Book vs. Movies: Coraline

I'd heard a lot of amazing things about Neil Gaiman's works, however, I had not read any of his books before. I picked this one up in preparation for the movie. I devoured it in one day. The story was fantastic, super creepy and full of adventure. Coraline lives in a large house that has been sectioned off, holding a few apartments. She finds a door with a magical portal to another world, at first, seemingly very similar to her own. The first difference? They have buttons for eyes. And they want Coraline to join them.

This novel was originally published in the middle grade section, but it has been republished for the adult section, with a Q&A in the back. I read the extras in the back, and one thing stuck with me, because it was so interesting. Mr. Gaiman says that while most adults read this and call it creepy, kids don't tend to use that word. Kids see it as an adventure. I'm guessing it's because adults think different than kids.

And because I loved the novel so much, I picked up the graphic novel. I don't believe there were any changes to the story. I enjoyed this format very much. Definitely worth checking out.

Synopsis:

The day after they moved in,
Coraline went exploring....

In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

I read the book CORALINE back in January in preparation for the movie. And I missed it. But I bought it when it came out, and I LOVED! it. I'm so disappointed I missed it in the theater. If you got the chance to see it, you know what I mean. It was stop motion animation. The visuals were incredible. But I'm sure my small screen doesn't even begin to do it justice. I have a little Coraline doll on my dresser because I am so in love with the movie version of her. Blue hair!

I highly recommend all three, because... it's all fantastic!