Coraline and Inkheart

I recently read Stardust by Neil Gaiman, who apparently is a fairly famous fellow. I haven't seen the movie of this book--mostly because I have an aversion to book to film projects--but I rather enjoy it. I heard that another one of his books was becoming a film and decided to read that as well. Here's the jacket copy:

"When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life."

I rather liked this book. The writing is rather frank and plain, but I think that's a part of his style, and the work does not need the extra language. The characters were all lovely and entertaining, and I got a sense that the writer know more than he shared (a very good thing). I'm sort of attracted to that dark, occult-themed work so the mood of the entire work was rather pleasing to me. I'm a tad bit if-y about the end. I'm glad that author was able to tie up all the loose ends, but I'm not quite sure it was needed. Hmph, perhaps if he had not included it, I would have been complaining of the loose ends. : ) A good book, if your kids are not scared too easily, and the movie is directed by the same fellow who did James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas so the movie is looking pretty good too.

My next book is Inkspell by Cornelia Funke. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Inkheart, except for... the terrible plot structure, so I'm looking forward to this book. Perhaps she fixed the plot, and Inkspell will show what a great writer can do.