Escapism in Coraline

This week I read Neil Gaiman's children's novel, Coraline. I had previously seen and loved the movie but never sat down to read the book. The thing that struck me about this novel is the same thing that struck me in the film; not the fact that it's pretty scary for a children's book, something Gaiman is now known for, but the sadness of how ignored by her parents Coraline feels. It's incredibly relevant to many people and it just hits you in such a way that you can't shake it. The entire novel then turns into a form of escapism. Coraline uses this alternate world or dimension as a form of escapism from her seemingly uncaring parents. Why else would she just blindly accept another mother and father with buttons for eyes if not for the fact that they are everything she wishes her parents and world to be like? I certainly can't chalk it up to her being a child as Coraline seems to be pretty smart. Despite all of the adventure and horror in this novel, it's hard for me to ignore this underlying melancholy to the story. I think this is something many other people will agree with, though certainly not everyone. I know many people who feel the same and personally identify with Coraline's character both due to the fact that she is emotionally neglected by her parents and that, while in the story this is presented as real, she appears to use this fantastical escapism as a coping mechanism to deal with it. It's incredibly depressing. It is such an amazing story, though, and certainly many people do not get as caught up on this aspect as me. Despite that sadder subject matter I enjoyed the book very much just as I enjoyed the film.