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Coraline: A Book Review

CORALINE: A Book Review

AUTHOR: Neil Gaiman

RELEASED DATE: January 24, 2002

PAGES: Approx. 160 pages

RATING: 5/5 STARS

  Friends have been recommending this book to me for years, but it wasn’t until the movie adaptation came out in 2009 that I finally got interested enough to buy my own copy of Neil Gaiman’s famous story. And, as is the norm that happens whenever I obtain new books, Coraline went on my book shelf and spent some several years collecting dust before I finally (FINALLY) found the time – and opportunity – to pick it up and read it.

 Coraline isn’t a long novel. It’s less than 200 pages, and even the slowest reader would be able to finish it within a day or two, just as I had. And what an amazing two days it was, as I delved into the written story that was adapted into one of my favorite movies, featuring one of my favorite heroines, the young, clever and brave Coraline.

 Neil Gaiman has just become a new favorite author.

 *~*~*

 Coraline, not Caroline, is a young girl who recently moved into a new home with her busy, and sometimes inattentive, parents. The house, which was a manor converted into several flats (AKA apartments), houses some of the strangest adults Coraline has met: Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, two retired actresses, and their many aging Scotties; and Mr. Bobo, the “crazy man who lives upstairs” that’s training a mouse circus.

 Coraline, not Caroline, is still adjusting to the move when she discovers, in her family’s sitting parlor, a locked door that once connected their flat to the other empty flat in the manor, but since been bricked up. Curious by nature, and despite warnings not to go through the door, once home alone, she opens the locked door and discovers a passage that leads to a world much unlike her own: a flat that looks like her new home, inhabited by two people known as the “Other Mother” and the “Other Father” who resemble Coraline’s parents except for having buttons as eyes. More attentive to her than her actual parents, Coraline comes to enjoy the quality time spent with the Other Mother and Other Father, and discovers that the new world allows for her to get whatever she wants (from her favorite foods to new toys that are sentient enough to play with her) and also meet the more interesting counterparts to her neighbors; the Other Miss Spink and Other Miss Forcible perform onstage in a never-ending show, and the Other Crazy Old Man Upstairs has an actual rat circus.

 The only inhabitant that Coraline is confused by is a feral black cat that talks back to her when she approaches  it; it admits to being the same feral black cat that resides near her property in the real world, and who can travel between the worlds through gaps as it pleases.

 Indeed, this world seems too good to be true. And as Coraline comes to realize, it actually is.

 Frightened by the Other Mother and her suggestion to stay forever (and the price Coraline needs to pay for that), she returns to her own world, determined never to unlock the parlor door again.

 But her parents are missing. And according to the feral cat that stalks the property, there’s only one place they can be. Unable to receive help from her neighbors or the authorities, Coraline must prepare herself to return to the Other World. She realizes she’s not the first child to fall victim to the Other Mother. But she’s determined to be the last.

 *~*~*

 As I was reading this, I was using the imagery from the movie to build up the story in my head. Then as I continued, I realized that that could only help me so much, because there were quite a few differences between the movie and the novel itself.

 In the movie, we got a clear visual idea of how old Coraline might be (I think the movie states she was 11 years old). In the novel, you get the sense that she’s a little younger, probably around 9 or 10 years. I could be wrong but that’s the way I felt as I read this book. Her actual age is never stated, so for all readers know, we could be reading from the perspective of a 6 or 7 year old. The reason I bring up her age, however, is because of how mature and resourceful Coraline proves to be despite that.

 Coraline is a favorite heroine because, despite her young age, she proves to be as clever as any adolescent or adult would be in her situation, and just as brave. She even explains to the feral cat, before she enters the Other World, what she thought being brave was. All throughout the novel, as she goes up against the Other Mother, and discovers the warped reality that the Other World is transforming into, Neil Gaiman makes a point of giving you a good visual of the horrible things that Coraline encounters as she tries to save her parents and other victims, and each time Coraline admits to being afraid but refused to back down or give in.

 This is a different book with a new heroine that I had never discovered until now. This isn’t an adult, or even an adolescent (whom people would assume can survive this ordeal); this is a young child that proves to anyone who knows her that despite her age, she can be as brave and clever and resourceful as anyone else. She doesn’t even have a weapon to protect herself from the creatures that attack her. All she has is a feral cat and a stone with a hole in it. In every situation that she finds herself in, she found a clever way to escape and win.

 I absolutely adore Coraline, not only for her bravery, but also her compassion. After this ordeal, she finds herself having a better relationship with her parents and neighbors, and she was even able to say goodbye to the other children that were the Other Mother’s previous victims. No one asked her to save those children; she did it because she believed it was the right thing to do.

 I have heard that Neil Gaiman is an extraordinary writer, but it wasn’t until I was halfway through Coraline that I realized what people meant by it. Neil Gaiman has a way with words: he’s able to write details that give you a clear visual of what he’s describing; he gives enough of a description of the characters that you can see them in your head but allows you to really get to know them through their actions and words; he has a way of building these fantastical settings that seem too good to be true. In a way, his writing is almost poetic, they flow and they build and create and you just fall into the story you’re reading.

 I can’t help but compare this to its movie adaptation but I think both versions of the story work. I like Coraline the book and I like Coraline the movie; neither is better than the other in my opinion. The movie adaptation changed several things, added a few scenes and characters here and there, but that’s the norm. What matters is that the movie stayed true to the spirit and message that Coraline the novel has, and it did.

 Coraline, not Caroline: the story of a young girl who, for people everywhere, no matter their age or gender, defined for us what bravery truly meant.

Hey everybody, my mom's ebook is up for pre-order on Amazon. It's titled: "Forever Burning: The Evil Within" by Amy Olinger. It would mean a lot to us if you would check it out and maybe get you a copy. Or if you'd like to have a physical copy, she should have that available on October 8th, 2024!!! If you can't buy a copy or don't want to, please consider sharing my post to try to reach more of an audience. Thank you!

https://a.co/d/dI5gBcd

{The above link will take you to the kindle version that's available for pre-order.}

--------♾️🔥--------

**TWs: SA, Mentions of abuse

**CWs: blood, adult content/adult themes, violence, gore

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**BOOK DESCRIPTION:**

On top of losing her job, depleting her savings, and selling her furniture to buy food, Amelia faces eviction from her landlord. On her last day, with nowhere to go, she receives a call from a friend with a job offer, giving her a glimmer of hope. She moves to a small town, seeking security for herself and her daughter. However, what she finds is much more than she expected—a world full of mystery, magic, secrets, and horror, but also love and family. If you enjoy A Discovery of Witches and True Blood, this story will surely be a perfect fit.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this! I appreciate you all and hope you have good luck on your reading and writing journey! Sending you all hugs and love! 💜

-Thepoetickitten

Got my completed cover art today, and I'm currently losing my gods damned mind, it's so fucking good. October can't come soon enough!

What in the World: How to read the ‘Shatter Me Series’

Book 1: Shatter Me

Novela 1.5: Destroy Me

Book 2: Unravel Me

Novela 2.5:  Fracture Me

Book 3: Ignite Me

Book 4: Restore Me

Book 4.5: Shadow Me March 5, 2019

Book 5: Defy Me April 2019 

I totally agree with the ‘filler’ comment and the thoughts on the cover being very similar...is anyone else getting increasingly less impressed with the shatter me covers? Don't get me wrong! It's my absolute favourite series, one of the only ones I've ever re-read and Tahereh Mafi is an angel...but the covers just don't seem to do anything for me anymore. I don’t really understand them and the titles are getting more iffy as we go...idk..thoughts?

Also, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I originally did when I read the trilogy. It’s as though Tahereh waited too long to write the other books to the point where she forgot her own characters a bit and I felt as though I was reading a fan-fiction. 

All throughout the book, I felt as though I was waiting for some big thing to happen and even though a lot did happen and there were many ‘plot twists’, it felt like they...just didn't. I don't know how to explain it. 

But the ending... I know it was supposed to be that “big event” the huge climax but it felt poorly written. *spoilers* We just transitioned to this huge world order convention and The meeting seemed unreal with commanders just yelling at Juliette. Who let her even stand up there in this first place? where is this all happening? These dictators don't seem like the kind of people to just shout their displeasure. Oh right then someone just pulls out a gun and shoots?

*more spoilers* and finally and perhaps most irritatingly, I admired Tahereh’ s work with the Shatter me books because she was able to write an amazing story with all the feels without killing off characters left right and center. But then in Restore Me she just-- kills off everyone? How does that even work? Julliete just unlocks this inner power and--what? Yells everyone dead?

I too have high hopes for Defy Me. I'm hoping that Restore me was just getting Tahereh Mafi back into her groove and reacquainting her with her characters. I feel like having a new narrative with the fan-adored Kenji will really be a redeeming quality and hopefully, we’ll get a better sense of all the world building Tahereh has been doing behind the scenes.

DISCLAIMER: I am not hating on the books or Tahereh Mafi. I REPEAT this is my favourite series of all time and this woman is God-sent and has the writing skills of an angel. And if I could say anything about this series I’d say it’s way underrated for all its hidden gems. These are just some thoughts. What are yours? :)

An update from Tahereh Mafi about Defy Me:

> There will be three point of views! It starts with Warner, Juliette, and Kenji

> Looks like Tahereh has decided to expand on world building her Shatter Me series and we’ll be leaving Sector 45

> Lastly, we got a tease that not everything is what it seems for the fifth installment

My thoughts: Overall, I’m real excited to see what Tahereh has to bring to the table for her Shatter Me series! Hopefully we’ll get a little more action and less of a filler type of book. I think my only issue with this cover is that it’s exactly like the old one but with steel eyelashes. Maybe that’s just me but I really miss the personality that each cover had. Even if the cover is my least favorite, I’m still looking forward to the actual story and I will end my notes with positivity of being side by side with Juliette’s journey.

> What are your thoughts on the new facts and cover? What was your favorite cover?

“This is a story of how things were, how everything felt

and all that became of me in the timeframe of that scene

This is a story of how you can change your hues,

embrace the life given to you and turn your blue into serenity"

Blue Serenity is the first poetry book by Dan Roberts which explores a dark period of his life from late teenage years coming into adulthood. It details the many feelings felt when one feels trapped in unfortunate predicaments and follows the process of coming back to oneself, guided by the hope that there is a better life out there after all.

Written by Dan Roberts

Cover photography by Haiming Xiao