Book Reviews of Abarat

This is not a "kids only" type story - the concept is fascinating and you come to love the characters and want to explore the different "Hours" (islands) in this new world.

This children's / young adult fantasy adventure story is a little bit dark and spooky, which keeps it interesting for older kids as well as fantasy-minded adult readers. It reminds me a bit of the film "Mirrormask" in its dreamlike story quality. It is the first in a series, so if you wish to know how EVERYTHING turns you, you have to be willing to commit to more than one book.

Abarat seemed like such an interesting read. I was bored reading it. I can only imagine that it is called a children's book because the author treats the reader like a child. Clive Barker tells the story as if the reader were watching TV, doing their homework, and avoiding the dishes. Very slowly.

Really good. It is the first in a series that promises to be fun.

I really enjoyed this book. After such a long hiatus away from the works of Barker, coming back to him in Abarat brought me back to the mind of this brilliant man. The world we know subtly changes into a world most bizzare and wonderous.

Fiction? Maybe... but who knows if we're just the unlucky who never get the chance to explore other dimensions?