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Richard's Reviews > Coraline
Coraline
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I saw the film before I read the book, which is not how I like to do things, as it can often be like taping a hockey game and having someone tell you the final score before you've had a chance to see the game for yourself. However, I can say that seeing the film first didn't really spoil the book for me.
Coraline starts off rather slowly but this independent, thoughtful, odd, distant, misunderstood child soon gains the reader's sympathy. This becomes more intense as Coraline gets more deeply enmeshed in danger.
Gaiman does a good job of characterization. We see the characters through the eyes of a little girl who is remarkably intelligent and yet doesn't understand everything the adults do or say. Many of the adults are eccentric in a Dickensian sort of way; they deal with others when they have to but are firmly ensconced in their own little worlds. And so they see Coraline as an oddity too.
The cat is perhaps my favourite character of all. Gaiman knows cats well; they appear elsewhere in his works. And this one is the genuine article: superior, stand-offish, wilful, easily offended, and yet a true friend.
Gaiman makes this a children's book that will appeal to adults as well. It doesn't talk down to children. Not everything is spelled out or explained away. We don't really know, for example, who the Other Mother is or where she came from. As the book progresses we get hints, but not a "back-story." And that's just fine--although I have to admit, I'm curious. Any chance of a sequel or a prequel, Neil?
Coraline starts off rather slowly but this independent, thoughtful, odd, distant, misunderstood child soon gains the reader's sympathy. This becomes more intense as Coraline gets more deeply enmeshed in danger.
Gaiman does a good job of characterization. We see the characters through the eyes of a little girl who is remarkably intelligent and yet doesn't understand everything the adults do or say. Many of the adults are eccentric in a Dickensian sort of way; they deal with others when they have to but are firmly ensconced in their own little worlds. And so they see Coraline as an oddity too.
The cat is perhaps my favourite character of all. Gaiman knows cats well; they appear elsewhere in his works. And this one is the genuine article: superior, stand-offish, wilful, easily offended, and yet a true friend.
Gaiman makes this a children's book that will appeal to adults as well. It doesn't talk down to children. Not everything is spelled out or explained away. We don't really know, for example, who the Other Mother is or where she came from. As the book progresses we get hints, but not a "back-story." And that's just fine--although I have to admit, I'm curious. Any chance of a sequel or a prequel, Neil?
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Reading Progress
August 11, 2011
– Shelved
August 24, 2011
– Shelved as:
fantasy
September 12, 2011
– Shelved as:
children-s-lit
December 21, 2011
–
Started Reading
December 22, 2011
–
Finished Reading
May 5, 2012
– Shelved as:
reviewed
October 17, 2020
– Shelved as:
2011
November 3, 2020
– Shelved as:
uk-england
Comments Showing 1-39 of 39 (39 new)
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Adam
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 20, 2011 08:21PM
It's a great book. One of my favorites by Gaiman.
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A. T. wrote: "It's a great book. One of my favorites by Gaiman."I just got it tonight. I can't wait to read it! (And no sooner did I finish sending you an email than I saw your message.)
I grabbed this because it was short enough to read on a plane. It made for the creepiest plane ride of my life.
Charles Dee wrote: "I grabbed this because it was short enough to read on a plane. It made for the creepiest plane ride of my life."Well, at least there wasn't a gremlin on the wing of the plane! :)
Thanks, Tanu! That's kind of you, but I assure you that I wasn't begging for votes!:)
Richard wrote: "Thanks, Tanu! That'a kind of you, but I assure you that I wasn't begging for votea!:)":D, I assure you, I really liked the review and had no other motive for voting :p
Great reviw, Richard. I didnt much enjoy American Gods, but I have wanted to give this one a try.
Meg � wrote: "Great reviw, Richard. I didnt much enjoy American Gods, but I have wanted to give this one a try."Thanks! It has the double advantage of being both intriguing and short.
Thanks for the like, Mark and Nataliya!
Thanks Randy! How are you liking Tristram Shandy? (Hey, that rhymes!) :)
The cat is fantastic, yes! I loved that too.
I didnt knew the movie was based on a book. Great review... makes me feel like going off and reading it! :)
Coraline is a great story with scary elements. after reading this, i even, read Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Gaiman is one of the best fantasy and horror writer i ever read.
thanks for the review.
Thank you Dyuti (and others) for the likes. The film was good, but the book is also great. If you manage to find it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thank you Megan. But that wasn't why I commented! :) Your reviews are usually very enthusiastic, and that's why I like them.
Richard wrote: "Thank you Megan. But that wasn't why I commented! :) Your reviews are usually very enthusiastic, and that's why I like them."Thanks Richard I really apprecaite that it means a lot. I really enjoyed your review and maybe we can gang up on Neil to write another one!
So when you read a book first and then see the movie, do you feel like the book ruined the movie for you?
Von wrote: "So when you read a book first and then see the movie, do you feel like the book ruined the movie for you?"Not at all. The film is usually based on the book. And most of the time (with a few exceptions), the book is better. The movie has time constraints, so you know going in (usually) that it can't reproduce everything in the book.
That is true a lot of the times. Some times I do have to look at the two as two different stories. If you ever make a movie based on a book make it a "parody" instead of a "based on", that way people look for the similarities rather the look for the the differences.
I like your review, although, cannot agree on your statement that she is neglected. Not neglected, but her parents got too caught up in their worlds, they indeed could and should pay more attention to their daughter. Even with these considerations, heorine does not appear to be deeply traumatized and has a solid charatcter. So, once again, I do not believe she is neglected.
Kate wrote: "I like your review, although, cannot agree on your statement that she is neglected. Not neglected, but her parents got too caught up in their worlds, they indeed could and should pay more attention..."Well, perhaps you're right there. But I suppose what I should have said is that she feels that her parents ignore her or don't spend enough quality time with her, which makes her feel as if she's got it rough.
Srinivas wrote: "Coraline is a great story with scary elements. after reading this, i even, read Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Gaiman is one of the best fantasy and horror writer i ever read.
thanks for the review."
Thanks Richard!
I also agree "The Graveyard Book" was good, "Coraline" book and movie were enjoyable.
Love the cat!!! :D
The cat was cool, although the stereotype of the standoffish feline is nowhere near new. Kipling uses it in his tale of "The Cat Who Walked By Himself," a story I loved when I was little. I wonder if the author knew it too.
Richard wrote: "The cat was cool, although the stereotype of the standoffish feline is nowhere near new. Kipling uses it in his tale of "The Cat Who Walked By Himself," a story I loved when I was little. I wonder ..."I think they (the cats) know about Bast & they want us all to worship them. HA! :D
I do hope Neil will write another sequel or a prequel to "Coraline".
Linda wrote: "Richard wrote: "The cat was cool, although the stereotype of the standoffish feline is nowhere near new. Kipling uses it in his tale of "The Cat Who Walked By Himself," a story I loved when I was l..."I would never be a devotee of the cat goddess. Because it would just make me a Bastard with a capital b!
Maybe if we all congregate in front of Neil's house and have a sit-in, he'll agree to write more about Coraline.
Kate wrote: "I like your review, although, cannot agree on your statement that she is neglected. Not neglected, but her parents got too caught up in their worlds, they indeed could and should pay more attention..."Kate, I have edited the review to incorporate your comment.
Thanks for the like, Wanda. I hope you enjoy the book.
Thanks for the like, Ray!
Hey, Jack, glad you liked it.
Hello, Hriday! You bumped the number of likes up to 50! Thank you for that. Hope you are doing well.
Hi Richard! I'm doing fine. It was a great review; I was wondering if I should read the book as I have already seen the movie. Thanks to your review, I guess I'll just go ahead and read the book now! :)
Hriday wrote: "Hi Richard! I'm doing fine. It was a great review; I was wondering if I should read the book as I have already seen the movie. Thanks to your review, I guess I'll just go ahead and read the book no..."I will look forward to hearing what you have to say once you have read it. It's very short, btw. You could probably read it in one sitting.
Great review, Richard. I'll have to pick up a Gaiman soon.
Samadrita wrote: "Great review, Richard. I'll have to pick up a Gaiman soon."Thank you Samadrita. Aside from Coraline, you might enjoy Neverwhere. That's the one I started with. I also really loved Stardust (book AND film).
Richard wrote: "Samadrita wrote: "Great review, Richard. I'll have to pick up a Gaiman soon."Thank you Samadrita. Aside from Coraline, you might enjoy Neverwhere. That's the one I started with. I also really lov..."
I saw the Stardust film and liked it. I read
The Graveyard Book last year and enjoyed it immensely. I think I may pick up Neverwhere or American Gods next. Gaiman is a great story-teller.
Great! That's all the more reason to pick it up. And btw, i agree with you on Neverwhere; i too started with it and to me, it is the best Gaiman so far.
Chromosomeadopt wrote: "Its sweet"Thank you!
