''Absolute Midnight'' is the third book in the ''

Abarat ''Abarat'' (2002) is a fantasy novel written and illustrated by Clive Barker, the first in Barker's ''The Books of Abarat'' series. It is aimed primarily at young adult fiction, young adults. The eponymous Abarat is a fictional archipelago whic ...

'' series by

Clive Barker Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English novelist, playwright, author, film director, and visual artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories, the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading h ...

. It is a dystopian fantasy-adventure which follows the story of Candy Quackenbush and her journeys through the world of the Abarat. The book contains more than 125 full color illustrations. The story continues Candy's journey in the extraordinary world of the Abarat with familiar friends and new foes. With war looming on the horizon, Candy is put to the test to save the Abarat from total destruction and rescue the people of Abarat from eternal darkness. ''Absolute Midnight'' was released by

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...

on September 27, 2011.

Plot summary

Candy Quackenbush visits the enchantress Laguna Munn to remove Princess Boa's soul from her body; upon which, Boa attempts to kill Candy herself. Later in the novel, Boa searches for

Christopher Carrion ''Abarat'' (2002) is a fantasy novel written and illustrated by Clive Barker, the first in Barker's '' The Books of Abarat'' series. It is aimed primarily at young adults. The eponymous Abarat is a fictional archipelago which is the setting fo ...

on Gorgossium and (failing to find him) captures Finnegan Hob, her former fiancé. In a brief visit to the human world, Candy resists her father, Bill Quackenbush, who tries to obtain her memories. After return to the Abarat, Candy re-unites with her now-numerous supporters and befriends Christopher Carrion and later his father, Zephario Carrion. Pursued by Mater Motley's subordinates, Candy falls in love with a boy named Gazza, who immediately requites the affection. Gazza later learns that Malingo the Geshrat is also in love with Candy. At the climax of this installment Mater Motley releases the arthropod 'Sacbrood', who in turn cover the sky and give the book its name, and collaborates with the extraterrestrial Nephauree, who seek to dominate the Abarat. A struggle follows in which much of the Abarat is destroyed or damaged, and wherein Mater Motley encounters the submarine 'Requiax'. At the edge of the Abarat, a Nephauree makes an appearance; Candy uses a piece of the Abarataraba (the Abarat's supreme book of magic) to save Mater Motley's prisoners;

and Malingo prevent Mater Motley from killing Candy; and Christopher Carrion's siblings are released from the dolls on Mater Motley's dress. Having fallen from the Abarat into the 'Void' beyond, Candy, Malingo, and Gazza enter another, unidentified parallel universe, concluding the book.

Critical reception

Gina Mcintyre of the ''Los Angeles Times'' identified

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

Candy Quackenbush, after reading ''Absolute Midnight'':

"Like Dorothy or Alice before her, 16-year-old Candy is an innocent plucked from the mundanity of her everyday life and thrust into a mystical place filled with untold wonders and horrors. Barker acknowledges his heroine's literary lineage, but he also crafts a wonderfully contemporary girl who is brave, resourceful, loyal and willing to sacrifice herself for the betterment of the world".

References

{{Clive Barker 2011 British novels 2011 fantasy novels Novels by Clive Barker Young adult fantasy novels British young adult novels Abarat HarperCollins books