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I sped through Coraline, written by Neil Gaiman and published in 2002. I wouldn’t exactly call Coraline a children’s book but it’s definitely directed towards a younger audience. That being said, I enjoyed it immensely and believe that anyone of any age above maybe twelve or thirteen years old could enjoy it. Coraline tells the semi-creepy story of a young girl who moves into a flat in a strange house with her parents. She finds a passageway that leads to a presumably empty flat next door where she discovers her alternate family. Coraline’s “other mother” physically resembles her actual mother except that she has these crazy badass black buttons for eyes and her skin is as white as a piece of paper. There are other differences that Gaiman does a beautiful job of illustrating but I’ll just let you get to them. Coraline quickly realizes that her other mother is evil, and she must find a way to escape her clutches and save a few others that have fallen under her other mother’s wrath.
I really enjoyed the book. Gaiman’s writing style made it a quick, enjoyable read, and I loved the characters and the physical descriptions. My favorite character was Coraline’s other mother. Manipulative, sneaky, and rude, this woman definitely has a unique personality that would be fun to play if there were ever a non-animated movie version of Coraline.
This is my favorite illustration from the book. Source.
I have also always appreciated the button eyes, even before reading the book. It’s just a really great touch. Gaiman seamlessly takes the reader through Coraline’s quest to return to reality and in her realization that in her case, trusting rude animals will probably always be in her best interest. I also enjoyed Coraline’s creative retaliation tactics and ideas in general, especially in the last chapter. I recommend this book to people who like adventure or fantasy stories, or fans of Alice in Wonderland. It’s also worth noting that the book has some pretty awesome illustrations by Dave McKean including a really great picture of a hand with long, disgusting fingernails. If you read Coraline and enjoy it, there is a 2009 movie version that I also recommend.
My rating: 7.5/10
(Actually) Lost in Translation 