While exploring the new home Coraline and her family have just moved in to, she stumbles upon a small, mysterious door hidden behind wallpaper in one of the rooms. Through it, she discovers a world very much like her own, and yet very different, including alternate versions of her parents and neighbors. This alluring world turns dark when she finds that her parents have been kidnapped and she is slowly becoming trapped in a web of her Other Mother's making. To escape, she'll need to find her parents and rescue the souls of three children who have been trapped by the Other Mother.
Coraline is a quick, fun read. The story is well-paced and engaging. Coraline, as a character, is both likeable and compelling, and the world she stumbles into is eerie, intriguing, and very "uncanny valley". The audiobook is read wonderfully by Gaiman himself, with the added bonus of musical interludes and creepy—yet surprisingly catchy—songs sung by rats. If you're looking for a short read that will get you into the spooky mood, this is a great choice.