Now I'm not a huge Barker fan, however I enjoyed the first Abarat book and was looking foward to the continuing adventures of Candy Quackenbush. "Days of Magic, Nights of War" covers another handful of Hours (islands) from the world of Abarat, giving Barker free reign to be inventive, bizzare and, as ever, all tinted with an edge of possibility. It's the hint of realism that keeps you reading - it's written in such simple narrative how can it not be fact. As far as the style, I found it to be less dark that the predecessor, and although Carrion and Mater were still very much present, their malign characterisations were not as strong. Without offering any spoilers, I believe Barker attempts to fix this at the end of the book. The book introduces a strong central story which will propel us through the next volume and has created the idea of a Tolkein "company" to fight the evil menaces from the Midnight Hour, almost all of the characters you'll already know from the first book. Overall, there's a great movie like feel to the book. It's fast paced, surreal and nightmarish in parts; a page-turner with lots of surprises and a brilliant plotted end. ( )

Susan says: This book was not even close to one of my favorites, although at least it read faster than the first one did. In this book Candy Quackenbush is traveling throughout the islands of the Abarat, trying to escape Christopher Carrion and the people he sends to catch her. There are many fantastic characters and settings in this book, but at 500 pages, it is too long and too expansive. There are too many people to keep track of, and unfortunately you can see the plot points coming from a mile away, and there are not enough of those either. This book feels like it has been regurgitated out of Clive Barker’s dreams, and it should have been pared way down, or at least put into some appendixes to the main plot. I’m looking forward to moving on to something else! ( )

The second book of Abarat isn't bad plot-wise. The book continues Candy's Abaratian adventures, just about where the first one ended. Some old characters drop out (get murdered) and new ones join her (several of those get murdered too) as Candy begins to realize just who she is and where her destiny is taking her. She revisits Chickentown with the idea that she belongs there, but is happy, in the end, to return to Abarat, where her real life is just beginning. We are warned of the problems and the Darkness looming in her future, but that's another story. "So ends the second book of the Abarat."
I guess I have come to realize that this book, as well as Abarat, is just as much of the horror genre as of fantasy, and while I love the fantasy, I just don't much like horror. I don't care for the hopelessness of many of the characters in these books. I don't see the characters as being particularly well-drawn, and maybe that's just as well, because so many of them die. They all seem to be confused, unhappy people - whether they are good, bad or just indifferent. In fact, the author has made this a spiritual horror story. There is a definate thread of spirituality running through both books, with the characters looking for something beyond themselves. His characters do a lot of desultory praying when they are in tight spots, but Barker lets you know that their prayers are usually not answered. Seemingly he would like to unveil the mysteries of life, but he simply doesn't know how.
Still, the illustrations are absolutly georgeous, and blend in with the story brilliantly. For that reason, if for no other, I'd like to finish the series. ( )

http://eloisebythebookpiles.blogspot.... ( )

The second in the Abarat series of a planned four (although I doubt we will see any more, at least in a long time). This one has more of a straightforward story than the first and the plotlines are easier to follow. The paintings are still outstanding - the burning of the Carrion Night Mansion being one of the best - and the characters are true Barker, i.e. genius. There aren't enough of them, though - not even close to as many as in the first book. Also, it feels as if the idea of the text following the paintings' lead is wearing out and, although it makes for an easier read, it also takes away some of the magic for me - the fantastic imagination is after all what I read Barker for. Still, for a YA novel, it's still a pretty great piece of fiction.

http://boklista.livejournal.com/48278... ( )