Summary
Coraline, Neil Gaiman's 2002 dark fantasy novella, has become a modern classic of children's literature. This chilling tale follows a young girl who discovers a secret door leading to a sinister parallel world. Driven by Gaiman's masterful storytelling, vivid imagination, and brilliant blend of whimsy and horror, the novella explores themes of courage, identity, and the sometimes frightening journey of growing up.
Coraline won two of the most prestigious awards for works of science fiction and fantasy, the Hugo and the Nebula, as well as a Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association. The book's popularity inspired a critically acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film, directed by Henry Selick.
Plot
Coraline Jones moves into a new flat with her busy parents. While exploring, she discovers a small door that leads to an alternate world. In this “Other World,” she finds button-eyed versions of her parents who seem more attentive and loving. The Other Mother offers Coraline everything she desires, but there's a catch—to stay forever, she must have buttons sewn over her eyes.
Frightened, Coraline rushes back to her real world only to find her parents missing. She realizes the Other Mother has kidnapped them and returns to the Other World on a rescue mission. With the help of a talking black cat, she challenges the Other Mother to a game. If Coraline succeeds in her quest to find her parents and the souls of three ghost children, they can all go free. If she fails, she must stay and have buttons sewn over her eyes.
Coraline explores the bizarre and increasingly dangerous Other World, using her wits and a magic stone to locate the souls and her parents. She overcomes the Other Mother's obstacles and tricks her to escape back to the real world with her parents, who have no memory of their ordeal. However, the Other Mother's severed hand follows Coraline, attempting to steal the key to the door between worlds.
In a final confrontation, Coraline lures the Other Mother's hand to an old well and tricks it into falling in with the key. Having defeated the Other Mother and saved her parents and the ghost children, Coraline returns to her ordinary life with a newfound appreciation for her family and home.
Themes
Coming of age and identity formation
Family relationships and parental neglect
Courage in the face of danger
The dangers of wishing for an idealized reality
The power of cleverness and resourcefulness
The struggle between good and evil
The importance of being content with one's true self
Setting
Coraline takes place sometime in the late 20th or early 21st century. The story unfolds in and around an old house that has been converted into flats, situated in a rural or semi-rural area of England. This setting creates a sense of isolation that amplifies the eerie atmosphere.
The focal point of the story is Coraline's family's flat, which contains the mysterious door leading to the Other World. This door serves as a portal between reality and the fantastical realm created by the Other Mother. The contrast between the mundane reality of Coraline's everyday life and the seemingly perfect but ultimately sinister Other World is central to the narrative's tension.
While occasionally hinting at a broader world through mentions of Coraline's neighbors and their backgrounds, the novella confines the action to the house and its immediate surroundings. This limited setting contributes to the claustrophobic feeling that permeates the story, mirroring Coraline's sense of being trapped by circumstances beyond her control.
Characters
Coraline Jones: The brave and curious young protagonist. Coraline is intelligent and resourceful, often feeling frustrated by her busy parents and eccentric neighbors. When she discovers a magical door to another world, she must use her wits and courage to save her family and trapped souls. Coraline learns to appreciate her ordinary life through her extraordinary adventure.
The Other Mother/Beldam: The sinister antagonist who lures children to the Other World. At first appearing as a perfect version of Coraline's mother, she reveals her true monstrous nature as a soul-stealing creature with button eyes. Manipulative and possessive, the Other Mother grows increasingly desperate and dangerous as Coraline challenges her.
Mel Jones: Coraline's real mother. Though often busy with work, she loves Coraline but can be somewhat inattentive. Her Other World counterpart initially seems more attentive and fun.
Charlie Jones: Coraline's real father. He works from home and makes strange recipes Coraline dislikes, but cares for her deeply. His Other World version appears more engaged and entertaining at first.
The Cat: A mysterious black cat that can travel between worlds and speak in the Other World. He acts as Coraline's sarcastic but helpful guide and ally against the Other Mother. The Cat is proud and aloof but ultimately befriends and assists Coraline.
Miss Spink and Miss Forcible: Retired actresses living below Coraline. They own many old dogs and often reminisce about their theater days. Their Other World versions are eternally young performers.
Mr. Bobo: A former circus performer who lives above Coraline. Eccentric, he claims to be training a mouse circus. His Other World counterpart trains rat performers.
The Ghost Children: Three spirits of previous victims trapped by the Other Mother. They seek Coraline's help to free their souls and move on to the afterlife.
Quick facts
It took Neil Gaiman nearly 10 years to write Coraline, starting in 1990 and finishing in 2002.
The book was partly inspired by a story Gaiman made up for his daughters when they were young.
Gaiman coined the name “Coraline” by accidentally misspelling “Caroline” in an early draft.
The black cat character was based on a stray cat that was adopted by Gaiman's family.
Coraline won the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella and the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella.
The novella also won the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers from the Horror Writers Association.
The cover art and interior illustrations for Coraline were created by Dave McKean, a frequent Gaiman collaborator.
Henry Selick's 2009 stop-motion film adaptation took four years to produce; more than 150,000 individual facial expressions were created for Coraline in the movie.
A musical adaptation of Coraline premiered Off-Broadway in 2009, with music by Stephin Merritt.
The character Wybie Lovat was created specifically for the film and does not appear in the book.
About the Author
Neil Gaiman (1960-) is a prolific and acclaimed English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, audio dramas, and screenplays for both adults and children. Blending fantasy, horror, and mythology with allusions to literature and pop culture, his writing is characterized by its imaginative world-building and exploration of themes like identity, coming of age, and the power of stories. Among numerous literary honors, his work has been recognized with Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker awards and Newbery and Carnegie medals.
Gaiman began his career as a journalist, conducting interviews and writing book reviews for the British Fantasy Society and assorted British magazines. He published his first short story, a fantasy called “Featherquest,” in Imagine magazine in 1984. Five years later, he broke into comics with his innovative dark fantasy series, The Sandman (1989-1996). Its success paved the way for his crossover into prose fiction. Starting in 1990 with Good Omens, a story about the impending apocalypse co-authored with Terry Pratchett, his novels and novellas include Stardust (1999), American Gods (2001), Coraline (2002), Anansi Boys (2005), The Graveyard Book (2008), and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013).
Beyond books, Gaiman has worked extensively in film and television, beginning with the 1996 BBC dark fantasy series Neverwhere. He wrote the screenplay for the stop-motion film Coraline and the TV adaptation of Good Omens. He has also penned episodes of Doctor Who and served as an executive producer on adaptations of his works, including American Gods. In 2023, Gaim voiced the character of Gef in the black comedy film Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose.
