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laura_c_'s review
2.0
2.5*
Coraline: Obviously the main event. I actually thought the film was a bit of an improvement on the book, establishing a creepier atmosphere and better tension, but not sure how fair my judgement is coming to a children's short story as an adult.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds - Really not my cup of tea. I don't like the hardboiled detective trope and I wasn't much invested in the fairytales. Mercifully short.
Troll Bridge - A bit better, bleakish.
Don't Ask Jack - 2 pages, a bit of nothing.
How to Sell the Ponti Bridge - Not very exciting, and not as clever as it could be. Somehow the narrator manages to be insufferable despite only being in about 2 paragraphs and the Carthus perspective felt like a waste because he was irrelevant and his bit of the story didn't conclude.
October in the Chair - A concept that would have done well with lengthening into a series of short stories from each month, as in the setup but feels unfinished as is.
Chivalry - Inoffensive but not spectacular. What does Mrs Whitaker think she's going to do with a phoenix?
The Price - Cat gets beaten up by devil for people he doesn't know and the humans just accept that as fine without offering any help. Horrible.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties - An unpleasant premise of teenage boys trying to get laid combined with unintelligible sci-fi elements.
Sunbird - Sort of a less funny version on the premise of Pirates in an Adventure With Unicorns.
The Witch's Headstone - All of the more interesting background and subplots (the graveyard people, Jack) are skipped over so you end up with the least good bit of the story.
Coraline: Obviously the main event. I actually thought the film was a bit of an improvement on the book, establishing a creepier atmosphere and better tension, but not sure how fair my judgement is coming to a children's short story as an adult.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds - Really not my cup of tea. I don't like the hardboiled detective trope and I wasn't much invested in the fairytales. Mercifully short.
Troll Bridge - A bit better, bleakish.
Don't Ask Jack - 2 pages, a bit of nothing.
How to Sell the Ponti Bridge - Not very exciting, and not as clever as it could be. Somehow the narrator manages to be insufferable despite only being in about 2 paragraphs and the Carthus perspective felt like a waste because he was irrelevant and his bit of the story didn't conclude.
October in the Chair - A concept that would have done well with lengthening into a series of short stories from each month, as in the setup but feels unfinished as is.
Chivalry - Inoffensive but not spectacular. What does Mrs Whitaker think she's going to do with a phoenix?
The Price - Cat gets beaten up by devil for people he doesn't know and the humans just accept that as fine without offering any help. Horrible.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties - An unpleasant premise of teenage boys trying to get laid combined with unintelligible sci-fi elements.
Sunbird - Sort of a less funny version on the premise of Pirates in an Adventure With Unicorns.
The Witch's Headstone - All of the more interesting background and subplots (the graveyard people, Jack) are skipped over so you end up with the least good bit of the story.
scatter_of_light's review
4.0
Between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Coraline is an exceptional story, and I came to it loving the movie very much. It is chilly and brave and quirky, very much like its protagonist.
The other short stories also leave their own mark and are fantastical. As per usual, Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller, often leaving us with a sense of dread and disquiet. I would say perhaps that is exactly where he is at his best, except he also wrote The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is equally scary but endearing and lovely in all the best ways.
I would also like to give an honourable mention to The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds, because once I understood the setting of the story, it just made me giggle. :)
Coraline is an exceptional story, and I came to it loving the movie very much. It is chilly and brave and quirky, very much like its protagonist.
The other short stories also leave their own mark and are fantastical. As per usual, Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller, often leaving us with a sense of dread and disquiet. I would say perhaps that is exactly where he is at his best, except he also wrote The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is equally scary but endearing and lovely in all the best ways.
I would also like to give an honourable mention to The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds, because once I understood the setting of the story, it just made me giggle. :)
owls_rainbow's review
3.0
I can now attest that Coraline is one of the most accurate book to movie adaptations I've seen. Only one thing/character was added for the movie but everything else is very accurate.
Of the short stories some I loved, the knight and the old woman, the month's meeting, the troll, mafie nursery rhymes, others I didn't, the selling the bridge and the people who eat everything, and others I just didn't understand, the jack in the box comes to mind.
Of the short stories some I loved, the knight and the old woman, the month's meeting, the troll, mafie nursery rhymes, others I didn't, the selling the bridge and the people who eat everything, and others I just didn't understand, the jack in the box comes to mind.
markjosefjones's review
3.0
Coraline is fantastic, but for sense of bewilderment and childhood wonder prefer 'Ocean at end of the lane'. Other short stories are typical Gaiman, kooky and beguiling but unlike other collections no contribution from 'American Gods' protagonist Shadow is slightly disappointing.
thatkorigirl's review
5.0
I read this book to three groups of children (grades 3-5; ages 8-11 for those who follow different grade systems) during the summer as a camp bedtime story/nightmare harbinger. Through the bribe of offering to read an extra chapter on certain nights, the little ones scampered off to their bunks (more or less on the desired timeline).
In each group I also had children come up to me and tell me that the book gave them nightmares.
5/5
In each group I also had children come up to me and tell me that the book gave them nightmares.
5/5
brnycx's review
4.0
you can tell that gaiman had fun writing this collection of smart tales. coraline, of course, is the star of the show, playing artfully on the age-old horror of the uncanny. the eponymous character is the perfect mix of kindness, bravery, curiosity, and creativity which make her a worthy hero for any small reader, boy or girl (although, if i was her dad, i'd be properly upset by her insistence on eating frozen pizza rather than the culinary delights i'd cooked up).
the other tales are a mixed bag. how to sell the ponti bridge was a particular favourite, managing to craft, in just a few pages, a strange sci-fi/fantasy world which could easily sustain an entire novel. a few others, however, fall short, such as the clunky the case of four and twenty blackbirds, a noirish story throughout which you can hear the awkward creaking as it strains to accommodate a few nursery rhyme/fairy tale references (p.s. for a successful combination of fairy tale and detective noir, see telltale game's excellent the wolf among us).
(nb:i bought this at a neil gaiman signing and he drew an angry mouse in it . just sayin')
the other tales are a mixed bag. how to sell the ponti bridge was a particular favourite, managing to craft, in just a few pages, a strange sci-fi/fantasy world which could easily sustain an entire novel. a few others, however, fall short, such as the clunky the case of four and twenty blackbirds, a noirish story throughout which you can hear the awkward creaking as it strains to accommodate a few nursery rhyme/fairy tale references (p.s. for a successful combination of fairy tale and detective noir, see telltale game's excellent the wolf among us).
(nb:
lilith_knight's review
3.0
3.5*
I love anthologies. Sometimes, I even prefer them to actual full-length novels. Combine that, with Neil Gaiman (for whom I have an inextinguishable love) and it seems to be the perfect match.
Unfortunately, this was not as an exciting read for me, as I initially expected. Even though I liked most of the stories (I mean, it's Gaiman, alright), I didn't love them. To give credit where credit is due though, all of them were particularly unique and peculiar, in true Gaiman fashion.
But let's take a look in each story separately, shall we?
Coraline (3*): this is perhaps Gaiman's most notorious short story, partly due to the (excellent in my opinion) stop-motion movie, that is very Tim Burton-esque. Young C-o-raline (not C-a-roline) moves to a new home and discovers a secret door to an other dimension where there is an other mother and an other father that do their best to please her (more than her actual parents do). What seems like a paradise though, soon enough turns into a horrible nightmare.
I must admit, I read that story years ago when I first bought the book, so I didn't bother to re-read it again (yeah, I know I cheated), but I clearly remember that I wasn't that impressed overall and I kind of prefer the movie adaptation tbh (which is very close to the book).
The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds (3.5*): this is a noir retelling of popular nursery rhymes. Yes, you read that right. Little Jack Horner is a midget private eye, hired by a mysterious femme fatale, to investigate the murder of her brother, Humpty Dumpty, in the corrupt Nurseyland.
That one was really fun, but since I'm not familiar with nursery rhymes in general, I had to look them all up to actually understand the references (gods bless Wikipedia!). The ending though felt a little bit rushed, hence the lower rating.
Troll Bridge (2*): here the title is self-explanatory. A young boy encounters a troll under a bridge that wants to eat his life and makes a deal with him.
This one is one of the shortest stories in the collection and one of my least favourite ones. I just didn't care much about the story and there was nothing particularly interesting about it.
Don't Ask Jack (3*): a Jack-in-the-box that might or might not be evil/cursed.
Certainly creepy, but too short of a story to hold much substance. The shortest in the collection. Also I came to realize that Neil Gaiman looooves the name Jack (appearing also in The Witch's Headstone).
How to Sell the Ponti Bridge (3.5*): the members of a private rogue's club in a fantasy land discuss the perfect con.
This was interesting enough and quite the fun! Not much to say about it, can't complain.
October in the Chair (4*): the months of the year tell stories around a bonfire. Dedicated to Ray Bradbury.
I really enjoyed this one, even though it was quite sad. Interestingly enough, I almost instantly forgot about it. Good story though.
Chivalry (5*): an old lady finds the Holy Grail in a thrift shop and an Arthurian knight tries to retrieve it.
This one was pure perfection! I loved it to bits and felt the urge to re-read it again and again! It was so funny and light-hearted, it really made me feel warm and mushy on the inside! Kind but bossy old ladies give me life! <3
The Price (4*): a black cat protects a family from something malicious hidden deep in the woods.
I really liked this one too. It had the right amount of creepiness in it, but it was also quite sad (being a cat lover and all).
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (4*): two teenage boys end up in a party full of strange, otherworldly girls.
This story was recently been made into a movie, and a comic (which was, not so symptomatically, my first read of the year). The writing was beautiful in this, and the story was peculiar and lots of fun.
Sunbird (2*): a gastronomy club sets out on a mission to Egypt in order to hunt and then cook the mythical Sunbird.
This story was too long in my opinion, to the point where I got seriously bored and just wanted it to end already. The idea was interesting enough, along with the big plot twist, but I just didn't care from a point and on. Definitely, my least favourite of the collection.
The Witch's Headstone (4*): this story is Chapter 3 of The Graveyard Book (my favourite Neil Gaiman book so far -gotta read them all!). Young Bod goes to a perilous mission to buy a gravestone for his witchy friend.
If you haven't read The Graveyard Book yet, you should definitely do that! It's an amazing heart-warming short book, about a boy raised by ghosts, and this story is no different.
Instructions (4.5*): just a poem about the beauty and the magic of fairytales that put a smile on my face.
To conclude this review, Coraline and Other Stories was an interesting anthology. It didn't blow my mind, but it certainly was an entertaining read!
Recommended.
I love anthologies. Sometimes, I even prefer them to actual full-length novels. Combine that, with Neil Gaiman (for whom I have an inextinguishable love) and it seems to be the perfect match.
Unfortunately, this was not as an exciting read for me, as I initially expected. Even though I liked most of the stories (I mean, it's Gaiman, alright), I didn't love them. To give credit where credit is due though, all of them were particularly unique and peculiar, in true Gaiman fashion.
But let's take a look in each story separately, shall we?
Coraline (3*): this is perhaps Gaiman's most notorious short story, partly due to the (excellent in my opinion) stop-motion movie, that is very Tim Burton-esque. Young C-o-raline (not C-a-roline) moves to a new home and discovers a secret door to an other dimension where there is an other mother and an other father that do their best to please her (more than her actual parents do). What seems like a paradise though, soon enough turns into a horrible nightmare.
I must admit, I read that story years ago when I first bought the book, so I didn't bother to re-read it again (yeah, I know I cheated), but I clearly remember that I wasn't that impressed overall and I kind of prefer the movie adaptation tbh (which is very close to the book).
The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds (3.5*): this is a noir retelling of popular nursery rhymes. Yes, you read that right. Little Jack Horner is a midget private eye, hired by a mysterious femme fatale, to investigate the murder of her brother, Humpty Dumpty, in the corrupt Nurseyland.
That one was really fun, but since I'm not familiar with nursery rhymes in general, I had to look them all up to actually understand the references (gods bless Wikipedia!). The ending though felt a little bit rushed, hence the lower rating.
Troll Bridge (2*): here the title is self-explanatory. A young boy encounters a troll under a bridge that wants to eat his life and makes a deal with him.
This one is one of the shortest stories in the collection and one of my least favourite ones. I just didn't care much about the story and there was nothing particularly interesting about it.
Don't Ask Jack (3*): a Jack-in-the-box that might or might not be evil/cursed.
Certainly creepy, but too short of a story to hold much substance. The shortest in the collection. Also I came to realize that Neil Gaiman looooves the name Jack (appearing also in The Witch's Headstone).
How to Sell the Ponti Bridge (3.5*): the members of a private rogue's club in a fantasy land discuss the perfect con.
This was interesting enough and quite the fun! Not much to say about it, can't complain.
October in the Chair (4*): the months of the year tell stories around a bonfire. Dedicated to Ray Bradbury.
I really enjoyed this one, even though it was quite sad. Interestingly enough, I almost instantly forgot about it. Good story though.
Chivalry (5*): an old lady finds the Holy Grail in a thrift shop and an Arthurian knight tries to retrieve it.
This one was pure perfection! I loved it to bits and felt the urge to re-read it again and again! It was so funny and light-hearted, it really made me feel warm and mushy on the inside! Kind but bossy old ladies give me life! <3
The Price (4*): a black cat protects a family from something malicious hidden deep in the woods.
I really liked this one too. It had the right amount of creepiness in it, but it was also quite sad (being a cat lover and all).
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (4*): two teenage boys end up in a party full of strange, otherworldly girls.
This story was recently been made into a movie, and a comic (which was, not so symptomatically, my first read of the year). The writing was beautiful in this, and the story was peculiar and lots of fun.
Sunbird (2*): a gastronomy club sets out on a mission to Egypt in order to hunt and then cook the mythical Sunbird.
This story was too long in my opinion, to the point where I got seriously bored and just wanted it to end already. The idea was interesting enough, along with the big plot twist, but I just didn't care from a point and on. Definitely, my least favourite of the collection.
The Witch's Headstone (4*): this story is Chapter 3 of The Graveyard Book (my favourite Neil Gaiman book so far -gotta read them all!). Young Bod goes to a perilous mission to buy a gravestone for his witchy friend.
If you haven't read The Graveyard Book yet, you should definitely do that! It's an amazing heart-warming short book, about a boy raised by ghosts, and this story is no different.
Instructions (4.5*): just a poem about the beauty and the magic of fairytales that put a smile on my face.
To conclude this review, Coraline and Other Stories was an interesting anthology. It didn't blow my mind, but it certainly was an entertaining read!
Recommended.