# Is Gaiman's Coraline worth buying?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 18, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120 "2003-05-18T22:31:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120/1 "2003-05-18T22:31:23Z")

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I’m a huge fan of The Sandman series but a lot of other Gaiman works are hit and miss (especially his straight [i.e. non graphic-novel] fiction- I thought American God was a complete waste of a good idea and Nevercould get into Neverwhere). Has anybody read [Coraline](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380977788/qid=1053297178/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-9101845-7010232?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) , and if so is it a buyer or a “read it in the bookstore” sort of book? Ditto the “Death” series.

Thanks for any opinions-

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**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120/2 "2003-05-18T22:36:47Z")

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What do you mean by the “Death” series?

If you mean the “Death: The Time of Your Life” miniseries, I didn’t think much of it to be honest. For my money “Death: The High Cost of Living” is pretty much Gaiman’s single best work.

Also, I highly disagree with you on both American Gods and Neverwhere, but . . . well . . . that doesn’t really matter.

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**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120/3 "2003-05-18T22:40:18Z")

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Also, haven’t read Coraline, but just reading the description made me think of Clive Barker’s Thief of Always. Every read that one? Really great dark children’s story, and my third favorite Barker book after Weaveworld and Great and Secret Show.

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**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120/4 "2003-05-18T22:44:30Z")

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I personally have never read anything else by Gaiman, but I thought the story was very good. Very creepy. I suggets picking it up, or if you just want to try it, read it at the bookstore. It’s a pretty quick read.

Audiobottle

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**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-gaimans-coraline-worth-buying/176120/5 "2003-05-19T00:58:31Z")

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I was a little hesitant to pick up **Coraline** after all the hype. But I liked it a lot. It looks at adult creepiness and strangeness from a child’s point of view and does it well.

I like Gaiman’s writing. I didn’t like **American Gods** as much as **Stardust** or **Neverwhere**. And a lot of his short fiction is excellent.