Coraline has been made into an animated feature film directed by Henry Selick, director of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, with a cast including Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Dakota Fanning.
Shortly after moving into an old house Coraline discovers a big, carved, brown wooden door at the far corner of the drawing room. And it is locked. Curiosity runs riot in Coraline's mind and she unlocks the door to see what lies behind it. Disappointingly, it opens onto a brick wall. Days later, after exploring the rest of the house and garden, Coraline returns to the same mysterious door and opens it again. This time, however, there is a dark hallway in front of her. Stepping inside, the place beyond has an eerie familiarity about it. The carpet and wallpaper are the same as in her flat. The picture hanging on the wall is the same. Almost. Strangest of all, her mum and dad are there too. Only they have buttons for eyes and seem more possessive than normal. It's a twisted version of her world that is familiar, and yet sinister. And matters get even more surreal for Coraline when her "other" parents seem reluctant to let her leave.
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[Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house]***
(@BloomsburyBooks, 5 March 2019, 3 hours 34 minutes, audiobook, copy from @audibleuk, narrated by @Dawn_French)
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I'm a massive fan of the author. I haven't read all of his books but I have loved everything I had read. I'm familiar with Coraline through the movie, which I've seen a ridiculous amount of times. I had high hopes for this book but also knew what to expect. First off, the movie is an excellent adaptation, very close to this text. That doesn't meant I didn't enjoy this. I loved it. Dawn French is amazing. She's one of my favourite comedienne's. Her narration is spot on here. She really brings the characters and world to life. I was hooked from the opening of the book and listened to it in one setting. What I love is the fact you get lulled into a false sense of security. You don't sense anything sinister when Coraline meets her 'Other' Parents but the story gradually gets darker and darker until you realise how horrific it really is and how much danger Coraline is in. This is terrific.
