Coraline by Neil Gaiman

To end my spooky reading for the year (yes, I know it's December; it went a little long), I chose Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

I first read this book years ago, and absolutely loved it. It's every bit as creepy as the cover makes it out to be.

By this point, many people know the story because of the animated film, which sticks pretty close to the original. One big difference for me is while the film is creepy in its own way, it doesn't quite reach the nightmare-inducing level that the book does. That's probably because it was aimed more at kids, and according to Gaiman himself, many kids have read the book as more of an adventure.

It's the adults who end up with nightmares.

I don't read or watch a lot of horror, but many scenes in this book definitely fit into that category for me. Imagining myself in Coraline's place, I don't think I would've survived the way she did.

If you're only familiar with the movie, I highly recommend picking up the book and giving it a try. Maybe keep the lights on.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org