#87 Abadazad: The Road to Inconceivable

I have to admit that I almost quit on this book after the first 25 pages. It wasn't that I didn't like the story, for I actually found that to be engaging, creative and adventurous. I think it was because I didn't like the character of Kate, and I especially didn't like the tension between Kate and her mother. (To be really honest, I thought Kate was a spoiled brat, and I really had a hard time reading the mean things she said about people.)

I did keep reading, however, and when I finished the book I decided that it does have some very redeeming qualities that make it worthy of spending time with.

Kate and her little brother Matt are very close, so she is understandably very upset when he disappears while in her care. They have loved sharing the tales of Abadazad together - so when the strange old woman who lives next door tells Kate that she lived in Abadazad, and that her brother has been kidnapped and is there, she realizes that she has to rescue him.

The story is told through Kate's diary, pages from the Abadazad books (supposedly), and graphically through comics. The comics are scattered throughout the book, and they really do help tell the tale.

I think it was when Kate arrived in Abadazad that she began to soften a bit, and I found myself liking her more and more. Now, this story is tough: tough to read, and tough to understand, so it isn't one that I would share with a little brother or sister. But, if you like fantasy, and if you like graphic novels, this is one you should take a serious look at. It is the first book in a series - so don't be surprised by the lack of an ending! I'm sure the author is hoping that it will get you reading the next book!