Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
2006, William Morrow Paperbacks

Synopsis: 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.

The Good: Coraline is rather imaginative. It sort of showcases the dangers of boredom and idle curiosity. If written for an older audience, it quite possibly could have worked better for me as the story did have its merits.

The Bad: Weird. Not good weird, either. Creepy, but not exactly in way it's meant to be. I really like Gaiman's writing style, but Coraline wasn't working for me. And I can't imagine young readers really loving this either. It would give my 12 year old nightmares.

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