Boek
Abarat
| Auteur | Clive Barker |
| Eerste Uitgave | 2002 |
| Uitgave | 2002 |
| Uitgeverij | Joanna Cotler Books |
| Vorm | jeugd |
| Taal | Engels |
| Bladzijden | 388 bladzijden |
| Gelezen |
|
| Score | 8/10 |
Inhoud
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. Candy Quackenbush lives in Chickentown, 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.
Bespreking
A (young) reader's treat not to be missed
If you are looking for the most boring place on earth, you can stop your search right now: Chickentown, U.S.A. is just that kind of place. The only thing that is of any importance in this small American city is, you guessed it: chickens. But that was not always so: Candy Quackenbush, a young girl living together with her mother and her alcoholic abusive father, is preparing for her school project and about to discover the 'real' history behind Chickentown. But when Miss Schwartz, her hateful school teacher, sees the final results, she is utterly disappointed: "You have not mentioned any chickens!" It is not surprising that Candy gets a very bad score. Enraged by her teacher Candy leaves school and ends up in this field right outside of town. There she meets a strange man called John Mischief, who takes her to the fantastic world of Abarat: an archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day. Not much time goes by until Candy realises that not everyone treats her as friendly as her friend John.
Abarat is the first instalment of the quartet The Books of Abarat. And that is maybe the only weakness of this book. When you finish this episode you are left with a hunger for more. It seems as though the characters were all introduced, the setting explained and the real story-line is about to start, when you discover that this is really is all you get in the first instalment. It is clearly not intended as a stand-alone book.
But that is all the negative comment I can give, because Abarat is a reader's treat. The imaginary is mind-blowing; the characters are wonderfully fascinating and the atmosphere honours Clive Barker's exceptional talent for the "fantastic". Once you enter the world of Abarat, it is not likely you will put this book down; so reserve a few hours before you start reading.
Disney already bought the rights to this book, and the movie is planned for 2005. The next instalment of Abarat is already planned for the second half of 2003.