Coraline | ||||||||
Neil Gaiman | ||||||||
HarperCollins Childrens, 163 pages | ||||||||
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A review by Cindy Lynn Speer
Advertised as "Neil Gaiman's first novel for children of all ages", Coraline certainly lives up to its promise. When I was
eight (the book cover says that is suitable for ages eight and up), I probably would have loved Coraline's
adventures, completely unworried about the consequences of her actions. Now that I am older, and know that bad
things do happen, I end up turning the pages a little more quickly, worried about our heroine despite myself. My page
turnings are helped on by the prose which flows smoothly from page to page, and by the nifty occasional illustrations
that act as teasers. Dave McKean did a marvelous these pen and ink illustrations, managing to convey an Edward
Gorey feel with out subverting his own interesting style.
There will be the inevitable comparisons between Coraline and Alice in Wonderland. While, in a way, they are both
on the other side of the looking glass/bricked-up door/warped reality adventures, I think this is a bit
like comparing chocolate toffee to strawberries. They're both good, and they're both food, but they aren't
the same thing. I also like Coraline as a character better. I suggested earlier that she seems unaware of the
danger she is in... I don't think that is entirely true. I think she knows, but she is a practical young miss and
realizes that she has no choice. That, combined with a child's faith that everything will work out, keeps her calm
during the dangerous quest in which she soon finds herself taking part. She's pleasant and just a little quirky, and I
think children will want to be like her and adults will find her captivating. Also, if you're looking for a good
book to read aloud, this one will suit beautifully. There are a lot of interesting character voices and cadence
changes that will make this a fun read-aloud story.
Neil Gaiman is a master of creating worlds filled with an even mixture of the magical and the
scary. Coraline is indeed a creepy and pleasurable read for anyone who has ever wondered what lay on the other
side of the wall, what rats sing when you sleep, or what cats call themselves.
Cindy Lynn Speer loves books so much that she's designed most of her life around them, both as a librarian and a writer. Her books aren't due out anywhere soon, but she's trying. You can find her site at www.apenandfire.com. |
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