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There is something strange about Coraline’s new home. It’s not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It’s the other house – the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back.

Thank you to Mark for buying me this book! I loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane when I read it last year and I’ve been excited to read other books by him. Mark picked this one up for me, and although I was really hesitant going into this book because I do have a fear of dolls, I did still enjoy it a lot (I don’t think I’ll be watching the film anytime soon though!).

This book follows Coraline, who moves into a new house with her family that has a door in one of the rooms that goes to nowhere. However, one day, Coraline walks through the door into an alternate life and universe, where her parents have black-button eyes and papery skin and want her to stay.

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist,

This story was so entertaining and very whimsical, in true Neil Gaiman style. I loved the atmosphere of this book and the alternate universe, and I could picture the world very well. This one reads like a middle grade fantasy for me, but I do think all of his stories have a very similar feeling in that sense and they all feel so whimsical.

There’s a beautiful author’s note at the start of this book which I loved, and it talks about how the story portrays bravery and courage through Coraline’s journey. I definitely felt this which I really enjoyed, and I can see why this book stays with people throughout their lives, as I’m sure it will stay with me throughout my life.

but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

Although this didn’t blow me away enough to be a 5 star read, I did still really enjoy it and I can’t wait to dive into more of Neil Gaiman’s adult releases!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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