2020 EDIT: Reread, and it's as good as the first time. 'Coraline' is a great little scary children's book that can be read at bedtime; to teach people of all ages about courage, cleverness, strategy, and exploring. And about people in general. With a young and ordinary - and brave - female protagonist. Forget about reading it once; it can be looked at over and over again in a day, as quick and substantial as anything. There is a reason 'Coraline' became a classic. I love the film, too.
Original Review:
A great and original modern fairy tale. It is about a young girl learning to be brave and resourceful in any scary situation, as well as respecting elders as each of their knowledge is wide and helpful. She is in truth alone in her new home - so she would be tempted by the Other new home - but together with the mysterious black cat she finds she can overcome the most impossible of obstacles.
Bravery is being afraid of something but confronting it anyway, and Coraline (delightful name) Jones learns this from her parents, her neighbours, the cat (whose gender or lack of one, I might add, seems to change from chapter to chapter; intentional?) and ultimately from within herself.
The Other Mother is a fantastic villain, and one I won't soon forget. A favourite as far as scary baddies go.
A short but memorable and creepy book, which can also count as a ghost story. 'Coraline' is written in a flowing and imaginative prose I've come to associate with Neil Gaiman. I highly recommend reading this at least once.
It also got me thinking that maybe Gaiman is better at writing children's books (I have also read and loved 'The Graveyard Book') than ones for adults, since I wasn't too impressed with 'Stardust'. But maybe I just need to read more of his work. I'll check out 'American Gods' soon.
Final Score (for 'Coraline'): 5/5
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