Coraline by Neil Gaiman: A Book Recommendation

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a genius when it comes to writing fantasy. His work is always such a treat to read! I finally got a copy of Coraline and was thrilled by how genuinely creepy it was, considering it’s a story for children.

The novella follows young Coraline Jones. After moving into a new house, Coraline discovers a secret door that leads her to an alternate universe that mirrors her own. Bored as can be, she’s happy to finally have something interesting to do. But this other world is far from the perfect life she imagined.

Instead, she finds herself trapped in a twisted and eerie version of her own reality, with an Other Mother who initially seems ideal but soon reveals her true sinister nature.

As Coraline navigates this strange world, she encounters a variety of peculiar characters. She befriends an aloof talking cat and a group of trapped souls.

With her resolve and bravery, Coraline must confront a series of challenges to save herself and the souls of the trapped children.

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

Neil Gaiman, Coraline

If you’re giving Coraline as a gift, here are a few things to consider:

The vibes are sinister, creepy, exciting, and inspiring with a fast pace.

It’s the perfect book for anyone who can’t get enough of Neil Gaiman and who loves dark fairy tales.

Permission to judge a book by its cover!

Here are a few covers that I ran across on Instagram.

@melinterrupted created a whole Halloween vibe with their pumpkins and black and orange edition. It’s so good!

@mylatifloria has the black and white spindly line art cover!

@outdoorsybibliophile’s cover speaks to me! I hadn’t seen this one before but am pretty smitten and want to track down this edition.

*Coraline fulfilled my POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt for a book where the main character’s name is in the title.