Helpful Score: 5
i loved this book. it was creative and suspensefull. a good read for all ages!!!
Helpful Score: 4
This was another great story from Neil Gaiman. It's classified as a children's book, I guess because the writing style is more accessible to younger readers, and doesn't have a lot of the subtlety and nuances of adult novels. That said however, the story itself was spooky and intriguing and I gobbled this book down in one day. :) Neil Gaiman has proved yet again, as he did with Stardust, that he is definitely an author for all generations!
Helpful Score: 3
Great little story. It may be a childrens book but I enjoyed it and loved the illustrations.Very creepy.
Helpful Score: 3
Written for young adults, but I'm in my 30's & I enjoyed it... Further proof that Neil Gaiman can't go wrong (as if we needed any proof) Good creepy fun.
Helpful Score: 3
Coraline and her family move into a building shared with others. A bit of Alice in Wonderland, but a bit more creepier.
Helpful Score: 2
Very good book. It reminds me a little of Alice in Wonderland but much more scary....
Helpful Score: 2
Genre: Young Adult
I had seen the film version of this about a week before I read the book, so accordingly this review will mention the film as well.
Every child has an imagination. Every child dreams of a world where everything is exactly how they want it to be, their parents never tell them no, and there is always their favorite foods to eat at dinner. Coraline Jones finds this perfect world on the other side of the door with her Other Mother and Other Father. But even though everything seems perfect, she quickly learns that all good things come to an end and do not come without consequences. One brave little girl goes on a mission to save her parents and some stray souls in her quest to get back home.
Reading this book was a short, pleasant break from my much longer historical fiction that I have been reading. There were fantastic characters and a fun, imaginative story line. The movie was very, very similar to the book (I think that was a good thing in this case as the book was so strong). In the movie there was a young boy character added that was not present in the book Im not sure that he was necessary. Other than that, there were not many differences between the two. I very much enjoyed both versions of this story. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, light read or to any imaginative children out there.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
I had seen the film version of this about a week before I read the book, so accordingly this review will mention the film as well.
Every child has an imagination. Every child dreams of a world where everything is exactly how they want it to be, their parents never tell them no, and there is always their favorite foods to eat at dinner. Coraline Jones finds this perfect world on the other side of the door with her Other Mother and Other Father. But even though everything seems perfect, she quickly learns that all good things come to an end and do not come without consequences. One brave little girl goes on a mission to save her parents and some stray souls in her quest to get back home.
Reading this book was a short, pleasant break from my much longer historical fiction that I have been reading. There were fantastic characters and a fun, imaginative story line. The movie was very, very similar to the book (I think that was a good thing in this case as the book was so strong). In the movie there was a young boy character added that was not present in the book Im not sure that he was necessary. Other than that, there were not many differences between the two. I very much enjoyed both versions of this story. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, light read or to any imaginative children out there.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Helpful Score: 2
Very good but dark and creepy.
Helpful Score: 2
By far one of my favorite books of all time. Neil Gaiman is an astounding storyteller. He creates a unique cast and setting using his words and the surreal pictures contained within the hardcover edition. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in good tales, let alone an interest in fantasy. Look for a movie in the near future based upon this wonderful book.
Helpful Score: 2
Great spooky book.
this book is filled with delightfully creepy images, events, and characters.
Helpful Score: 2
I really enjoyed this book. The only thing about it that really seemed like it was a children's book was the length, only about 160 pages. It read more like a chilling short story. This is the second Neil Gaiman book I've read, and I liked this book better than "Stardust".
Helpful Score: 2
A spooky little book. Kind of a twisted, creepier Alice in Wonderland.
Helpful Score: 2
Very creepy. True to Gaiman's style. Is it for kids or grownups? Weird and thought-provoking. A fast read.
Helpful Score: 2
I listened to this on CD with my kids. It was narrated by the author, and I must say he did a fantastic job. I will definitely be reading more by Gaiman. I hope to read Stardust before the movie comes out.
Coraline is an only child who lives in an apartment with her work-at-home parents. She's a bit bored and is always looking for something to do. One day she unlocks a door that has a brick wall behind it--only the brick wall isn't there anymore. She goes through the door and finds what looks like an exact replica of her apartment--including her parents. I will stop here because I don't want to spoil the plot. Let's just say I highly recommend it!
Coraline is an only child who lives in an apartment with her work-at-home parents. She's a bit bored and is always looking for something to do. One day she unlocks a door that has a brick wall behind it--only the brick wall isn't there anymore. She goes through the door and finds what looks like an exact replica of her apartment--including her parents. I will stop here because I don't want to spoil the plot. Let's just say I highly recommend it!
Helpful Score: 2
It's a fascinating grown-up fairy tale, about a girl who goes through a door to another home with an other mother and other father, only not really. It's scary and engrossing, with the quality Neil Gaiman always brings to his books.
Helpful Score: 2
A girl finds a mirror world behind the locked door of her families new home except it isn't quite the same...
Helpful Score: 2
My 11 year old, who's read all of the Harry Potter books, was quote, "creeped out". So if you like being 'creeped out' -- read it! If not, pass!
Helpful Score: 2
This was a fun little book. I read it *after* seeing the movie, though, and so the visions in my head were all from the film. I wish I'd read it first, instead.
This won the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 2003, but I'm not convinced it was deserved. I expect a "SF&F" award winner, especially in short form, to explore some kind of interesting idea, and this book was really about plot, plot, and only plot.
There were themes that could have been better developed in the story as well --- the book really rushed itself to get to the end. Maybe that's a kid's book thing, but as an adult, I really sensed a lack.
Still: the story is good, and very original. An enjoying read, even if it doesn't make me think hard afterwards.
This won the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 2003, but I'm not convinced it was deserved. I expect a "SF&F" award winner, especially in short form, to explore some kind of interesting idea, and this book was really about plot, plot, and only plot.
There were themes that could have been better developed in the story as well --- the book really rushed itself to get to the end. Maybe that's a kid's book thing, but as an adult, I really sensed a lack.
Still: the story is good, and very original. An enjoying read, even if it doesn't make me think hard afterwards.
Helpful Score: 1
Good childrens book. A fast and easy read for an adult. I don't say this often, but I think I actualy enjoyed the movie much more ;) Maybe if I was a kid, I would like the book more...LOL.
Helpful Score: 1
The story is even better than the movie! Wibey is missing from the book ( probably added for the movie ) but it doesn't hurt the book content any. A great read you'll love !!!
Helpful Score: 1
An interesting, creepy little story. It reminds me of some of the Grimm's stories.
Helpful Score: 1
This lovely little novel has everything I love about Neil Gaiman's writing: clear, uncluttered prose; vivid, emotive settings and descriptions; unusual and yet believable characters; dramatic events; and memorable stories. In this book, the protagonist is Coraline (not Caroline), a smart, spunky girl who stands up to an evil presence that resides in her building and tries to pull Coraline into its trap. It's a book for kids and adults who like scary stories where the evil is confronted, not escaped from. And, like most good fiction, in Coraline the protagonist learns something about herself in the confrontation.
Helpful Score: 1
Another winning book from Gaiman.
Creates an alternate reality just as real and scary as real life.
Although considered a 'children's book,' adults will enjoy it.
Creates an alternate reality just as real and scary as real life.
Although considered a 'children's book,' adults will enjoy it.
Helpful Score: 1
This book scared the pants off me because of the button eyes!
Helpful Score: 1
It's Neil Gaiman. You know you'll love it.
Helpful Score: 1
This was fun! An adventurous teen goes exploring only to find something not so nice. A curiosity killed the cat type theme.
Helpful Score: 1
probably the strangest and shortest children's book i've ever read. a dark story of a girl who becomes ensnared in a web of lies and fantasies by her "other" mother.
Helpful Score: 1
Bit scarey for 8yr olds.
After seeing the movie and absolutely loving it, I decided I had to read the book that inspired such a wonderful and chilling tale. Despite the fact that I am an adult and this book is meant for young readers, I was instantly sucked in. I was also very surprised to find that while the movie was dark, the book is even darker and Neil Gaiman's amazing artwork included in the pages really brings the original characters to life. I was so happy that I had a chance to read this book and would recommend to anyone who loves stories of hidden worlds and the wonderful, strange-sometimes terrifying-things within them.
Helpful Score: 1
There are authors that I love for their use of language -- a gifted wordsmith doesn't always have to have a great story to keep my attention. And then there are writers that are actually storytellers. Neil Gaiman falls into the latter category. In his telling of "Coraline", he uses a clipped, choppy style that absolutely drove me crazy... until I got sucked into the imaginative and undeniably scary story.
This is the stuff of nightmares: Coraline is a young girl with less-than-attentive working parents. Like any spunky heroine, Coraline goes on adventures that quickly get her into trouble. The story begins when Coraline and her family move into a new home, an old rambling estate broken into three flats. Of the 14 doors in the house, only 13 go anywhere... or so it seems.
There are lots of things that go bump in the night in this book, but Gaiman really goes outside of the box with his scares. If Stephen King took a stab at retelling "Alice in Wonderland," it might read something like "Coraline." Even as a "grown-up," it touched on a level of buried-deep fear and revulsion that will stick in my memory banks for awhile. (insert shiver here)
The book jacket touted "Coraline" as a book for all ages. While I agree that any adult reader will be reeled in by the dark and imaginative fairy tale and that even young readers could probably handle the vocabulary and length of the novel... I'd strongly disagree with the editors' recommendation for readers as young as age 8. As a kid with a wild imagination, this would have kept me up nights. Lots of them. As an adult with an imagination that has only slightly tamed over the years... it still might keep me up tonight.
This is the stuff of nightmares: Coraline is a young girl with less-than-attentive working parents. Like any spunky heroine, Coraline goes on adventures that quickly get her into trouble. The story begins when Coraline and her family move into a new home, an old rambling estate broken into three flats. Of the 14 doors in the house, only 13 go anywhere... or so it seems.
There are lots of things that go bump in the night in this book, but Gaiman really goes outside of the box with his scares. If Stephen King took a stab at retelling "Alice in Wonderland," it might read something like "Coraline." Even as a "grown-up," it touched on a level of buried-deep fear and revulsion that will stick in my memory banks for awhile. (insert shiver here)
The book jacket touted "Coraline" as a book for all ages. While I agree that any adult reader will be reeled in by the dark and imaginative fairy tale and that even young readers could probably handle the vocabulary and length of the novel... I'd strongly disagree with the editors' recommendation for readers as young as age 8. As a kid with a wild imagination, this would have kept me up nights. Lots of them. As an adult with an imagination that has only slightly tamed over the years... it still might keep me up tonight.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a YA book about a young girl named Coraline, who comes across a mysterious new flat in her building. In this new flat, nearly identical to her own, she meets her "Other Mother" and "Other Father", who seem to only want to love and take care of her. But all is not well. When she returns to her own flat, she finds that her parents are gone. Now she must go back to her "Other Mother" and challenge her to win back her parents.
I loved this sweet and creepy tale about bravery, love, and life.
I loved this sweet and creepy tale about bravery, love, and life.
Creepy children's novel that adults would also love. By the author of American Gods.
this book is great for kids between the ages 8-12. It tells the adventures of coraline and her "other parents" and how they try to keep her in their world, not her own world.
I was amazed and chilled with this book. You can read my book blog entry of it <"http://keriansthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/01/neil-gaiman-coraline.html">here.
I so LOVED this book. It was a quick read. Coraline steps through a door in her house and enters into a house on the other side that looks the same. But it's not!!! There are other parents and a funny cat. I can't wait for this movie to come out in Feb.
The book is different than the movie version of it. But it's a fun read. It's a little scary for younger children, but good for older kids and still fun for adults.
Daughter loved it.
Coraline has got to be one of the best 'quick reads' for all ages. I enjoyed this book immensely, and even though its a smaller book it was so well rounded. I think Coraline is one of the bravest characters I've ever read about. All of the characters are amazingly interesting, and the thought of an 'other mother' is truly frightening, especially this one. And the illustrations are both terrifying and beautiful!
I can't say much more about this book except for that I'd read it to my children (of an age) and to myself (which I did) no matter what. It's a great one!
I can't say much more about this book except for that I'd read it to my children (of an age) and to myself (which I did) no matter what. It's a great one!
Creepy and exhilarating, an excellent book for people of all ages!
A children's taste of Gaiman- good story with a touch of "spooky".
Wonderful spooky story. Says its for children, but might be too scary for some children. Now being made into a major motion picture.
This is a fabulous book written and performed by Neil Gaimon. Very entertaining--especially for a long trip in the car!
Written along the lines of Roald Dahl, only scarier and more horrifying, Coraline finds a door into an alternate world where her button-eyed "other mother" wants to keep her forever. Coraline escapes, but when her real parents are captured, Coraline must return to rescue them, as well as the trapped souls of 3 other children. Younger children will probably find this too frightening, as Gaiman doesn't pull any punches in the situations he throws his plucky heroine into, but older kids will find this deliciously scary.
The movie obviously was alot more mellow then the book. If you liked the movie then you should read the book, it's different and more dark then the movie and actually gets you having a few chills and leaving you saying "well that wasn't in the movie" lol
Good Book. I liked it
Good Book. I liked it
This was a very interesting book, and it's definitly not just for chilren! I absolutely adore all of Neil Gaimans books! If you're looking for something different and interesting, try out his books!!!
Fascinating book by a great writer. Easily recommended.
A children's book, but it's also beautifully written and quite disturbing and spooky -
the little girl Coraline, feeling a bit lonely and neglected by her busy parents, goes exploring and finds an alternate version of her home on the other side of a door - peopled by alternate versions of her parents, who offer her everything she has ever dreamed of - but can't quite hide the malevolence lurking beneath these offers... Coraline must fight to escape the traps of the "other mother" - luckily, she's a pretty smart kid, and recognizes pretty quickly that 'you don't really want everything you always wanted'....
(However, I think she shoulda gotten the neon-green gloves at the end!)
the little girl Coraline, feeling a bit lonely and neglected by her busy parents, goes exploring and finds an alternate version of her home on the other side of a door - peopled by alternate versions of her parents, who offer her everything she has ever dreamed of - but can't quite hide the malevolence lurking beneath these offers... Coraline must fight to escape the traps of the "other mother" - luckily, she's a pretty smart kid, and recognizes pretty quickly that 'you don't really want everything you always wanted'....
(However, I think she shoulda gotten the neon-green gloves at the end!)
great book good fast read! great author!!!!!! creepy and great!
Creepy...I really liked it.
Gaiman says that children, as a general rule, read Coraline as an adventure story while it gives adults nightmares. It hasn't given me nightmares (book usually don't -- except Cujo), but I can definitely see how this is true. I found Coraline fascinating and original.
great book! just as good as the movie..........
Very clever, quite creepy tale. Enjoyable quick read. I think kids would find it especially scary.
Cute story--can't wait to see the movie.
Coraline finds another world within her house. What she thinks is a great place turns out to be a horifying adventure
The movie makes way more sense now. May have to watch it again. I am very much enjoying the YA Neil Gaiman.
I love everything by Neil Gaiman. This book does not let down. It's weird and creepy, just what you would look for in one of his books. He wrote this book for his daughters. I love the backgrounds and how he explains where his ideas come from.
really good book
The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring...In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thriteen of the doors open and close.
The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passge to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only its different....
The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passge to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only its different....
The day after Coraline moved in, Coraline went exploring....
In Coralines family's new flat are 21 windows and 14 doors. Thirteen of the doors open & close.
The 14th is locked and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only it's different....
In Coralines family's new flat are 21 windows and 14 doors. Thirteen of the doors open & close.
The 14th is locked and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only it's different....
Rather disappointing.
