Journal Entry 1 by Semioticghost from Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom on Thursday, May 29, 2003

A children’s novel that’s terrifying, surprising and fascinating, with a little bit of fairytale magic, some icky stuff and a handfull of oooohhhs. It’s pretty grim in places, grimly pretty in others and entertaining in all.

I noticed this was on many people's wishlists, so I bought a copy to pass round. Please drop me a PM if you're interested and state whether you can, or cannot ship internationally.
 

Journal Entry 2 by Semioticghost from Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom on Thursday, May 29, 2003

So far included in the bookray are [as geographical as I could make it] :

Estherase [UK] {done}
Lucycat [UK] {done}
Leanne345 (UK) {done}
Thelxepeia [UK] {done}
anne-laure (France) {done}
boucli (France) {done}
vivimum (Italy) {done}
nastenka-d (Portugal) {done}
Arina [Portugal] {done}
Virgulina [Portugal]{done}
Witchie [Portugal]{done}
Veracity [Australia]{done}
YowlYY [UK] {done}
Weebly [UK] {done}
Nrrdgrrl [the Netherlands]{done}

The end of this bookring/ray will be Semioticghost's friend Miriam, aged 11, in Amsterdam [the Netherlands]. {reading}

North American Bookcrossers might prefer to join Amynsperry's bookring, which is US-based. I have passed the nicknames of the North American Bookcrossers who've replied to me on to her, and she will pass European Bookcrossers my way in turn.
 

Journal Entry 3 by Semioticghost at == by post or by hand == in London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Released on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at by Royal Mail, to a friend in London, England United Kingdom.

This bookring is kicking off today!

First person to receive 'Coraline' will be Estherase.

Everybody, please remember to journal when you receive the book, and then comment when you have read it / released it. That way, we'll always know where it is currently. If you don't hear from the next person in line [see previous journal entry] after contacting them, get in touch and we'll sort something out.

Thanks again for joining in! 

Journal Entry 4 by estherase on Friday, June 13, 2003

Found this waiting for my on my return to work- glad it hasn't been sitting here TOO long! Thank-you semioticghost. I'll read it this weekend, so it can get off to lucycat... 

Journal Entry 5 by estherase on Saturday, June 14, 2003

I enjoyed this very much, but it's claim to be the new Alice...? Weeeell, I'm not so sure... Lots of good images though- I like the black buttons...
On its way to lucycat. 

Journal Entry 6 by lucycat from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, June 16, 2003

Journal Entry 7 by lucycat at on Monday, June 16, 2003

Released on Monday, June 16, 2003 at http://leanne345.bookcrossing.com in Liverpool, England United Kingdom.

Just caught the last post...so as we speak 'Coraline' is trucking her way cross-country to Leanne345 in Liverpool. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 8 by Leanne345 from Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 24, 2003

Got this today - shouldnt take too long to read hopefully! 

Journal Entry 9 by Leanne345 from Liverpool, Merseyside United Kingdom on Sunday, June 29, 2003

Finished! I loved this book, it was such an easy read and yet quite a scarey story really! Will send it out ASAP! 

Journal Entry 10 by Thelxepeia from Chester, Cheshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 10, 2003

Got the book from Leanne345 on Wed 9th July & read it that day. Have posted it (10th July) to Boucli in Toulouse.
Lovely little book, written very effectively from the child, Coraline's point of view. Simple language creates the scenes nicely. Classic good & evil stuff - the backbone of many a good read for kids. For those who are reading children's lit. for the first time, then try a few more. Many can be be just as riveting for adults as for kids. Philip Pullman & J.K. Rowling have managed to make it acceptable for adults to read books written for youngsters, so don't stop there. Try Louis Sachar's 'Holes' , Susan Price's 'The Sterkarm Handshake' and Lian Hearn's 'Across the Nightingale Floor'. And that's just for starters! 

Journal Entry 11 by boucli from Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées France on Tuesday, July 22, 2003

This book arrived last tuesday, but I didn't get access to internet till today...In the meantime, I've read it, and sent it this morning to Anne-laure, who has just come back from holidays, so...perfect timing !
I really loved reading this book, it's full of scary things and lovely ideas...thanks for this bookring, semioticghost !! 

Journal Entry 12 by LaPeste from Le Cellier, Pays de la Loire France on Thursday, July 24, 2003

Journal Entry 13 by LaPeste from Le Cellier, Pays de la Loire France on Saturday, August 02, 2003

Waou !
Great reading
Really suprising and scary ! I had to wake up in the middle of the night and finish it ...! (It was a week ago)
Feeling like being locked in that odd world with Coraline.
I'm looking at my cat very differently since then !

On its way to Roma Italy, hope you'll enjoy it vivimum. 

Journal Entry 14 by vivimum from Roma, Lazio Italy on Wednesday, September 03, 2003

Arrived! I've just started reading, and let you know as soon as possible.
Thank you! 

Journal Entry 15 by mirz from Tampere, Pirkanmaa Finland on Wednesday, October 08, 2003

Semioticghost wrote:
"I'd like you to review coralinbe once you've read it, and make a journal entry, as if you had been sent the physical book. You have the book, so the ray can travel faster to the next person, but I'd still like you to have your say and journal it."

So here I am. I got Coraline in Finnish, before the bookray got to Finland. And I promised to make an entry of it. And here it goes:

I love it, although it was bit scary. I'd never want to go through what Coraline went through. This was wonderful Neil Gaiman book, it definitely did increase my love. I love Gaiman, and he just visited Finland and I missed it!

Parallel universes have always been interesting posibility. Gaiman makes it sound perfect, but still awful. This one is a classic. Can't wait to get more Gaiman to my hands. Someday I'll recommend Coraline to my cousins, but not yet, they are too small. I don't want them to get too scared. 

Journal Entry 16 by vivimum from Roma, Lazio Italy on Monday, October 20, 2003

Someone suggested me Coraline as a book to be read by grown-ups. I think it's true, and I can say it's more than a children book. I'll read it again in Italian (in a future!), maybe with my daughter, she's still a baby but I'm sure she would appreciate this kind of stories.
Thanks to Semioticghost and all of you, for waiting so long. Today's leaving to Portugal! Have a nice trip! 

Journal Entry 17 by nastenka-d from Porto - City, Porto Portugal on Friday, October 24, 2003

Got it today! Will read ASAP; and then edit this entry. 

Journal Entry 18 by nastenka-d from Porto - City, Porto Portugal on Wednesday, October 29, 2003

I read this wonderful little novel the very nightI got it. It was a very cold and windy night here at Oporto, and I had been reading "The Turn of the Screw", by Henry James; so you can imagine my state of mind... I found myself really worrying about Coraline (what about if she won't win?)
I'll send it now to Arina; and thanks for letting me read it! 

Journal Entry 19 by Arina from Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Tuesday, December 30, 2003

Got it from Nastenka some time ago, but couldn't make an entry then, so i started reading it insted. Sorry if i got some of you (specialy semioticghost) preocupied over the book's whereabouts.
I really enjoyed this one. 'Coraline' is enormously likeable funny...and quite scary sometimes. It made me want to read more children's books instead of the ones i have :)
Ready to go to Virgulina... 

Journal Entry 20 by Arina from Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Tuesday, December 30, 2003

To be delivered to Virgulina today at O'Gillians. 

Journal Entry 21 by Witchie from Espinho, Aveiro Portugal on Thursday, January 15, 2004

I got it today, in the mail! I'll read as soon and fast as possible! Thanks, Virgulina, for sending it! 

Journal Entry 22 by Witchie from Espinho, Aveiro Portugal on Thursday, March 18, 2004

I am so sorry I took so long... I finished this book a long time ago and I was convinced I had posted my journal entry. So sorry, everyone!...

I really loved this book! I think it is a great book, but I don't think it is very suitable for kids... The book is quite scary and I am sure that if I had read it as a kid I would have developed a huge fobia for buttons!
But the book is really great and it really grabs you! Couldn't stop reading, when I started!

It will leave me next week, heading to Australia! 

Journal Entry 23 by Witchie at on Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Released on Monday, March 22, 2004 at Mailed to another bookcrosser in Espinho, Envio Postal/Postal release Portugal.

This book is back on the road! It is now heading to Australia, to meet Veracity! 

Journal Entry 24 by veracity from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 29, 2004

Coraline and her parents have just moved into a large old house that has been subdivided into apartments. Coraline loves exploring, and when Coraline's mother shows her a door that opens on to a brick wall, she is facinated by it. So much so that she forgets the warning the man upstairs gave her from the mice: "Don't go through the door".

Received in the mail yesterday, and read it over night.  

Journal Entry 25 by veracity at on Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Released on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 at Postal Release in Sydney, Australia Controlled Releases.

Posted to YowlYY. Many apologies for the delay. Personal circumstances have been crazy recently. 

Journal Entry 26 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Friday, May 28, 2004

Journal Entry 27 by YowlYY from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Monday, May 31, 2004

Journal Entry 28 by weebly from Hartwell, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Thursday, June 03, 2004

Lovely lovely, Coraline has arrived. Although I am a bit frightened of reading it now with the scary warnings! 

Journal Entry 29 by weebly from Hartwell, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Monday, June 14, 2004

This was an excellent book. Very chilling and to me Steven King-esque. I really enjoyed it and so did my hubby. The only problem was it was over too quickly, I suppose that is because it is aimed at children, not sure what age I would let my kids read it though, it seemed far too chilling. I will never look at my cat in quite the same way again.

This will be posted to the Netherlands later today, and will soon reach it's final destination. 

Journal Entry 30 by nrrdgrrl from Fourways, Gauteng South Africa on Tuesday, June 22, 2004

for now, just a hasty note to let you know she has arrived safely!
i'll pm semi straight away to find out c.'s final destination. i hope i can drop her off tomorrow, otherwise it won't be until somewhere next week. 

Journal Entry 31 by Semioticghost from Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 29, 2004

This book is now in Nrrgrrrl's hands and she'll deliver it to its destination in the house of my friend Miriam. Hopefully, her sister and her mother will also enjoy it - but the former is in her teens and might not be at ease reading kid's books and the latter is a very busy lady, so this is for Miriam first and foremost.

Yesterday, I posted off a replacement stone for the one that went missing on this book's journey - I hope it's found a good home rather than getting lost in the post :)

Thank you, everybody, for taking part in this bookray and helping this novel travel a long way round the globe! 

Journal Entry 32 by nrrdgrrl at controlled release in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, July 09, 2004

Released on Friday, July 09, 2004 at controlled release in amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands.

due to time restraints i'll release first and review later. book to be delivered later today. 

Journal Entry 33 by nrrdgrrl from Fourways, Gauteng South Africa on Friday, July 09, 2004

this morning i left home in a hurry at an impossible hour. it wasn't until i had walked all the way to leidsegracht, a very nice stroll around lunchtime, that i realized i hadn't brought the address. so i went to number 53, thinking it was the right one, where coincidentally two young ladies were leaving. they had never heard of anyone by the name of the recipient. then i sought out the house with the opposite number, 35. no luck either.

determined to have a happy ending, i went over to nearby leidsestraat. luckily bookcrosser genderq was at work already. despite the fact that we've only met once, she was able to recognize me after the first few words!
i ordered some nice food and the phone book. quickly the issue was resolved. thanks gq.
wrote a note for the young recipient; she's not a bookcrosser (yet) and would otherwise have no idea how this book fell from the sky.

at the correct address, a man was just entering the house. when i asked him if i could hand him the book he immediately fetched a lady (the girl's mother?) who lightened up on hearing semioticghost's irl name. i explained a bit about the book's travels and mentioned it can all be tracked at this web page. i hope they'll visit.
she did think it strange that i've never met semioticghost... :o)

btw a different copy of this book has miraculously visited my house before this one. unfortunately i lacked the time to re-read coraline. please click the link if you fancy reading my review. this british copy misses the scary scribbles of the american illustrator, which might be just as well...
[crabs dear, just crabs]