Coraline - Neil Gaiman

Before you read any further, please note that this review may contain spoilers.

Dedicated to Gaiman's daughters, Coraline is an intriguing story about a young girl and the large divided house her family shares with some rather eccentric neighbours.  Down stairs were Misses Spink and Forcible, former actresses, with their aging population of Highland Terriers.  Upstairs was Mr. Bobo and his circus of mice, training to perform for the world.  None of Coraline's neighbours called her by her rightful name, always calling her Caroline instead. This I found to be a cute touch, Gaiman says himself that he had intended to call the character Caroline, but had made a typo and the name stuck.

Coraline loved to explore her new surroundings, heading straight to the dangerous, old well her downstairs neighbours warned her about.  In other areas of her yard she discovered an old tennis court and various signs of animal life. On one day, during her Summer, the weather turned bad and Coraline was stuck inside out of the rain and mud.  Coraline, after bugging both her parents, began exploring the house. It was during this time that Coraline discovered the door.  Coraline badgered her mother until she unlocked and opened the door to discover nothing but a brick wall.  The wall must have been placed there when the house was divided into apartments.

Later, after everyone had gone to bed, Coraline heard a strange noise, and a shadow movement. She got out of bed and followed the movement which led her to the now unlocked door, which was slightly ajar, even though she was sure her mother had closed it properly.

It wasn't until later, when both Coraline's parents were out, that Coraline discovered the door opened to another apartment.  Through the door Coraline heard her name being called, by her other mother. Unlike her own mother, the other mother offered Coraline delicious food, love and attention.  It's in this other world that Coraline meets three children, and begins an adventure like no other.

Gaiman's writing is as brilliant as ever. His twisted sense of humour and characters give great depth to the story. As parents, we often dismiss our children when we're preoccupied with work, or other real world issues.  This story reminds us that our kids are people too, with just a many worries as an adult, real or otherwise.  Coraline shows a great strength.  As a mother of daughters, and as a woman, it's this kind of depth that I search for in role models for myself and my children.  Coraline is that inner child I so long to awaken, one with spirit to explore the world and the courage and strength to face my fears.

I gave Coraline 5/5 stars