Not quite sure what to think, because it's hard to judge without reading the other 4 Abarat books out there / planned.

I like the message and the ideas behind these books, but the plot didn't really blow me off my feet. Especially the whole big battle is completely underdeveloped for something which was granted so much attention in the earlier books. The dusty conclusion doesn't really satisfy after 3 volumes of building up to... what exactly?!

Never having read much by Doctorow except boingboing, I didn't quite expect this to be Sci-Fi - but it's even better this way! The described technology resembles that of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, 100 years advanced. Combine that with a Walt Disney World setting and you've got a pretty way-out story.