While chasing his escaped prize-winning pigeon through the streets of Liverpool, Cal Mooney stumbles on the miraculous. In a moment of terror and exaltation he catches a glimpse of a world of wonder before it submerges again in an old, fraying carpet. It's a sight that takes him back to the innocence of his youth, to the time when magic was still possible.
It is a vision that, in the days after, leaves him shaken, disturbed, and profoundly changed. Unable to get the carpet out of his head he goes back to the look for it.
But he soon finds that others are also looking for the carpet and for all the secrets that it hides, and that in a world where there is room for wonders, there is also ample place for horror.
Suzanna has done her best to put the past behind her. All the troubles of childhood, all the innocence lost. All thoughts of the supernatural and the strange shoved aside in the path of her pragmatism.
But, when at her grandmother's hospital bed, she is shown a vision in her mind's eye,she finds the old truth returning; that the world is less clear cut than she wanted to believe.
Following up on the glimpse of magic she returns to her grandmother's house and there meets up with Cal, and together they take a stand against the forces of darkness that wish to use the carpet's mysteries for their own, nefarious ends.
On the one hand it's very good, incredibly imaginative and horrifying, which is what you would expect from a Barker story.
On the other, it is a story that could've done with some stretching out, some more buildup and a higher page count. Another writer would've made this into a trilogy. And with that it might have been better, or it might've not. Either way, during the read, I never felt completely engaged and wasn't completely along for the ride, at least not until the very end, when certain elements that I was very interested in came into play.
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"But that was all; only miracles."
There's so much originality packed into the novel, woven from disparate strands of mythology, religious backgrounds and fairy tales that I just felt constantly bewildered, but also pleased with, whenever a next element was introduced. This is a story written by a uniquely creative soul and it can be overwhelming.
The story takes place over 3 'books', made up out of 13 parts. It's densely plotted and very fast paced.
Characters come and go, and apart from our leads and our primary antagonists, they can feel a bit touch and go, suited for the moment, but always delivered with either heart or horror. Cal is the most interesting of the main, frequently looking as if he should be out of his depth, though he never actually is. Instead, in the hard times, he is buoyed up by the genetic legacy of his grandfather, "Mad" Mooney, which manifests as an imagined voice giving advice where necessary, and furthermore, carrying through some of that weirdness into an environment that it's well suited for.
But characters aren't static and they go through an entire gamut of character progression over the course of its story, it's one of those things why I feel as if the book could've used some more space.
Suzanna is fairly straightforward, which means by Barker's terms that she is the tough-ass you'd want to be. She's well-adapted, beautiful and above all; powerful, both in terms of character and in the Weaveworld mythology itself.
For the bad team, and they are undeniably bad, you have Shadwell the Salesman, wearer of a magic jacket gifting the viewer their hearts' deepest desires in exchange for obedience, who also goes through some revolutions over the course of the story, and Immacolata, who can be best described by the appellation of Black Madonna; purity but through a very dark lens. Barker usually writes characters who are either sexually healthy or who go through some sort of sexual progression during the story's plot, but he neatly subverts that by making her pure character one part of three; one who was supposed to be three, Immacolata strangled (metaphor?) her sisters in the womb, and their ectoplasmic ghosts haunt the world alongside her; The Magdalene; sexual purity turned on its head, and the Hag, with eyes sewn shut granted the gift of foresight: Neat contradictions imbuing power to the characters.
For the last we have Inspector Hobart, who serves as the down-to-earth antagonist element where the others are strengthened by magic. Monomaniacal and dangerous, when he comes into contact with the Fugue's magical properties, he deems it illusion and labels all who consort with it Terrorists.
There are obviously a lot of other characters here, and a few notables that I won't touch on, as to do so would give crucial elements of the story away. And it's an epic story, well worth your time, a long winded tale of travels, magic and wonder leading into a very cool ending.
That ending is beautiful and well delivered, and although I was initially confused with the preceding climax, while reading certain parts again I was surprised to find that the end was perfectly set-up in other chapters. What at first seemed beautiful but odd, had in fact a precursor planted before it, hinting, guiding, leading into the resolution.
At the story's end, looking back at what's been on display, you can only venture to call it as Barker does; a work of the Fantastique. An undeniable Fantasy classic.
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The thing about Barker is his imagination. It seems to have no limits. When I was checking up on some of the Abarat videos on youtube it dawned on me that there can never be enough time for this man to depict and create what he wants. There is always something else, something wild and strange and new. His creative processes are incredible. And it's so pleasing to see somebody do what they genuinely love. Fascinating dude, great fiction.
I first read this book back in '96, and it remains my favorite tale to this day. I can understand the desire to want it stretched out a bit more, but I think it's perfect as it is. It's exactly as long as it needs to be. The reader can let their imagination take it from there.
ReplyDeleteI'm just happy I'm not the only one who has enjoyed it so.
Reading my write-up above it seems as if I was way too harsh on it back when. I confess to being way more enamoured with the novel now. Time has the pleasurable habit of erasing any niggles one might have with fiction and escapism in general, especially if the fiction is so good.
DeleteAnd indeed, it's as you said, imagination fills in the blanks between scenes. Something that probably works double on re-reads, keeping everything fast-paced and exactly as one remembers.
Thanks you so much for the comment,
it's very much appreciated :)