Coraline Graphic Novel Reviews

• Uneventful, dark, standoffish book goes nowhere fast

  
  By A10872FHIJAKKD on 2003-02-10
  I know I'll get lambasted for this, but I'm having a hard time understanding Neil Gaiman's appeal of late.

  I know what he's capable of. I've read the Sandman series.

  I've read Neverwhere and Stardust and American Gods and Smoke and Mirrors, too. Neverwhere is unbelievably brilliant and creative. Stardust is cute, and clever, but not extraordinary. American Gods is clever, but undeveloped in its execution.

  I also have Gaiman's other works with illustrator Dave McKean -- The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch: A Romance...the Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish...Dustcovers: The Selected Sandman Covers and others.

  So I'm no stranger to Neil Gaiman.

  Neither am I devoid of ability to recognize talent, creativity and passion.

  That said, I must admit Coraline left me cold. Not much went on in the book. The characters were flat. And it seemed very dark for supposedly being a children's book.

  Frankly, the same problem that plagued American Gods seems to run rampant through Coraline: a good idea left undeveloped.

  Coraline starts out promisingly enough. A big old house. A curious little girl. A bunch of odd neighbors. And a locked door with a brick wall on the other side. Great premise. Lots of things could happen in such a setting.

  Things do happen, but too quickly without any character development. The stories goes from zero to 60 in a couple of pages and then wraps up -- before any explanation is giving as to why this other world existed, who or what those "other parents" are, who the strange neighbors are, and why the little girls seems wise beyond her years, able to face terror with hardly a blink of her eye.

  I think Neil Gaiman needs a hard-nosed editor, one who'll tell him, "Great idea, Neil. But it needs to be developed more." Or, "Good draft. Could be published as-is. But I think it needs a bit more fleshing out in these areas..."

  I said it in my review of American Gods, and I'll say it in my review of Coraline: Neil Gaiman is extremely talented and creative, but his best work is still ahead of him.

  I can't recommend Coraline.
  
  

• deliciously creepy

  
  By A26KSBC3315A3O on 2002-07-03
  Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller. His diction is perfect. He does not waste words, but is not miserly with them either. His descriptions never fail to rouse a knowing nod and smile from the reader. Even when writing a quick throwaway piece in his journal...his style is impeccable.

  For this novel, Neil sets his eyes on another audience: young adults. He gives children (or, as he has said, 'strange little girls of all ages and genders' - a nod to his friend Tori Amos and her 2001 "Strange Little Girls" album) a deliciously creepy novel about a girl, a new flat, and her other mother.

  Coraline (not Caroline, even though all of the adults who live in the other flats keep on saying it that way and ignoring her corrections) and her parents move into a new home. One day, she pesters her father one too many times, so he sends her off on an expedition: find the water heater, count everything blue, count all the doors and windows. She does so, and is shocked to find that there are 13 doors that open and one that doesn't. She asks her mother what is behind the 14th door, and is told that it was bricked over when the house was broken up into flats. Her mother unlocks the door to show her this, but doesn't lock it again.

  Later, Coraline creeps back, and finds that the door opens into another flat. It is just like her own, but not quite. In her room (green and pink, not boring like her own), she finds the sorts of clothing that she thinks she would have if she could pick out her own wardrobe -- not a grey school skirt, but costumes. In the kitchen, she finds her other parents -- not her real parents who work and don't play with her, but other parents who cook real food (not something from a "recipe" involving tarragon and butter beans) and dote upon her. Coraline knows that this is not right, and returns to her own flat.

  Thus begins Coraline's adventure. The other mother steals Coraline's parents. Coraline returns to the other flat to get them back. Along the way, she makes friends with the most sarcastic of cats and finds the ghosts of other children who were stolen away by the other mother.

  Gaiman's mastery of timing has never been shown so well than in this novel. Just when things are getting really scary, he breaks in with a droll and dry line that makes the reader laugh. This is a novel that is just begging to be read aloud -- as Neil Gaiman himself did on 02 July 2002 in Berkeley, California. His audience, around 500 people, hung on his every word. The adults in the audience were just as delighted as the children to have someone read such a delicious story to them. If you dislike reading aloud, you can always buy the audio CD (complete, unabridged) version of this story.
  
  

• An Indomitable Young Lady

  
  By A1M4NJYP0WNL8Q on 2002-08-21
  Neil Gaiman has shown as admirable knack for fiction for young adults and children as he has shown in adult fiction. I am tempted to attribute this to his experience writing graphic stories, but it is really something more than that. It is an ability to touch the sources of wonder and fear without the necessity of excessive gore and grimness. Not that bad things don't happen in Gaiman's tales, but they tend to go right to the heart, instead of the stomach.

  This tale is about a remarkable young woman named Coraline (who remains polite, even when you call her Caroline). Recently she and her parents have moved into one of those wondrous old houses that are sometimes converted into flats. Both Coraline's parents work at home, and sometimes she feels a bit ignored and bored. Nevertheless, she is encouraged to explore and so she does. First her neighbors. The Misses Spink and Forcible are two retired thespians who live together in the bottom flat, and up above is Mr. Bobo, who is an avid trainer of mice. Having run out of people, Coraline investigates the premises. Her flat is most unusual; it has 21 windows and 14 doors. Only one door is locked, and that only leads to a brick wall.

  Well, most of the time it does. On some occasions, it opens up on a world just like this one, where Coraline finds her other mother, other father, and even other neighbors. At first it seems quite nice, people pay more attention to one there, the toys are better, and, of all things, the cat talks. Soon Coraline finds all is not quite as it seems. Everyone has buttons for eyes, her other mother has strange hands that seem to have a life of their own, and there are a remarkable number of rats. In fact, if you dig deep enough, things are really most horrible. Coraline has much to do to make things come around right.

  With young people's fiction, adults are often driven to worry about what the stories teach and if they will have ill effects on their child. Coraline's plight, being stranded away from her parents amidst a world full of thinly veiled threats may be uncomfortable for a sensitive child. Yet things work out well in the end, and Coraline is an excellent role model, who understands what courage truly is and is in touch with what is really important to her. Equally, this is a work of art and it is never too early to encourage children to develop a sense of what good writing really is.

  Fortunately, this really is a book that an adult can enjoy as well. And I can't help but think that it might stimulate some interesting family discussions. I would recommend it to anyone who believes that children can benefit from new and unusual reading experiences. I also should mention the delightful illustrations from the pen of Dave McKean, a long time designer and illustrator for Neil Gaiman's graphic work.
  
  

• Delightful and Engaging!

  
  By A2L691J2Y1E3OH on 2002-06-18
  I received the audio CD of Coraline in the mail yesterday in the early afternoon. I'd read the book, and heard parts of it read by the author here and there, so I put it on for background, while I did other things. The "other things" didn't even get started for roughly three hours.

  The recording begins with a verse from a quirky Gothic Archies tune in which Stephin Merritt sing-songs, "You are not my mother, and I want to go home," over layers of atmospheric dings and bonga-bongas. The song echoes the story's cohesion of humor and spookiness, and is split into three parts, playing a bit before each of the three CDs.

  The story itself is a delight. Coraline is a typical child-explorer, examining the house and grounds to which she recently moved, uncovering the strange personalities that inhabit her world, and discovering that a door in her home which was previously bricked-up actually leads to a misty echo-world where old, hungry, button-eyed creatures masquerade as her other parents, having parent-napped her real parents, while trying to convince her to stay there forever so that they can keep her soul . . . Well. Perhaps her story is not so typical. Not typical, also, are the fantastic characters who pop in and out of the story, such as the Slavic mustached man who lives in the upper flat and is training a mouse circus, and his other-self, or the pair of dotty, but kind, retired theater mavens who read tea leaves and worry about their dogs' tummies, and their less-benevolent, other-world counterparts. Like any true exploration story, Coraline has an assistant for the more dangerous times, in the form of a condescending, snarkily witty black cat. And like every true exploration story, there are acts of great courage and startling discoveries made along the way.

  Neil Gaiman is an engaging and expressive reader, as well as writer. He infuses the characters with a spark all their own, changing cadences and even accents, always to the benefit of the story. The pacing is smooth and quick, with minute dips and well-placed pauses that give the shivers a chance to manifest before the story is once again plunging on to the good stuff.

  Coraline is a story that begs -- no, demands -- to be read aloud. Usually the problem is that someone has to be the reader, while the listeners get to experience the full effect and thrill of the story. Let the author be the reader, and indulge yourself in the sheer delight of hearing a wonderful story told well.
  
  

• A Book of Nightmare

  
  By on 2002-08-19
  This book starts off very interesting from the very first page, but I kind of wish I didnt read all the other pages! There are things from it I dont want to have in my head. I read it in the day but at night I kept remembering things from it I didnt want to, like how the rat gets blood on its fur but how the Other Mother has something like black tar insted of blood coming out of her. And the hand that scratches around the floor by itself. Its not like Lemony Snicket, where maybe something is scary and then you have a lot of something funny or cozy. Its a lot of scary darkness. Maybe this one is more for teenagers. I wish I didnt feel that way but remembering this book gives me nerves.
  
  
• Catadded peradventure
  By A37F1G84K35FCZ on 2002-12-08
  "Coraline", is from author Neil Gaiman who is very well known for some remarkable, thought-provoking and original fiction. This book is a departure for him, as it is ostensibly written for children who the author explains, read what adults would consider a tale of horror, as an adventure. Children can supply the answer, but this book will keep many up at night, or will invade and transform a dream in to a nightmare regardless of age.

  In the event your imagination needs help, illustrator Dave McKean provides black and white images that will make you wince in the brightest light of day. I almost always find black and white imagery more powerful than color, and here once again, color would have detracted from these illustrations. Black and white focuses the images, color can sometimes confuse and distract, or perhaps dilute the message. The illustration facing the text on page 149 easily gains my vote for the creepiest image in the collection. If you have seen images drawn by Tim Burton for some of his films, which will give you an idea of what you will see.

  Comparisons have been made to, "Alice In Wonderland", and while you will see it is a comparison that is easy to make, it does a disservice to both writers. A shared element does not automatically mean a comparison is valid or called for, and it can prejudice the reader before the book is opened.

  The 162 pages took 10 years to create, and the author states it was both the most difficult book he has written, and the book he is most proud of. I think the audience for the book is as legitimate for adults as for children, and could spark some great conversation between generations, something a great book can do. The book also carries messages for both kids and parents alike, so the book is more than just entertainment.

  Buttons for eyes, cat assassins, souls, marbles, mist and mirrors, rats who chant, and mice that jam. It's all here, and it will either keep you up, or keep the lights on while you doze.
  
  

• great story
  By A38EDDASAM1W0V on 2002-08-01
  I really liked this story. Although Amazon.com lists the reading level as ages 9-12, this is really a great read for older readers as well. It's about a girl named Coraline. She's bored and explores everything in her family's new flat and outside of it. She has quirky neighbors, parents who don't have time to play with her at the moment, and the flat has a door that opens to a brick wall most of the time. When it doesn't, it opens to another flat, exactly like the one her family lives it. The food is better there and everything is more interesting. Unfortunately, her other mother and other father want her to stay there forever.

  It's a bit predictable at times (for instance, I realized where Coraline's parents were long before she did), but the story is interesting and creepy. It's been a while since I've read anything that put shivers down my spine like this book did. Gaiman's voice didn't always make the story seem very creepy, but the bits where the rats are singing are definitely worth a few shivers. Just a quick note on the cd version, though. Although it's great hearing Gaiman read it, it might be better to get the audio cassette version of it. That way you'd still get to hear him read it and you wouldn't have to deal with the way the book is divided up in the cd. When I listen to a book on cd, I like it best if each track (part of the book) is short, about 5 minutes long, since you can't just stop a cd and be at that exact spot a few hours or days later. This cd breaks up the book at each chapter, which means the tracks are each anywhere from 9 to 22 minutes long. If you don't mind that, that's great, but I just thought I'd warn those who do mind that sort of thing.
  
  

• Fun, creepy and entertaining
  By A26WOS0QSDPQ2I on 2002-10-14
  Coraline is bored. Her parents work more than she'd like them too, her clothes are dull, her new home is boring, and the neighbors, though interesting, aren't entertaining enough to hold her interest for long. Eventually she finds her way through a bricked-over doorway into a new world. She meets her kind-but-creepy "Other Parents," enjoys a delicious meal, talks with cats and rats, and plays with new, marvelous toys. Still, she decides to go back to her real parents and her real life. Her "Other Mother," however, has different plans for Coraline.

  Coraline is a fun and haunting read. I particularly enjoyed the character of Coraline herself - she lacks the supreme self-possession displayed by the protagonists of many other children's books. Sometimes she's a very brave little girl, and at other times she's just a little girl, preoccupied with neon green gloves and boots shaped like frogs.

  The book has some genuinely creepy moments in it, and may be too scary for younger children. The "Other Mother" in particular, as she increasingly reveals her true self, can be quite frightening. The disconcerting prospect of having buttons sewn on where one's eyes used to be is another unpleasantness that lingered in my mind's eye long after I'd finished the book.
  
  

• Turn the Key
  By A33H58TBFG3GSV on 2002-07-07
  There once was a young girl named Coraline who moved into a new flat with her mother and father. The neighbors are friendly, if not a bit odd and a bit confused, repeatedly calling her "Caroline" by mistake. The little girl is a self-proclaimed explorer, taking walks around the neighborhood no matter what the weather. With both of her parents occupied by work, she counts the doors at home, and figures out how to open up a door which is supposed to open up to nowhere - more specifically, a brick wall...

  Coraline's curious nature is akin to that of Alice (in Wonderland), Anne (of Green Gables) and other historical young heroines. Far from being a damsel in distress, Coraline is witty, intelligent and aware. Her 'White Rabbit' comes in the shape of a black cat who has no name; as he wryly explains to her, cats know who they are so they don't need names, unlike insecure human beings.

  "Coraline" is a fantastic read for all ages, genders and critters. This is a book to read late at night when huddled under the covers with a flashlight. The gothic feel of this book will please long-time Neil Gaiman fans as well as fans of classic dark fairy tales.
  
  

• "The message is this. Don't go through the door."
  By A1D2C0WDCSHUWZ on 2002-08-30
  Nobody can drench a book in creepy, dank atmosphere like Neil Gaiman -- and it doesn't matter if it's a kid's book.
  
  And "Coraline" -- now being released as a movie -- is no exception to Gaiman's track record. It's a haunting little dark fairy tale full of decayed apartments, dancing rats and eerie soulless doppelgangers, as well as a gutsy heroine who finds herself in this ominous "other" world.
  
  Newly moved into an aged apartment, Coraline (not "Caroline" is bored. Her parents are too busy to do anything with her, and her neighbors are either insane or boring.
  
  It's the sort of relentlessly dull world that any little girl would want to escape from -- until Coraline does. She encounters a formerly bricked-up door that leads into an apartment in another world, which looks eerily like her own. In fact, it's so similar that she has a taloned, button-eyed "other mother" and matching "other father," as well as a chorus of singing, dancing rats and magical toys.
  
  At first Coraline is fascinated by the other world, especially since her other parents are very attentive. Then she finds her real parents sealed inside a mirror. With the help of a sarcastic cat, Coraline ventures back into the other world. But with her parents and a trio of dead children held hostage, Coraline's only hope is to gamble with her own freedom -- and she'll be trapped forever if she fails.
  
  Without Neil Gaiman's touch, "Coraline" would just be another story about a kid who learns to appreciate her parents. But he infuses this story with a dark fairy-tale vibe -- decayed apartments, dead children in a mirror, beetles, disembodied hands, monsters that cling to the wall with souls in their grip, and rats that sing about how "we were here before you rose, we will be here when you fall."
  
  That dark, cobwebby atmosphere clings to the increasingly nightmarish plot, as Coraline navigates a world where the other mother has every advantage. And Gaiman's wordcraft is exquisitely horrible -- the other mother's hands are compared to spiders, her hair to undersea tentacles. And the fate of the other father is a magnificently ghastly thing.
  
  He even infuses poetry into the horror ("A husk you'll be, a wisp you'll be, and a thing no more than a dream on waking, or a memory of something forgotten"), and a fair amount of macabre humour ("I swear it on my own mother's grave." "Does she have a grave?" "Oh yes. I put her in there myself. And when I found her trying to crawl out, I put her back").
  
  Coraline herself is a wonderful little heroine -- strong, sensible, self-sufficient but still fairly freaked out about what is happening around her. The sarcastic cat is a wonderful counterpoint. And the other mother is the stuff of nightmares -- she's utterly inhuman and merciless -- who "wants something to love. Something that isn't her. She might want something to eat as well."
  
  Neil Gaiman creates eerie, slightly warped worlds like nobody else, and he does an exquisitely horrible job in "Coraline." Just never go through the door.
  
  
• Same old tricks
  By A3BAL9QVMZ9KAX on 2002-10-19
  Gaiman is up to his usual tricks in "Coraline": children more grown-up than grown-ups, his typical moral-- Adults lose their ability to "imagine things" (all adults except Gaiman of course), scary eye gimmicks (see the Corinthian in Sandman)and cliche dressed up in Gaiman's mannered prose (see the "what it takes to be brave" cliche in Coraline, all of "Stardust".)
  Perhaps I have just read too much of Gaiman's material to find this book entertaining or original. I had the same problem with "American Gods" which retreads the same anthropological theories and concepts that seemed so fresh in the Sandman series (at least I bothered to finish Coraline).
  Another problem with this book is that it is supposed to be for children, but, like "The boy who swapped his Father for two Goldfish", it is really aimed at Gaiman's established fan base who no doubt find some comfort in his predictable style and concerns. I added this book to my classroom collection (yes, I know-- those who can't teach) and it has remained untouched by my group of 13 year olds.
  I wasn't disappointed by Coraline; I knew what I would be getting-- but that's the problem; an author as talented as Gaiman should really try something different. The greatest joy of his comic book work was that it often managed to transcend genre, especially in works like "Violent Cases" and "Mr Punch" and even in the fantasy driven Sandman series. His novels just recycle in prose ground he has already covered in comics.
  The worst thing about my Coraline purchase is that it is unillustrated and although style wise Dave McKean is in the same rut Gaiman is, his art is always interesting. Gaiman's isn't.
  
  
• A Children's book that anyone can read.
  By AVT2CST57MKDL on 2003-05-27
  This book is said to be written for children. And while the reading level is probably that of a child, the content most definitely is not. Remember, this is Neil Gaiman we're talking about here. The creator of Neverwhere and the Sandman graphic novels is not about to tone down the creepy factor just because he's writing for kids. The only thing missing from this book that would make it for older readers is the violence and language that is commonplace in Gaiman's books for adults.
  
  Anyway, the plot: Young Coraline Jones has just moved into an apartment filled with strange old people. So, for lack of anything else to do, she starts exploring her new home. What she finds is a door in her family's drawing room, a door that leads to an alternate world. In this strange new place, Coraline meets her Other Mother and Other father, who look just like her real parents, except that they have buttons for eyes. Coraline's Other Mother would like nothing better than to have Coraline for her own child. So, she kidnaps the real parents and hides them. With the help of a black cat, Coraline must rescue her real parents, as well as the souls of several other children that the Other Mother has stolen, all while trying to get home in one piece.
  
  This book is written with a slow, deliberate voice that is almost childlike, which makes the story seem even creepier. The scary moments of the book (and there are many of them) are not so much nasty or terrifying as they are odd and unexpected. If you are a true Gaiman afficionado, Coraline feels like a toned-down version of the author's even weirder graphic novel "The comical tragedy or tragical comedy of Mr. Punch". If you aren't a Gaiman fan, or even if you haven't read any of his books, this is definitely a good book to get started on, since it gives you sort of a feel for his other books. If you like Coraline, it's likely you'll enjoy Gaiman's other novels as well. If you don't...Well, then I suppose you can always go to Stephen King for your horror fix.
  
  
• Extremely Boring book
  By A3CGU9E1EESBCV on 2003-01-29
  I am a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, so it pains me to say this, but I found this book extremely boring and a tad too dark for young children. Coraline is not a very likable character. She doesn't have much going on that makes her interesting. Mr. Gaiman also doesn't do enough explore the other characters in the book, the two sisters, the man with the circus mice upstairs. I liked American Gods and Neverwhere much more. The characters were more interesting and there was more action.
  
  
• Eeek!
  By on 2004-08-03
  I think that Coraline is an extremely creepy book. The pictures are creepy, and a lot of the characers are too. I could not finish Coraline because it freaked me out to much.
  
  Coraline should be for ages 13 and up. I definitely would not recommend this book to any one who dislikes creepy books.
  
  
• Uneven and not-so Scary
  By on 2002-07-11
  Neil Gaiman is definitely a creative powerhouse, there's not questioning that. But this book really isn't worth all the hype surrounding it.

  Some of the imagery created by Gaiman is very clever and chilling, but the execution falls flat. It reads like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and I never really felt the main character was in any real danger (just creepy circumstances). And even though the evil mother character is very well written, her actions and origins seem a bit vague so it all falls a bit flat.

  Although the book's jacket touts it as the next Alice in Wonderland, this book lacks the wit and charm to be a book for all ages. Kids will no doubt be frightened by by Gaiman's creepy imagery, but as they grow older, they'll begin to wonder exactly why as this book lacks the bite it's teeth imply...

  I'd stick to Road Dahl or The Brothers Grim...
  
  

• Coraline in Dangerland.
  By A3AXGJLEGKER3X on 2002-07-15
  Forty year old Englishman Neil Gaiman is the author of an impressive array of work, including "The Sandman" series of graphic novels. Also planned for the big screen, with Neil as screenwriter and possibly director, is my favorite "Death: The High Cost of Living." (Every 100 years Death spends a day as a mortal) Add to his credits the novel "Good Omens," co-written with Terry Pratchett, "Thief of Time," will soon to be released as feature length film.

  In "Coraline" a bored girl passes through a portal in her home to a parallel world where people and things are much stranger, and in some ways much better. We see this universe through Coraline, a wondrous child who does not fully realize the danger she is in. It was difficult for me not to think this work was inspired by the story "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." An Alice in Dangerland perhaps?

  In an interview Gaiman said, "The thing I find oddest about Coraline, is those people who, after reading it, tell me that it seemed really familiar. They don't mean familiar in the sense they've read it before, they mean familiar in that the shapes, once they've read them, just sort of assimilated into the way they saw the world." I somewhat agree. Although the familiar shapes I saw, after reading "Caroline," were the monsters that my child's mind manifested in the shadows of my darkened bedroom the night I read "Coraline." Cammy Diaz A @ L.
  
  

• Hello, Dahl-ee!
  By A3QFE1H3RUP6Z7 on 2002-08-07
  As soon as I found out Neil Gaiman had a new book coming out, I started wriggling in anticipation. When I found out it was a kids' book, I wasn't quite so excited. Although I really like The Day I Swapped My Dad For 2 Goldfish, it was a bit skimpy on words. I'm a quick reader, and I like my literary delving to take a while.

  Coraline was a nice compromise. It doesn't have the bulk of Neverwhere, but it's significantly longer than a short story.

  The only quibble I have with the book is the portrayal of Miss Spink and Miss Forcible's dogs. At the onset, they're referred to as Highland Terriers (a white breed of dog), and later on, they're described as something completely different. The editor missed that. Ah well. It's a minor quibble, and I wouldn't have noticed it if my grandmother hadn't had a Highland Terrier.

  Like in Roald Dahl's books, high self-esteem isn't a typical characteristic of protagonists, and Coraline is no exception. She's a bit unsure of herself, but comes into her own throughout the course of the book.

  Dahl isn't the only author I'm reminded of, here. The cat bears an uncanny similarity to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat in attitude and surreality. There are also shades of the Addams Family, with a certain perambulatory body part. The sheer fabulist nature calls to mind scores of fairy tales: the creepier ones, by authors like the Brothers Grimm and Perrault.

  With its distorted mirror image world and button-eyed "other" mother, Coraline is a great book for any creepy kid or grownup.
  
  

• Definitely not all it's cracked up to be.
  By A3Q35M74RGSHIX on 2002-11-17
  If you're under 13, this book might be good for you. But the audience that enjoys Harry Potter will definitely not want to spend money at an overpriced bookstore for this book. I got it through my book club, so I can't complain, but it's just not that great.

  I'm sure by now you've heard the premise, but this book evidences something Gaiman once mentioned in his blog, "plot coupons". In this case, it's other children who've been caught by the Other Parents.

  The book is too straightforward and, while creepy enough to keep the interest of the target audience, is just not GOOD enough to justify Neil Gaiman's name being on it. I've enjoyed everything else Neil Gaiman has done (except Stardust, which really didn't do it for me), but Coraline just isn't that good. Sorry, Neil. Better luck next time.
  
  

• Not Gaiman's best
  By A39OFZXG66L7G3 on 2003-10-22
  Not to say that Neil Gaiman is a poor writer, because he is surely one of the most imaginative and talented writers out there, but Coraline falls flat and is definitely not his best work. It is an undeveloped story with characters lacking depth. The peripheral characters (Coraline's neighbors) seem be tossed in to add some fleck of color, but add nothing to the experience. I know Gaiman seems to be exploring the children's market with other books like Wolves in the Walls (which is only worth purchasing for the illustrations, really), but his talents lie in other genres and should stick with it. There were some moments that were creepy, I admit, but this story doesn't belong in book form. (It would've made a great Twilight Zone episode). All in all, stay away from Gaiman's children's books and read the Sandman series or his other works intended for grown-ups.
  
  
• "It's Coraline. Not Caroline. Coraline."
  By AXD6N22Q3DLQN on 2004-03-19
  In this fantastic book, Gaimon taps into nightmares most people aren't aware they had to create a truly frightening story. Most authors would be uneasy about putting children in such a high-stakes situation, but Gaiman doesn't flinch. A father himself, he knows that children are a lot more resilient that most adults give them credit for--proven by the hundreds of enthusiastic grade-school fans who have written him at his website. Unlike the Lemony Snicket books, the horrifying events portrayed here are told in a low-key, deadpan style which makes them even more effective.

  Also check out the unabridged audiobook, read very effectively by the author himself. The background music is wonderfully eerie, and the rat choruses are spine-tinglingly creepy.
  
  

• Trippy
  By ADH0EQ1RYU885 on 2004-05-24
  I only slept two hours the night I read "Coraline." The first few hours I read and finished the book; the next couple hours I couldn't sleep, reveling in the creative world this book took me too that no other book has. There was not a cliche anywhere: not in story, language, mood, characters. Instead we have scuttling hands, fortune-telling mice, button eyes, and worlds disolving into nothingness on the outskirts.

  The unflappability of the young girl protagonists threatens to make the book too low key (as some reviewers have accused), but instead, I think it adds to the odd, vague tone. Also accurate in the negative reviews is their observation that there's a lack of background for this world's existence and for the characters in it. I respond, hallelejah. How many thousands of books are ruined by too much exposition. This book gets to the dark, otherworldly story pronto. Its world is assumed to exist and needs no justification.

  Stephen King has never creeped me out like this. I'm reading this book to my seven year old daughter (against the advice of my wife) and loaning it to my tough guy, non-reading friend.
  
  

• The grass is greener on the other side.
  By A3GRIACTC1HPFI on 2005-05-05
  I am a senior in high school and have read many books. I believe Niel Gaiman is a fantastic writer. His book Coraline will keep your attention until the end.
  
  The book begins in a nice house where many people live. One of those people is a young girl named Coraline. Coraline is very young and loves to explore the world around her; discovering every little detail of her world can get her into trouble. The excitement doesn't really kick off until she walks into the flat that she has not yet explored behind the door that her mother always kept locked until now.
  
  In a Alice in Wonderland setup Coraline explores this brand new world. All the things she once wanted she now would have, but she soon discovers that she wants it all back. Now in her last visit in this strange other world she must escape.
  
  Coraline is a very quick read. It's hard to just skim over any of the book because you can easily skip a detail leaving you a little lost. There is also the occasional illustration to show what is to come of the next chapter.
  
  I would most likely recommend this book to a much younger audience. This is a fantastic children's book. Though it is not a book of my taste I believe it can give someone appreciation of their parents and what they have.
  
  
  
• The Dark Side of Alice in Wonderland
  By on 2005-11-23
  This book is one of the bests I've read. Coraline, the main character, moves into a new house with a mysterious door that leads to weird fantasy world. When an evil thing steals her mother and father and traps them in the fantasy world, it's Coraline's job to figure out the clues and save her parents and three other children that the evil thing trapped in there too. Coraline goes through the magical door and enters the fantasy world. The thing gives her some challenges that she has to accomplish in order to save her parents and the three children.
  This book is like the dark version of Alice in Wonderland. It mixes creepy with interesting. It's scary and I don't recommend it for people under 10 or 11 years old. People who like scary books or movies or fiction instead of true stories might enjoy this book.
  I chose to read this book because the cover seemed creepy and I attracted me. Plus, the description at the back seemed interesting and I really like creepy fiction books.
  Some of the best parts of this book are when Coraline takes the snow globe where her parents are trapped and then runs away leaving the evil thing behind and another really good part is when Coraline dreams that she had a picnic with the three children, who she saved. This is one of my favorite books now and I hope you enjoy it.
  
  
  
• way too scary for younger children
  By AKATKUKKYV9C6 on 2006-04-03
  This book was assigned to my 8-year-old at school, and I decided to read it myself after he said he was afraid to look at it when he was alone.
  Even as an adult, I was pretty creeped out by the demon-mother character, and it was completely inappropriate for a second-grader.
  I think it borders on abusive to give this book to any child younger than 10 or 11.
  
  
• curiously lacking
  By A1IMNNBC4ME0NB on 2006-11-05
  About halfway through Coraline I began to get the feeling that I wasn't reading a book, but that instead I was watching someone play a computer game where little Coraline goes about doing things - opening doors, chasing rats, dodging human-like grub creatures - in a well-imagined and creepy world. A lot of things happen in the book; Coraline collects items, she explores rooms, she must listen to others for the proper clues... and yet there are only a few moments when I thought "This is an actual little girl", a real person as opposed to a small figure who simply does things.
  
  I suppose in large part the "computer game" feeling stemmed from the abundance of action combined with a near absence of inner conflict. For instance the book would have been so much more interesting if Coraline had gone to this "other world" and not immediately seen how horrible it was. Because even when she first meets her "other mother" and "other father", and they serve her a delicious meal that her real parents would never have the time and ability to make, there's still a lot she finds creepy and off-putting from the start - her other parents' hungry black button eyes, and the menacing whispering rats, among other things. So even if her other parents do describe to her a kind of kid's paradise where they'll play with her each day, all day, and give her all the attention that her real scatter-brained parents often don't, Coraline is never truly tempted to stay. The existence of such a temptation would have made the drama so much more compelling; it would have involved making this "other world" not so completely creepy from the start, and making the lure much more subtle.
  
  Inner conflict was also absent from many of Coraline's decisions. There are moments when she must call upon her bravery (and no wonder, given the things she must face), but each time she does so it's done without any apparent effort or struggle. Her heart beats, yes, and her palms might sweat, but she pulls through each and every time. I wanted her to be more human, to react more like a child would, to summon bravery only after failing to do so a few times. I wanted to see more failure and false starts; she does, after all, wind up playing a high-stakes game against a rather terrible and devious creature. The moments of cleverness and courage and wisdom would have meant so much more had they been earned rather than bestowed as automatic gifts from the author.
  
  There was only one occasion when I felt truly convinced that this was a little girl shoring herself up with strength. It's when Coraline is about to enter the other world a second time, in search of her real parents, and she reminds herself of the time she and her real father went exploring a gully, where they accidentally stepped on a wasps' nest. She recalls how her father told her to run ahead up the hill, and how he stayed behind and got stung numerous times, just to give her a chance to escape first. The description of that one episode - and Coraline's reflections on it - were so genuine and wonderfully written that I felt the lack of that kind of writing in the rest of the book.
  
  Gaiman is strongest in his creation of this other world with its strange distorted creatures and creepy atmosphere. Sometimes the creepiness isn't even from obvious things, but more from little gestures, like when Coraline returns from visiting her "other neighbors" and immediately finds her other parents waiting for her outside, arm in arm, staring at her with those black button eyes; they're not doing anything obviously menacing at this point, but the very image raises goosebumps. I think if Gaiman had coupled his imaginative inventions with more psychological struggle and truth, the book would have been truly absorbing and even more frightening.
  
  
• Entertaining, but Fluffy
  By A34K7ZRHV4WMHE on 2002-08-02
  "Coraline", by Neil Gaiman, is a children's book in the tradition of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", "The Phantom Tollbooth" and "The Chronicles of Narnia", in that the main character passes through a portal into a strange and wonderful world, has some adventures and comes back a wiser individual.

  So why bother writing it again?

  Gaiman has populated Coraline's world with two exasperated and inattentive parents, whose neglect seems to border on child abuse, two sad, mad old women who once were actresses (who are also inattentive and dismissive) and an old man who claims to be training mice to play musical instruments. In all, it's easy to see why the poor dear would be depressed and bored and so open to the possibility of exploring the mysterious world beyond the bricked-up doorway she finds.

  On the other side are mirror images of all the people who live in Coraline's flat, weird images with paper white skin and buttons for eyes, as well as a talking cat who aids her. The "other mother' wants Coraline to stay forever and kidnaps Coraline's real parent's in order to coerce her. Instead, Coraline musters her courage and saves the day, her parents, and three dead children whose ghosts were locked in an old closet, having been captured by the evil critter decades before.

  I appreciate Gaiman's attempt at updating the concept, making the story a little darker and the protagonist a little more resourceful, but the gothic elements didn't really work for me, as they seemed too forced, to dark for dark's sake. Overall, I was entertained, I enjoyed the book, but I was not mesmerized. I was not dragged in, as I was with Charlie and his adventures in the Chocolate Factory or the Great Glass Elevator, or Alice, or Milo.

  I realize that today's readers may not have read the old standards, so the similarities to Roald Dahl, Norton Juster, Lewis Carroll, et al.,may not seem so obvious and distracting to them. Perhaps it's better left as a book for children.
  
  

• Taut, Original, and, yes...frightening
  By A1ICEZXI9PTCN3 on 2002-10-03
  Gaiman's book is filled with dread from the first few pages onward; it is a dread that permeates the story via his descriptive prowess, ability to nail his metaphors, and the weird-perfect symbolisms that pop up constantly. Obviously, the buttons are a most horrifying and disturbing motif. This is a nervous story, an ominous story, a chilling story; it skitters about in any number of malevolent directions like Coraline's final "enemy." Yet, the book never drops the silken thread of its purpose, which is to unspool a modern fairy/horror-tale that grows black, black, and frightfully BLACKER with every page. I'm not certain this is yet on a par with 'Alice in Wonderland' (let's wait another fifty years and see), but it certainly ranks with the best of Dahl's work in terms of theme, style, and sheer impact. A winner, to be certain. But leave it for kids ages 11 and up; the hideous evil lurking beneath this tale insinuates itself even after the story is finished and the memory of it will be very difficult for younger kids to dismiss. A final note: the illustrations are, in my opinion, not up to a par with the impact of the story.
  
  
• excellent one-off read
  By A36IEL7DCP07SO on 2002-11-04
  We fellow the adventures of Coraline, a young girl wise beyond her years in the Other House. Gaiman builds an entire world (albeit a small one) that is deliciously creepy and strange. The attention he pays to small details - an eerie theme song guaranteed to give you the shivers, the 'doughy' texture of the Other Father's face, the malicious expression in the Other Picture - are touches that make 'Coraline' a gem and a wicked scare.
  However, if I could give 3.5 stars, I would. 'Coraline' is really an excellent one-off read but not worth the price (I own the paperback novel) I felt that without the suspense, much effect is lost upon re-reading the book. It's still an enjoyable read the second time around, but falls short when compared to Gaiman's other works. Coraline as a character lacks emotional depth. While I rooted for her, she's easily forgettable. More interesting characters are the cat and the Other Mother, but they are under-developed (forgivable within the constraints of length of a Children's book)
  For children, 'Coraline' is highly recommened. For older readers, I do recommend the book as a light read, but Gaiman has written better.
  
  
• Not Up To Par
  By A3I92PEEL1B62O on 2002-11-08
  I never imagined I would give anything written by Neil Gaiman less than a five star rating, but I'm only giving _Coraline_ three stars because I feel so guilty that I didn't like it more than I did. For something by a writer of such abilities, it struck me as particularly bland and lifeless, and did not live up to some of the raves I have heard, claiming that it is sure to replace _Alice in Wonderland_ as a new children's classic.

  Coraline, a girl of about nine or ten (not specified, but that was the sense I got) lives with her parents in an old house that has been converted into flats. Her parents are benignly neglectful and the other flats are populated by characters who are benignly eccentric. During the course of exploring the house, Coraline discovers a mysterious passage between her flat and another, which sometimes is bricked up and sometimes gives access to an alternate and moderately darker version of reality. There she meets a personage claiming to be her "other mother." This being tempts her to stay in the alternate reality forever and promises that she will never be bored and will have everything she wants.

  The first thing that struck me about _Coraline_ was its stunning lack of originality. From Alice to Narnia, how many books have we read where kids at loose ends discover alternate realities in old houses? _Coraline_ did not really offer anything new on the subject.

  The second thing that struck me was the banality of the characterization. No one in this book stirred me to sympathy, or any emotion at all. The evil character wasn't scary, merely boring. The only interesting person was the cat, and there I was hampered by its similarity to the Cheshire Cat of Alice fame.

  The writing had its moments. I did recognise certain lines and phrases that appear verbatim in other of Gaiman's works, as if they had been recycled to add a little spice. The story just didn't do a thing for me; it seemed obvious and somewhat trite. Although the alternate reality was supposed to frighten, or at least impress you with its darkness, it just left me with a big, "So What?" I've had scarier neighbours and been scarier places in this reality!

  For a writer of Gaiman's abilities, this seemed very off the cuff -- the sort of thing one might produce off the top of one's head as a bedtime story. I missed the detail and the deeper exploration he most often gives his subjects, which I think would not be inappropriate to a childrens' book. In the end, _Coraline_ came off as superficial.

  Dave McKean's drawings were interesting, but the black and white pencils did not have the impact of some of his other work. They also did not add much to the story.

  _Coraline_ might make a good read-aloud book, where the reader could imbue the characters with personality and the situations with feeling. It is an extremely easy read, and as such might be good for beginners.

  "Alice," however, it certainly is not.
  
  

• Coraline,by Neil Gaiman
  By on 2003-01-10
  I read Coraline. I thought it was such a wonderful book. I thought it was a good book because it was a scary book and a mystery with a bunch of life threatening times for this girl named Coraline. Also it had a weird way of changing your mind to want to read it a bunch of times in a row. I think People higher ten years old should read it because if you were younger then ten it would scare you out of your mind. I recommend buying this book because it is such a good book to read.
  
  

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