History YMMV / Abarat

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: This series is '''''dark.''''' It's also aimed mostly at a young demographic. To add to the... confusion? Amusement? Creator/{{Disney}} actually bought up the movie (and a bunch of other!) rights before the first book was even ''published.''
* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: Also spreads to some of the paintings.

* CompleteMonster: [[AxCrazy Mater Motley]] successfully brings about the end of all that is good by making a pact with the [[EldritchAbomination Nephauree]], beings whose whole purpose is to destroy. She releases untold millions of evil insects, and then burns the world with a massive deathship. She burned down her own house rendering her son blind and killing all but one of her 20 or so grandchildren--the souls of whom, along with those of several of her other victims, she [[AndIMustScream contains inside the dolls which make up her dress]]. Her abuse of Christopher Carrion for all his life, such as sewing his lips shut for even mentioning the word love, is what turned him into a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds. Her only motivation for these actions is [[ForTheEvulz sadistic enjoyment]]

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley successfully brings about the end of all that is good by making a pact with beings whose whole purpose is to destroy. She releases untold millions of evil insects, and then burns the world with a massive deathship. She burned down her own house rendering her son blind and killing all but one of her 20 or so grandchildren. It turns out all of these acts were just ForTheEvulz and she's just that horrific of a person. Her abuse of Christopher Carrion for all his life, such as sewing his lips shut for ''mentioning'' the word love, is what turned him into a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley. She [[spoiler: (successfully) brings about the end of all that is good by making a pact with beings whose whole purpose is to destroy. She releases untold millions of evil insects, then burns the entire world with a massive deathship. She burned down her own house rendering her son blind and killing all but one of her 20 or so grandchildren. And then proceeds to sew the souls of said grandchildren into her dress, using them as a power source and keeping them from truly dying.]] It turns out all of these acts were just ForTheEvulz and she's just that horrific of a person. Her abuse of Christopher Carrion for all his life, such as sewing his lips shut for ''mentioning'' the word love, is what turned him into a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

* ComeForTheXStayForTheY: Come for the beautiful illustrations. Stay for the masterful poetry.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: This series is '''''dark.''''' It's also aimed mostly at a young demographic. To add to the... confusion? Amusement? {{Disney}} actually bought up the movie (and a bunch of other!) rights before the first book was even ''published.''

* ComeForTheXStayForTheY: Come for the beautiful illustrations. Stay for the masterful poetry.

* NightmareFuel: There is a very frightening illustration in ''Absolute Midnight'' at the beginning of Chapter 38, that of a demonic woman with yellow cats' eyes and a horrible grin. One reaches the end of the previous chapter, quickly turns the page, and then proceeds to have nightmares for several weeks.

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley. She [[spoiler: (successfully) brings about the end of all that is good by making a pact with beings whose whole purpose is to destroy. She releases untold millions of evil insects, then burns the entire world with a massive deathship. She burned down her own house rendering her son blind and killing all but one of her 20 or so grandchildren.]] It turns out all of these acts were just ForTheEvulz and she's just that horrific of a person. Her abuse of Christopher Carrion for all his life, such as sewing his lips shut for ''mentioning'' the word love, is what turned him into a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

* AssPull: [[spoiler:Geshrats can survive beheading.]] [[EnsembleDarkhorse Nobody's complaining, mind you.]]

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley.

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley, Kasper Wolfswinkel.
** [[spoiler: Bill Quackenbush was abusive and cruel in the first two novels, but as of Absolute Midnight he has turned into a CompleteMonster who is willing to murder his family if they cross him.]]

* NightmareFuel: There is a very frightening image in ''Absolute Midnight'' at the beginning of Chapter 38, that of a demonic woman with yellow cats' eyes and a horrible grin. One reaches the end of the previous chapter, quickly turns the page, and then proceeds to have nightmares for several weeks.

* ComeForTheXStayForTheY: Come to see if Clive Barker can pull off YA fiction. Stay because Clive Barker ''can'' pull off YA fiction!
** Come for the beautiful illustrations. Stay for the masterful poetry.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: This series is '''''dark.''''' It's also aimed mostly at a young demographic. To add to the... confusion? Amusement? {{Disney}} actually bought up the movie (and a bunch of other!) rights before the first book was even ''published.''

* NightmareFuel: Allow us to repeat: '''Clive friggin' Barker.''' Even if these are young adult books, they're creepy enough to make ''adults'' disturbed.

* NightmareFuelUnleaded: Allow us to repeat: '''Clive friggin' Barker.''' Even if these are young adult books, they're creepy enough to make ''adults'' disturbed.

* AssPull: [[spoiler:Geshrats can survive beheading.]] We are not against, though.

WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: This series is '''''dark.''''' It's also aimed mostly at a young demographic. To add to the... confusion? Amusement? {{Disney}} actually bought up the movie (and a bunch of other!) rights before the first book was even ''published.''

* NightmareFuelUnleaded: Allow us to repeat: '''Clive friggin' Barker.''' Even if these are young adult books, they're creepy enough to make ''adults'' disturbed.

** Come for the beautiful illustrations. Stay for the masterful poetry.

* CompleteMonster: Mater Motley, Kasper Wolfswinkel.

* BadassDecay: Houlihan in book 2.