Coraline by Neil GaimanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
When my friend recommended this book, he said, "you will be scared shitless and your daughter will adore it."
Given that my 9-year-old is easily nervous and I adore horror, I had my doubts on this prophesy. While not scared shitless, he was quite right in that my daughter and I had utterly different reactions.
As a great lover of all things creepy fairy tale, I smiled and said "oh dear" at the same time as events unfolded and one could see the trajectory of the story, while at the same time holding my attention in great joy too.
My daughter, though, was mesmerised. Unfazed by what I felt were impediments, there was a sense of "oh course Coraline will get this done" leaving the only question to be how, and joining Coraline in the quest. On the car ride, my daughter wanted a "mid-book break"; however, she was hooked long before then, becoming an enraged dragon if there was any interruption.
Neil Gaiman once again paints a beautiful scene full of imagery that reminded me of similar effects found in the new Alice movies, especially around the cat and, well, other things that I won't spoil.
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