Review: Coraline

Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman
# of Pages: 208
Published: August 2002
Publisher: Penguin Young Reader Group
Rating: 4/5

A/N: This is yet another novel I had to read for my Children's Literature class that I am taking this fall, just in case you're wondering why I read this! :)

In Neil Gaiman's acclaimed work Coraline, the main character of the same name opens a door (much like in Lewis' Narnia series & Carrol's Alice in Wonderland) and a whole new world appears. Unlike the magical appeal of Narnia and Alice's dreamworld, Coraline finds herself in a eerie and disturbing creation of her "other mother," a physical replica of her real-world with the exception of her button eyes. Coraline's other mother refuses to let Coraline leave the world and return to real life, and so the latter must play a game to win her home back. The novel is essentially Coraline's punishment for her curiosity but also her battle to stay alive and save the lives of others.

Coraline is truly a disturbing children's novel, there's no denying that. I found myself extremely creeped out at parts and questioning how in the world a kid could read it without having nightmares for weeks. Gaiman truly has an astonishly disturbing mind, and it completely convincing in this work, in some ways much like Tim Burton - genius, but quite effed up. The main setting of the story, though a supposed replica of the real world, is made to be much more frightening and spooky through Gaiman's words. This type of setting is absolutely essential to a gothic work, as it increases its plausibility. The bizarre and unsettling creatures and structures allow readers to invest in the spookiness that is Coraline's world.

As for characters, Gaiman's are easy to remember and each have different characteristics that set them apart from one another. There are also kept to a bare minimum, which is great for children's literature as too many characters tend to confuse younger readers. That being said, there is little development; most characters start and finish with the same morals and values - even the other mother never breaks her character mould. Coraline manifests some changes, such as being more appreciative of her parents and her life, but for the most part she is also the same.

The style of Gaiman's work is simple and easy to follow, with language directed for a slightly older audience (in contrast to Winnie-the-Pooh, for example). It's also quite the page-turner, like any adventure novel, which makes for a fantastic fast and light read.

My only complaint is the ending - there is a fairly big "battle"-esque climax, and just as the readers think Coraline is safe, there's a whole other "battle" chapter. Instead of feeling like a "Oh drat, she's not safe yet!," it felt more like a random unjustified chapter added to make the work longer, with a skeptic reaction something among the lines of: "Ummm, okay?" That being sad, all ends well as it tends to in children's literature, so I won't completely write off the ending.

All in all, Coraline is a fantastic eerie fantasy adventure which may or may not scare you, depending on how skiddish you are. I'm not sure if I would recommend it for kids, simply because I know as a child I had a lot of nightmares, but I'm sure many kids have enjoyed the enthralling ride that is Coraline's adventure. All aspects of the work, such as style and settings, contribute to the disturbing tale and all the language is age appropriate. The only drawback is the ending with felt slapped on after what felt like a climax and denouement. I award Coraline a 4/5 for a thrilling adventure and a truly unique tale.