Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lisa

in a sentence or so: Coraline
discovers a very mysterious room that leads to a very mysterious place
that so closely resembles her home that she is almost fooled into
staying there forever. almost...

Coraline loves to explore. she
is quite good at exploring too. she loves to explore in the flat where
she lives with her mom and dad, chat with her neighbors (the former
actresses) and she's unsure about the man upstairs who claims to have a
mouse circus in the making. busy parents and long days leave Coraline
feeling bored, and that is when she discovers a door that leads to her
other mother - who isn't quite what she seems...

i was inspired to read this book due to the movie that just came out, and due to the recognition that Gaiman has been getting for The Graveyard Book. i wasn't sure what to expect or what the story would be like. for those of you who are like me - i'll
tell you. expect creepy, crawly, creative, spooky, thoughtful, and
courage. the story is honestly scary at times - mostly because Gaiman crafts such a vivid mental image of the other world and things that happen are downright freakish.

something i adore about fantasy/fiction for young adolescents/upper elementary is the simple acceptance of the unknown.
little time is spent rationalizing what happens, much time is spent
with the "what to do now". Coraline's perception of the events balanced
the outrageous with thoughtful problem-solving. she is determined and
sweet, making her someone that the reader roots for immediately.

this
book was a fun, scary, and spooky adventure. there is some serious
depth to what happens to Coraline and the people she meets. Coraline's
character, combined with the powerful imagery, made this book such a
good and worthwhile read for me.

fave quote: "'She
wants something to love, I think' said the cat. 'Something that isn't
her. She might want something to eat as well. It's hard to tell with
creatures like that.'" (78)

fix er up: there are a couple nit-picks that i wish were different, but they are a bit spoilerish
so i won't post them. mostly how the story wraps up...there were some
things i considered to be loose ends that i wish had been tied up.