Coraline - Neil Gaiman

I borrowed Coraline from a friend months ago, and I don't really know why it took me so long to getting around to read it.  At 160 pages, I finished it in less than 24 hours, and greatly enjoyed it.

It's more of a fairly tale, almost, than a book.  Coraline finds another world, the same as hers, but not, on the other side of a door in her house...

How to give a sense of the book without giving away too much of the plot - particularly when the book is shorter?  The world on the other side is better, but all is not what it seems, and she must set everything right again.  It's a bit creepy, but very enjoyable, and does not have a pat ending.

Two quotes, the first, one from G.K. Chesterton which starts the book:

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

the second, from the book (but not giving away any of the plot):

"The reason you cannot see the mouse circus," said the man upstairs,"is that the mice are not yet ready and rehearsed.  Also, they refuse to play the songs I have written for them.  All the songs I have written for the mice to play go oompah oompah. But the white mice will only play toodle oodle, like that.  I am thinking of trying them on different types of cheese."

Coraline didn't think there really was a mouse circus.  She thought the old man was probably making it up.  (p. 4)

There's a movie coming out soon, and I think they did pretty well.  Trailer here. 

Comments

[Karen-In-Law]

Cannot wait to take Emma to see the movie! I don't know how that could NOT be Tim Burton's work.

[Carrie K.]

I read Coraline aloud to my kids - and we all loved it! Can't wait for the movie.

[M Light]

I hadn't thought of reading it out loud to younger son. He's seen the preview and wants to see the movie. Maybe tomorrow...

[Jen - Queen of Poo]

I love getting reads from you. I'm still working on Good Omens (enjoying it!). Lately it takes me a LOOONG time to read a book, but now I have another for my list.