Most of my favourite novels involve people being where they should not be. Outlander, The Golden Compass, Alice in Wonderland, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

And so we come to Coraline, a girl who is about to step through a doorway, into a place she should not be. Coraline's parents are too busy with their computers (sound familiar?) to pay attention to their daughter, so Coraline must entertain herself.

She begins by exploring the rambling house they've moved into, and meeting the unusual neighbours. Coraline finds a door that leads to a brick wall, but we already know that won't always be the case, and one day Coraline passes through.

Coraline arrives in a world that is a dark and fractured reflection of the world she calls home. She discovers her "other mother" and her "other father," both pale and creepy. Her other mother cooks splendid meals, though eats only beetles herself. Her father tends to look like a worm at times. Ghostly children haunt Coraline here and the one bright spot is a black cat who talks.

The world disturbs Coraline, as well it should, but when she finds herself trapped there, she has no choice but to deal with the world on its terms and try to make her way to her proper home.

Fortunately, Coraline has Gaiman behind her all the way and his skilled touch promises either light at the end of the dark corridor--or, you know, buttons being sewn where your eyes should be. That's the thing with Gaiman: you don't know exactly where he'll take you, what the outcome will be.

On the back cover, Diana Wynne Jones exclaims that Coraline will nudge Alice in Wonderland out of its niche. I beg to differ. Delightful though Coraline is, they'll share the niche at my house.