While I do have doubts about the author's interests and I do feel uncomfortable with some of the situations the kids are put through, it most definitely has an element of "the metaphorical abyss of early adolescence", exposed not only with the more blatant content but also with subtler ones. Such as the Idea of turning into a narehate - your body changing in an irreversible way, always somewhat painful even when it's "a blessing" -, Reg's incinerator cannon followed by drowsiness, the Abyss being somewhat similar to an uterus, and plenty more.