I love Neil Gaiman. 
 I love the animated version of Coraline 
 (I watched it long before I had any idea that the book existed) 
 Well anyway, I just got around to reading it and it was fantastic, as expected. 
 Neil Gaiman's descriptions are gold. As I was reading it, I had the distinct feeling that this was Coraline's book, ie. that a small girl was telling her story, not an adult telling a young girl's story. It's wonderful, just like I knew it would be. 
 In (Gaiman's) own words, his book tells the story of Coraline, who was small for her age and who would find herself in the darkest danger. By the time it was over, she would find what lay behind mirrors, have a close call with a bad hand, and come face-to-face wither her other mother; she'd rescue her true parents from a fate worse than death and triumph against overwhelming odds. 
 He also says it's the weirdest book he's written and the book he's most proud of. 
 I say he's right. 
 Gaiman said he wrote a book that children would experience as an adventure and that that gave asults nightmares. He is right. It does give me the creeps (both the book and the movie). I loved it and highly recommend it!