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Books

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Description: A young girl, Coraline, goes through a bricked up door into a world where her other mother and other father and other house wait. This is not a good thing.

If I were a truly great writer, instead of merely good, I would be Neil Gaiman. His writing style, his vision, the breadth of his knowledge, the wryness of his wit. I could and can and have listed what I like about his writing, This is however about Coraline, a wonderful new addition to the Gaiman-verse.

It’s a children’s story. In the best tradition of children’s stories. A little dark. A little strange. Scary in terms of implication and things out of the corner of your eye. Childhood is when shadows were monsters. When you imagined that there were worlds behind mirrors and bricked up walls. When everything was an exploration, because everything was new.

Coraline is a great main character. Not too cute-precocious like some child characters. Occasionally cranky, always imaginative and occasionally brave, she is a pleasure to read. Not an ounce of treacle on her.

Another character that deserves mention is the Cat. He doesn’t have a name. You see people don’t know who they are. That’s why we have names. Cat’s know who they are and therefore don’t need them. He manages to be catty/sarcastic and yet a useful friend.

It’s not a long read. Its complexity lies in simple sweeps of statement. Brush strokes of words. An excellent book for anyone looking to remember (even if you’re still there) the twilight light and dark of childhood. 

 
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