Coraline

Product Information

Coraline is a little girl who is rather introverted. This means she is ignored by adults a lot. Most of them don't even know her real name - Coraline - and instead, keep erroneously calling her Caroline. Her parents work a lot and don't spend a lot of time with Coraline. I have to say that I loved the themes in this book! I think they’ll really push readers (especially children) to think about the choices they make in life and to appreciate what they have. Not only that, even though Coraline experiences much fear, she must find a way to be brave and fight for what belongs to her. She’s actually very wise for her age and we just loved her.

The book reads like a creepy fairy tale and we all savored it. It surely held our interest, and I thought it was written really well with good descriptions. Neil Gaiman definitely doesn’t disappoint with Coraline. I think it’s perfect for all ages, but maybe too creepy for very young readers. There were a few disturbing parts that had us on edge toward the end and even as an adult, I found it gripping. I finally read this with my kids after seeing the movie a hundred times. We were surprised that the movie stayed fairly close to the book minus a few differences like the addition of a character and small details like the mango milkshake. It was fun reading along and having the image of the movie characters in our minds. I don’t want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted? Just like that, and it didn’t mean anything?”

Reviews

I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?”

For a moment she felt utterly dislocated. She did not know where she was; she was not entirely sure WHO she was. It is astonishing just how much of what we are can be tied to the beds we wake up in in the morning, and it is astonishing how fragile that can be. I like the story. I like the unexpected adventures Caroline had to explore. I like the side characters. I like the fact that the 'other' parents seemed more convincing than the actual parents. I like the book as a whole.

Rudd, David " An Eye for an 'I': Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and the Question of Identity" Children’s Literature and Education 39(3), 2008, pp.159–168 I really love this 2012 edition by Bloomsbury! I love the cover, I love the illustrations inside, I just love everything about it. There are few villains that still frighten me to this day quite like the button-eyed Other Mother of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. While, sure, this is a book for younger readers, but Coraline is a terrifying little tale that even adults can take to heart and feel inspired by 9year old Coraline as she learns that being ‘ being brave didn’t mean you weren’t scared,’ as Gaiman explains in his forward, ‘ being brave meant you were scared, really scared, badly scared, and you did the right thing anyway.’ This twisted coming-of-age story examines finding oneself as well as a sense of home, made all the more sinister when evil seeks to seduce you into their grasps by playing off of your loneliness and frustrations during periods of upheaval. Gaiman has crafted a delightfully spooky modern fairy tale that is sure to charm readers of any age with his whimsical imagination, foreboding vibes and empowering moral messages, and, best of all, his sharp and witty heroine, Coraline Jones. The Nebula Awards". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008 . Retrieved 25 October 2009.