceptually, it's all Barker. I mean that in the sense that the characters come out of the page as if they're real, as if they are being channeled from somewhere. One day Barker will pass away and someone will find the map to the Abarat (and maybe even another map to the First Dominion), and learn that Barker had regular correspondence to his characters. Their quirks are what keep it fun.
Barker develops character through dialogue first and actions second. Not that there isn't a lot of action. It's just that as far as developing character it's clearly dialogue first.
After reading you realize that this is obviously the first novel. In fact, this first book is an overview to the people and physical place of the story, but by no means do we go too deep.
Our heroines, Candy Quackenbush, we only get to know her as far as who she meets. We know where she's from but her entire purpose is kept hidden from us...in a fun way. Half way through this one I bought the second book knowing I would need to pick that one up as well.
With all that being said, I wasn't amazed by Abarat by any means. It was just an easy read. It's not very long and it gets you interested for the second book, which I will be starting soon.
For years now, Barker has shed much of his horror skin and embraced a strong fantasy touch. Not a problem. But keep in mind, Abarat is a fantasy story first, in the traditional sense. This first book is not as winding as let's say Imajica and not as dark as let's say The Great and Secret Show, but it has more fun than either of those, and it is fresh. I've been reading Barker since high school and to this day I wonder where he is going to take us, and in regards to Abarat, man, I don't even know, but I will be on for the ride.
I'm the author of In Blackness, a story about the beginning of the end. Definitely check it out
Conceptually, it's all Barker. I mean that in the sense that the characters come out of the page as if they're real, as if they are being channeled from somewhere. One day Barker will pass away and someone will find the map to the Abarat (and maybe even another map to the First Dominion), and learn that Barker had regular correspondence to his characters. Their quirks are what keep it fun.
Barker develops character through dialogue first and actions second. Not that there isn't a lot of action. It's just that as far as developing character it's clearly dialogue first.
After reading you realize that this is obviously the first novel. In fact, this first book is an overview to the people and physical place of the story, but by no means do we go too deep.
Our heroines, Candy Quackenbush, we only get to know her as far as who she meets. We know where she's from but her entire purpose is kept hidden from us...in a fun way. Half way through this one I bought the second book knowing I would need to pick that one up as well.
With all that being said, I wasn't amazed by Abarat by any means. It was just an easy read. It's not very long and it gets you interested for the second book, which I will be starting soon.
For years now, Barker has shed much of his horror skin and embraced a strong fantasy touch. Not a problem. But keep in mind, Abarat is a fantasy story first, in the traditional sense. This first book is not as winding as let's say Imajica and not as dark as let's say The Great and Secret Show, but it has more fun than either of those, and it is fresh. I've been reading Barker since high school and to this day I wonder where he is going to take us, and in regards to Abarat, man, I don't even know, but I will be on for the ride.
I'm the author of In Blackness, a story about the beginning of the end. Definitely check it out
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