(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)As overjoyed I was to finally get a chance to read this, I was also incredibly apprehensive. On one hand, darkness taking over is something Barker does well. On the other, I wasn't sure really what could possibly happen to Candy or Abarat to warrant three more books. Happily, re-reading the first two books assuaged most of my fears and Absolute Midnight itself was more than worth the wait.Wow. I am still reeling from the emotions, the darkness, the characters, the diverse settings, the amazing writing, and the events that took place. While Absolute Midnight obviously was in the same spirit as Abarat and Days of Magic, Night of War, this new third book was darker, more profound, and more brilliant than I could have ever anticipated. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, I didn't really and thank goodness because what happened not only to Candy but to Boa, Carrion, Pixler, Motley, Malingo, and everyone else in Abarat or Chickentown made for a thoroughly engaging read.The direction everything and everyone got taken in were really some of the more refreshing changes, particularly for a YA book, that I've come across in awhile. There is a lot going on in the Abarat series that deals with love, life, death, friendship, good, evil, finding one's true self, and choices. I still don't know if I would say this was a book strictly targeted towards teens, but all of the topics I've mentioned are definitely what teens are starting to become aware of if not to terms with. What makes this book and its prequels work so well is that the subjects are handled in really thought-provoking ways that aren't in the least bit heavy-handed.I could go on and on about the wonderfully terrible and terribly wonderful parts of Absolute Midnight, but needless to say there are a wealth of spoilers involved. Without giving too much away, I will tell you that there were so many monsters, so many story-lines, and so many amazingly unexpected developments that I found myself absolutely miserable and frustrated when I couldn't just sit still to read this book all the way through. While reading, I cried, I laughed, and I was moved by the scope of Barker's vision, imagination, and depth he gave to each of his characters. I was occasionally horrified by some of what happened, of course. But over all I was impressed, enthralled, and keenly pleased by the uniquely Barker but somewhat Lovecraftian-tinged elements that were introduced as well as how much the stakes get raised for everyone.One of the strongest elements of the first two books were the art, and the paintings in Absolute Midnight were pretty amazing too. The words themselves held their own a bit more firmly this time around, but I still loved the pairing of images and text. Since I was reading an ARC not a finished book, I had to make do with black and white reproductions. That worked for about half of the paintings. With the other half it just turned everything into one shade of gray on top of the other, which was pretty awful in terms of catching any small details. Again, this is also not something I would hold against the book itself. Instead I will definitely be hunting down a finished copy of Absolute Midnight as soon as it is out in order to see the oil-paintings properly because I am positive that they will look awesome in color. Somehow I suspect re-reading won't be a hardship either.As far as complaints go, I can't really think of any. Yes, there are a lot of cliffhangers, but I think that's sort of par for the course since this is the third book in a five book series. I could have done without the new love interest for Candy, but I will reserve any real judgment until I see how it all plays out. Besides, Barker did so many things so well that it is difficult to hold anything so trivial against him.In conclusion, awesome and not to be missed! Throughout the Abarat series, Barker has been able to strike a remarkable balance between the use of words and images, and he is really gifted at expressing himself through both mediums. Even just in terms of words, Absolute Midnight is the sort of work of fiction that readers need and that I sometimes forget even exists. It is such a shame that so few authors are wielding their imagination so freely or in such successful abandon as Barker. Just like the first two books of Abarat, I can see Absolute Midnight appealing to a wide range of people. Particularly to readers who are sick and tired of the same old thing, readers who are tired of authors refusing to go into the dark with their stories, and to fans of really good, fantastical horror.
As with some other notable young adult series, Absolute Midnight makes it clear that this series is growing up and growing out, increasing not only in its imagination but its complexity as well. I have a few minor complaints, and sometimes Barker's prose is a bit hard to follow due to the way he splits up his sentences, but overall the book was a strong piece of literature. It read as much more than a simple fantasy novel, and his artwork for this third installment of the series was brilliant: dark and chaotic, like the nature of the events happening in the world of the Abarat.Only a few complaints...The first complaint I have is of the Abarataraba, the ancient, most powerful form of Abaratian magic. It's mentioned within the first few chapters of the book, and Candy admits to having had heard of it, and yet this is the first time we the readers are hearing of it. It pops up out of nowhere, and we don't understand what it really is until later, only getting bits and pieces of information about it. But then again, maybe that's meant to reflect the nature of the Abarataraba itself, in which case, kudos to Barker.The next two complaints I have (view spoiler)[ are, as I've found, fairly common among people who have read the book. First, Boa is evil? I'll agree with many other readers in saying that that felt like it came out of left field. As the book progresses, Barker gives an explanation as to why she's evil and has been, but it feels like a weak filler for such a big revelation, especially when an entire section of the book is devoted to her true evil nature. Second, Gazza, the fisherman (who doesn't have his own portrait, though Barker is quick to give us illustrations of many of the other major characters) who seems to come out of nowhere. He suddenly pops up, and with hardly any interaction that the reader witnesses, suddenly he and Candy are soulmates and it feels as though the readers are left to just go with it and just accept the fact that suddenly Gazza is a major character. Neither of these complaints would be as prominent if Barker hadn't done such a wonderful job in the first two books (and even this one, with some other characters) creating an intricate portrait of each major player in this world, both with words and art. But the fact that these things pop up with no background other than what is hastily supplied on the spot and afterwards leaves a bad taste of shallow plot devices in my mouth. (hide spoiler)]
What do You think about Absolute Midnight (2011)?
Why, it's like listening to a child unwind the very innards of his imagination into the willing ear he's been waiting for. I had an on-going internal battle while reading over weather I liked being pelted with so much CONTENT. The layers upon layers of unspeakably catastrophic events I found a tad over-dramatic at times....and then downright ridiculous!! It felt like being soaked in endless color of the strange, stranger, and grotesque in order to distract from his worst nightmare: stillness. I wish it wasn't always so over-the-top~ the first book gripped me so much because less is more~ the world was fantastical yet STEADY enough to believe. I really liked Candy in the first book.... but now her unnerving coolness in every situation, and the fact that she seems to know everything drives me a bit batty. She never eats, losing at least one shoe doesn't pose as an obstacle~ she can't even sleep without some alternative and yet real desperate adventure unfolding in her subconscious. But WAIT. When you think about it, these are all very dream-like qualities. Always being in that deam-like calm state of mind, without need for sustenance or proper attire, and because it's your dream, you're the one in control, and therefore you inherently know everything without realizing you do....maybe you don't even want to. At times I felt there were information gaps, just like dreams often have upon waking......if Candy wakes up in an insane asylum after all this is said and done, this will be my favorite series ever, hahaha. I think it best to read it more slowly than I did, in order to better grasp the scale of his creations, and let their enormity soak in. Because his imagery is enough to send your brain into overdrive, when imagined as he imagines.....I still trust that he knows exactly what he's doing. Mr. Barker, I salute you. You crazy beast.
—MoonTea
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I have been waiting for this book FOR. EVER. Will be putting this on the "to purchase" list since I own the first two, and they are gorgeous! *********I waffled on 3 and 4 stars for what I consider the final book in the Abarat series. This was a good solid conclusion as far as I am concerned, though the end of the book seems to indicate there are more to follow. Not sure I feel the need to pursue the further adventures of Candy and her band of friends and warriors. Beautiful language, terrific images, but the storytelling finally fell a little flat for me. Villainy eventually reaches a point where it just gets dull, as does the miracle of discovery by the heroine who seems to wield powers she can't explain. I had to drag myself through the final 5 chapters or so.The gorgeous (yet decidedly creepy) illustrations Barker provides throughout pushed the book to the 4 star rating.
—Bob
Well.Huh.Okay. So I'm used to disappointment. It happens. And it's very easy to be hurt by something that you've been waiting for for .... I could look up the exact amount of time between the last book and this one, but I don't feel like it. Five years? Seven? Three? Enough that hope and expectation became so inflated that it would be almost impossible for this book to live up to it.So, apparently, Clive Barker didn't even try.It's not the same world. It’s not the same mood or tone. No: it doesn't bother me when something gory or horrible or gross or evil happens in this book. I was expecting people to die and water to boil. It's a Clive Barker book, for chrissakes. I'm not simple. What I didn't expect was lazy storytelling, illogical plot gaps, sudden introduction of IMPORTANT characters (eye roll here, please), a disregard for the established internal logic of the world and the characters that lived in it ... et cetera.To be honest, i didn't quite finish it. I got about a hundred pages from the end and gave up. So maybe the ending makes it all worthwhile? I can't imagine that. So sad. So irritating.Well, the artwork was pretty good. So it's got that going for it.Not recommended.
—Jen3n
