Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman
Pages: 162
Genre: Fantasy, Gothic, Young Adult
Book Description:
Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes. When they make it clear, however, that they want to make her theirs forever, Coraline begins a nightmarish game to rescue her real parents and three children imprisoned in a mirror. With only a bored-through stone and an aloof cat to help, Coraline confronts this harrowing task of escaping these monstrous creatures.

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My Opinion:
When I was younger I vividly remember watching the film adaptation and being scared for nights afterwards of the characters with the buttons for eyes! Years later, I finally picked up the book as I was curious of the differences between them. Plus, I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan and have read and enjoyed many of his other books.

The first thing I noticed as I read this, was how different it was to the film! The film had added more to the story line and even some extra characters which I found rather unexpected. I understand why they did it, to fill out the movie maybe, but I preferred the book to the Tim Burton adaption; although I'm also a huge fan of Burton's creations!

This book was very easy to read and I completed it in a few hours. Since I read this as an eighteen year old, I did find it to be quite childish however that didn't take away any of the enjoyment. It was creative and perfect for younger children, with a standard moral at the end of the novel. I think that if I had read this when I was younger, I would have gotten more out of it than at this current time.

I know this isn't exactly and element of the writing but the edition of the book I purchased (with the same cover that i have attached above) included BEAUTIFUL artwork by Chris Riddle. His illustrations go perfectly with Gaiman's style of writing and I loved seeing the characters visually as I read the novel. Gaiman and Riddle have worked together on  numerous books together and would definitely recommend checking those out (for instance the Graveyard Book, which I reviewed here) or even just Riddle's independent artwork!

Despite the easiness and childish elements of this book, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to adults that need to escape into a creepy fantasy world. As I've read Gaiman's other works, like The Ocean at the end of the Lane and Stardust, I will say that this isn't his best work in my opinion and I prefer some of his other books. Nevertheless, this was still a wonderful read!

Favourite Quotes:

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

~~~~

Because,' she said, 'when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.

~~~~

'Mirrors,' she said, 'are never to be trusted.

Rating ★★★

3 out of 5 stars 

 Next book I'm going to review:
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie