Well, others have covered the plot so I won't do it again.What I will say is that I found this magical and felt myself revelling (spelling?) in the sheer creativity and "otherness" of this book.Truly, though, be prepared to let your imagination roam and create this marvelous place, Abarat, in your minds eyes.Some books require that you slow down your reading and digest the imagery being created to fully enjoy it. This, I believe, is one of them. Then again, maybe it's only because I'm an adult. Younger readers may see this world immediately.There are rewards aplenty here. Let yourself see them.