Coraline

by Neil Gaiman

This deliciously creepy tale begins with Coraline and her family moving into an old house made into apartments. Upstairs lives an old man who claims to have a mouse circus and downstairs are two old ladies who once “trod the boards” on the stage and their old Highland terrier. Exploring the apartment on a rainy day, Coraline finds a mysterious locked door. When her mother unlocks it all they find is a brick wall to the empty apartment next door, but Coraline is woken up in the night by a scuttling noise that leads her back to the door. This time when she opens the door she finds a dark passageway that leads to another world that is creepily familiar. Here she finds people just like those living in the house, including her “other mother” and “other father”, the only difference is the big black buttons they have instead of eyes.

Determined to keep Coraline on their side of the door, the “other mother” kidnaps Coraline’s real parents. Now, Coraline, with the help of a seemingly disinterested talking black cat, must use all her wits and courage in a terrifying game to win back her parents and her freedom.

This dark tale infested with eerie and memorable imagery, is also full of wit and charm which takes the edge off of the terror and yet provides just the right amount of scare for reading under the covers at night!

Read by the author, whose wonderful voice and expression gives life and chilling character to the story.

Part of my 100+ reading challenge