Neil Gaiman is a cool dude.

I read.  In fact, I cannot imagine a world where there was nothing to read.  Perhaps that's my own personal afterlife bad place.  I will read almost anything and think that almost any book has some redeeming value, for some reader, somewhere.  My last two reads were both by Neil Gaiman and were my first adventures into his strange and wonderful mind.

Ok, I'll admit it.  I read Coraline because I heard the movie (3D must see!) had teensy knitted  sweaters.  My mind follows trails like that.  A little piece of random information can lead to great things.  Coraline, the book, was, as I understand it, written for Mr. Gaiman's daughters and is a twisted little tale of discontent and creepiness.  Coraline is frustrated with her parents and in search of something to occupy her time discovers another world with another mother and the true meaning of "there is no place like home".  It's a little book, a fast read, and an engaging story.  I confess that I'm not sure what age group the book was written for, but I can tell you that it is not for young children.  It's a scary tale with odd and wonderful characters that would have given me nightmares as a child.  As an adult, I now look at buttons, beetles, black cats, and shiny things in general with much more curiosity.

After I put down Coraline I picked up The Graveyard Book, also by Neil Gaiman. Nobody Owens is the sole survivor of the brutal murder of his entire family and is saved, raised, and protected by a fabulous cast of dead characters in a graveyard.  Again, not sure what age group the book was intended for, and again, not for the young.  The book begins with the murder and moves through Bod's life with sometimes scary circumstances and creatures.  I loved this book. I loved all Bod's departed friends, like Miss Euphemia Horsfall (1861-1883, She Sleeps, Aye, Yet She Sleeps with Angels) and her beau Tom Sands who passed from this life in completely different time periods, but seem able to ignore their differences, Silas, the mysterious guardian, and the loving Mr. and Mrs. Owens, who become Bod's new parents.  This book is so creatively written that when I closed the cover I was sad to say goodbye.  I hope a film is in the making, or better yet, a sequel because I know Bod's story is far from over.  Graveyards now have a new and interesting appeal. Not always being the brightest bulb on the tree, I didn't see the ties to Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book until I read the acknowledgment at the end of the book. 

Judging from these two books, I think I must check out a couple of Mr. Gaimans other books and see if his gift for character and circumstance translate to the adult genre.  One thing I know for sure is that Neil Gaiman has got to be an incredibly cool guy.

Comments

[wenders]

I walk Colby through a graveyard almost daily and make up stories about the people buried there in my head... it's a park-like beautiful place that can be very sad and somewhat endearing, too, since a lot of people walk there. Now I want to read this book, too (I haven't yet read Coraline...)

[Diana]

Neil Gaimon wrote another book turned into movie which was "Stardust". I think you would enjoy that one too, or have you seen that one already?
BTW--the HBO special on the "Making of Coraline" showed the 'miniature knitter' at work and said that it took her six weeks to make some of the items. The knitting needles were as tiny as toothpicks!

[Rosa]

Neil Gaiman has a blog at http://journal.neilgaiman.com/

I would recomend "Stardust" to you, and also "Anansi Boys". I also enjoyed "American Gods" but it is quite different, and much darker.

[Madame Purl]

I love Neil Gaiman. I would recommend Neverwhere - one of my favorites. I got it in audio format and he reads it. It's wonderful.

I have the Graveyard book on my list to read. I saw that miniature knitting too and was fascinated enough to pick up Coraline.

[PainterWoman]

I agree with all the recommendations. He borrows from folklore, fairytales and his own pantheon of symbols. And don't miss Good Omens (unless you've become especially pius recently. He's not much on orthodoxy. Funny though.) Wenders, I'll put Coraline in the mail.