Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Publisher: Joanna Cotler / HarperCollins
Release Date: September 21, 2004
ISBN: 0-06-024170-2
Awards:  
Format Reviewed: Hardcover
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Genre:   Teen – Young Adult / Fiction / Fantasy
Reviewed: 2004
Reviewer: Jo Rogers
Reviewer Notes:  Contains violence
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Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War
Book Two in the seriessubtitle  
By Clive Barker

    Candy Quackenbush returns in the second volume of the Abarat series. She is still being hunted by Christopher Carrion. Otto Houlihan, the Criss Cross Man, is still pursuing her through the islands of the Abarat.

     The Abarat islands are far different from anything we have seen. They are called “The Hours,” and each one stands at one position on the clock. However, it is a clock face with twenty-four hours on it. Christopher Carrion, along with his grandmother, Mater Motley, rules the Midnight Hour. Together, they are planning to take over all twenty-four hours and bring them under the rule of darkness. When they are through, if they succeed there will be no more daylight—no light of any kind. However, there is one thorn in their plans: Candy Quackenbush.

     Candy does not know why they are pursuing her. All she knows is that Houlihan wants to take her to Carrion. She is not aware of the power she possesses. She thinks she is just a simple, ordinary, almost-fifteen year old girl from Chickentown, Minnesota. However, this time, she will find out just what happened to her the night she was born. She will also find out that she is much more than “just plain Candy Quackenbush.”

      Though I had not read the first volume, I had little trouble picking up the threads of the story. It contains morals that are sometimes questionable, as well as a different slant on the Bible. I can't say that I agree with his views here. However, the main thing to remember is that it's a work of fiction. It is quite entertaining; it moves quickly with Candy going through adventure after adventure with her friend Malingo, the geshrat. She escapes time after time, but there's always a new threat. If your teenager reads this book, supervise the reading. Both of you enjoy.