I’ve been reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman because he’s one of my favorite authors and I love the movie and the book is so wild. I’ve been reading it on Google play books and the art in it is so disturbing?? The other mother is terrifying and I was surprised that Coralines parents seemed to be more involved then they were in the movie but that might be because Coraline herself is younger in the book.
I also think that this kid goes through so much and she’s like what 8 or 9? She’s a plucky little heroine but god do I feel bad for her. I also so far like her dad, especially after the story of him picking her up and running away with her after they were being stung by bees.
by French-toast-bird
25 Comments
I love Neil Gaiman’s books too! I loved Coraline, though not a huge fan of the movie.
What are your other favorites? Graveyard Book and The Ocean At the End of the Lane are mine!
This and the “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” series is what jumpstarted my love of everything dark, weird, and scary. I think kids love spooky shit more than adults realize. I remember reading “Coraline” as a kid and just being filled with this tension and dread, a not-quite-right feeling that I couldn’t quite name. I’m still looking for an adult book that replicates that feeling half as well.
The Graveyard book is another good one.
It’s so weird but definitely loved it. I haven’t seen the movie though
One of the few instances where the movie was better than the book.
Edit: just imagine the downvotes I’d be getting if I said that it’s because Gaiman is massively overrated and hasn’t written a single enjoyable book in his life. 😅
Neil Gaiman is amazing, I’ve never been disappointed with him.
You should check out my episode of Film Literate about this book and movie on [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/film-literate/id1600597614?i=1000556421654)!
I love Neil Gaiman’s writing in Sandman…
Idk how many times I have read the same volume over and over again, and I’m not tired at all.
Although I didn’t read any other work from him…
Maybe I will give it a try based on your guys’ recommendations
❤️😊 📖
I just listened to the audiobook read by Gaiman! I did a long hike in a misty, quiet area, and it was perfect for that. His narration was great, and it really upped the tension throughout. I had to pause it a few times because I got a little spooked by the story.
Goddammit, I misread your title as “Cocaine is super weird…”
I absolutely adore Coraline! It’s this perfect cross of incredibly weird and creepy, and the experience of childish exploration. I found it through the movie, and although the book is fantastic, I find that I love the movie even more. It’s become a comfort watch at this point, and I’ll just put it on to have in the background
I recently picked up The Ocean at the End of Lane, also by Neil Gaiman. It tows the line between presenting new ideas and feelings, while remaining in the same realm of creepy+childish exploration. The guy just knows how to write in this voice, and it’s fantastic
I read “Coraline” as “Cocaine” and for some reason just didn’t question it.
My 10 year old daughter fell in love with the movie Coraline this summer and I’ll be encouraging her to read the book too. I think it has helped her work through some anxieities and fears and facing “creepy” things and her kid thoughts about us as working parents. I love it.
Niel Gaiman is super weird and I love it
Why is cocaine super weird?
Oh! Coraline. Coraline, gotcha. That’s what I sad the first time.
You should check out The Thief Of Always by Clive Barker.
I read “Coraline” as “cocaine” in the post title at first. Assumed this was going to be a post about Stephen King books lol.
The only thing I didn’t like about Coraline is that it ended and it was so short.
Coraline is one of those cases where both the book and the movie are equally iconic. Both have their own type of vibe to them, if that makes sense. Not to mention the dozens of theories people have came up with as well. You should look up some of the youtube videos on Coraline theories, they’re brilliant. Keeps you wanting to come back to the movie/book everytime.
I love coraline and the graveyard book but ocean at the end of the lane is next level phenomenal.
I remember reading Coraline book and then these Lalaloopsy dolls came out. My niece loved them and whenever she carried one around me it freaked me out hahaha.
Neil Gaiman is a gift. I like Graveyard Book, Stardust, American Gods, and The Ocean at the end of the Lake is my all time favorite book.
I read this as cocaine 💀
Why are you reading a children’s book? Is this subreddit full of literal children?
The Neil Gaiman adaptations (the ones I know, at least) have that rare quality of being distinct from the originals yet still preserving the author’s vibe.
I love the different ways the book and the movie present Coraline herself. She is a lot more prim and polite in the book, but that makes sense since the movie can’t exactly have her speak an internal monologue (it’s got enough weirdness without that already).
The other world’s wonders are much more fascinating (and much less obviously creepy) in the movie – the movie version of the Spink and Forcible show definitely stays with one forever 🙂
The downsides of the movie, IMHO, are:
1) A large chunk of the ending – the >!ghost children arc !<is *so* much more beautiful and poignant and wrapped up in a way more heartwarming way in the book, and really >!Wybie’s rescue of Coraline !<falls flat compared to the book’s >!”protective coloration” doll party!<.
2) Bobinsky’s accent is painfully bad. *Mooshka* means “little *fly*”; “little mouse” would be *myshka*. “Sergei Alexander Bobinsky” is not how Russian names are constructed, either, >!though here, at least, the other world’s rats might simply not know it!<.