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The True Colours of Coral Glen
An inventive, spooky and heartfelt story of a girl on a race-against-time, gothic-tinged treasure hunt. For fans of Neil Gaiman's THE GRAVEYARD BOOK and Helena Duggan's A PLACE CALLED PERFECT.
Coral sees the world around her through a rainbow of colours not visible to others - an afternoon of adventure is Treasure Island Gold but a morning with a maths test is Stormy Canyon Grey. When her beloved grandma dies, Coral can't find the colour to match how heartbroken she is. She makes a bargain with a ghostly boy - she'll stop an evil spirit from breaking the spell imprisoning him in a graveyard and he'll find a way for her to say goodbye properly to Grandma.
Coral sees the world around her through a rainbow of colours not visible to others - an afternoon of adventure is Treasure Island Gold but a morning with a maths test is Stormy Canyon Grey. When her beloved grandma dies, Coral can't find the colour to match how heartbroken she is. She makes a bargain with a ghostly boy - she'll stop an evil spirit from breaking the spell imprisoning him in a graveyard and he'll find a way for her to say goodbye properly to Grandma.
- GenresMiddle GradeFantasy
294 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2019
3 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 3, 2019
I received this book from a publisher in return for an honest review.
I have to say that I really enjoyed the plot but the first third of the book felt a bit slow, in hindsight I understand why the author went down that route but I feel like she could have left certain parts out.
I also really liked the idea of the the main character seeing the world in vivid colours, but sometimes it was also a bit irritating to have her name each and every colour of an object the way you would see them on a colour chart in a paint store.
Furthermore the characters were really likeable, but they sometimes seemed a bit naive and parts of the plot seemed a bit too convenient for my liking.
Regardless I have to say that overall I enjoyed the book and thought it was a fun and quick read that was unfortunately a bit slow at times, but you have to keep in mind that this is a middle grade/Children's book and for that it really was great.
I have to say that I really enjoyed the plot but the first third of the book felt a bit slow, in hindsight I understand why the author went down that route but I feel like she could have left certain parts out.
I also really liked the idea of the the main character seeing the world in vivid colours, but sometimes it was also a bit irritating to have her name each and every colour of an object the way you would see them on a colour chart in a paint store.
Furthermore the characters were really likeable, but they sometimes seemed a bit naive and parts of the plot seemed a bit too convenient for my liking.
Regardless I have to say that overall I enjoyed the book and thought it was a fun and quick read that was unfortunately a bit slow at times, but you have to keep in mind that this is a middle grade/Children's book and for that it really was great.
March 6, 2022
I bought this for one of my children because it looked pretty, it almost has her name in the title. Mostly it was just beautiful and on sale. Bonus though, she loves it and made me read it too.
Coral blames herself for her Grandma's death, and when a ghost tells her there's a way to say goodbye to her ghost before she leaves on the hallowed moon, Coral agrees to a perform a favour in exchange for the meeting.
There are some dark themes in here, but mostly it's a story about friendship and adventure, along with dealing with the death of a loved one. It's a little quirky, and there were a few info dumps tucked in there, but the way Coral thinks in colour was quite unique and pretty amusing at times.
Coral's sidekicks in this are a bit of a hoot (one is a talking worm), and they really added to what made this story such a joy to read. I can very much see how it's become one of my daughter's favourites.
Coral blames herself for her Grandma's death, and when a ghost tells her there's a way to say goodbye to her ghost before she leaves on the hallowed moon, Coral agrees to a perform a favour in exchange for the meeting.
There are some dark themes in here, but mostly it's a story about friendship and adventure, along with dealing with the death of a loved one. It's a little quirky, and there were a few info dumps tucked in there, but the way Coral thinks in colour was quite unique and pretty amusing at times.
Coral's sidekicks in this are a bit of a hoot (one is a talking worm), and they really added to what made this story such a joy to read. I can very much see how it's become one of my daughter's favourites.
November 9, 2019
The story follows Coral Glen, a girl whose room is papered in paint-sample strips who labels her emotions and days with the names of specific colours. At the beginning of her story we find out that she has just lost her grandmother and her memories are so warm that they will make the reader fall in love with her too. Without warning, the story introduces ghosts, a msytrious old lady and a friendly local librarian, leading to an unexpected and original book, brimming with wonder and imagination. I finished it blinking through tears, yet feeling hopeful and uplifted. Perfect middle-grade book, recommended for Year 4 upwards. Deals with bereavement, yet also full of bravery and adventure.
did-not-finish
August 27, 2023DNF at 44%
August 10, 2019
In her second novel, Juliette Forrest tells the story of a girl named Coral, whose grandmother has recently passed away, as she is enlisted to find magical objects to help a ghost who inhabits the local graveyard in exchange for being able to speak to her gran one last time. This was very different to what I`d expected in that it was much more of a fantasy with contemporary elements rather than the opposite way around, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The adventure plot is well paced and exciting, with lots of peril and interesting magic, and the characters made the book even better. I loved Coral so much as a protagonist (my heart was breaking for her at so many points), and I loved her sidekicks Moonzy and Skaw. The way their friendship developed was really lovely, and I also enjoyed their individual character development. Another brilliant character was the book`s main villain, who was super creepy and gave me chills pretty much every time they appeared. The contemporary aspects were also so well done, and overall, I just thought this was a great read. I`ll admit I was sceptical when I first saw the comparison to the Graveyard Book on the blurb because I think that`s brilliant, but after reading it I completely agree that it has a very similar vibe whilst also having its own unique story to tell. 4.5/5
July 25, 2019
After Juliette Forrest's wonderful debut, Twister, I had high expectations of Coral Glen. I'm glad to say they were met, and then some. This is a completely unique book, in a completely different way to Twister (which was also unlike anything I'd ever read before) and I marvel at Juliette Forrest's imagination. The True Colours of Coral Glen introduces us to its titular heroine and her family, including her recently deceased grandmother (who is described, in Coral's memories, with such vividness that she is a central character right from the start). We discover that Coral is carrying a heavy, guilty secret - and that she is desperate to see her grandmother again at any cost. The adventure she becomes embroiled in on her quest is fast-paced, often hilarious (I want my own Skaw! I've never laughed so much at an earthworm before) and, more often than not, bone-quiveringly scary. We've got resurrection, baddies, witches, possessed plastic bottles, cannibalism, ghosts, irritable annelida, and Coral's amazing ability to see the world in a wider spectrum of colour than most people, which gives her a distinct advantage in her search for her grandmother's spirit. Juliette Forrest has a way with story like no other, and I can't wait to see what she does next.
July 18, 2019
'We ran between trees so tall, planets spun on the tips of them.'
What a fantastic novel! Forrest's imagination is incredible, there were so many moments I was blown away by her imagery, from a resurrected witch below a boulder to cave-dwelling cannibal! (I think my favourites were the descriptions of the baddie Muckle Red appearing and disappearing, the magic assembling of bones was so cool). Coral's relationships are beautifully explored, in particular the one with her gran. Pulls on the heartstrings for sure. Personally my favourite character was Skaw, the untrustworthy(?) worm. His smart alec personality and quips were pitch perfect. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to all.
(Also it would make a great film, so many unique and original fantasy elements! Would love to see it on the big screen.)
What a fantastic novel! Forrest's imagination is incredible, there were so many moments I was blown away by her imagery, from a resurrected witch below a boulder to cave-dwelling cannibal! (I think my favourites were the descriptions of the baddie Muckle Red appearing and disappearing, the magic assembling of bones was so cool). Coral's relationships are beautifully explored, in particular the one with her gran. Pulls on the heartstrings for sure. Personally my favourite character was Skaw, the untrustworthy(?) worm. His smart alec personality and quips were pitch perfect. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to all.
(Also it would make a great film, so many unique and original fantasy elements! Would love to see it on the big screen.)
July 25, 2019
From the moment I unwrapped the packaged delivered by the postman I knew this was going to be a wonderful book. Whilst keen not to judge a book by its cover the images on the cover wonderfully reflect the world of Coral Glen even if they are little deceptive in the terms of the contrast between the vibrant colours and the darkly supernatural world Coral finds herself entering.
The paint chart descriptions evoke such precise images and emotions throughout the book and perfectly echo Coral's journey through grief and are much more than a gimmick.
A surprising story of grief, adventure and friendship.
The paint chart descriptions evoke such precise images and emotions throughout the book and perfectly echo Coral's journey through grief and are much more than a gimmick.
A surprising story of grief, adventure and friendship.
May 28, 2019
Nobody does atmosphere quite like Juliette Forrest, and this book is spooky with a capital S.
Coral is a great, multi-layered character and her unique way of looking at the world is so infectious I found myself seeing a rainbow of colours I'd never before noticed, and attributing meanings and moods to them that (usually) brightened my day.
The True Colours of Coral Glen is an original, imaginative, well-paced rainbow of a story that will captivate you to the very last, (black and white) page.
Coral is a great, multi-layered character and her unique way of looking at the world is so infectious I found myself seeing a rainbow of colours I'd never before noticed, and attributing meanings and moods to them that (usually) brightened my day.
The True Colours of Coral Glen is an original, imaginative, well-paced rainbow of a story that will captivate you to the very last, (black and white) page.
September 14, 2023
I feel torn about this book. I feel I should have enjoyed it more than I did. It was a strange case of, when I analyse the book, I feel that there were plenty of parts I can say I liked, but they didn't come together for me to feel quite as enjoyable for me as I probably would have thought if I'd been "measuring the parts" individually. I think it might be because they didn't quite gel but I can't say. Some may not have this experience.
So I can say there are plenty of positive aspects to this book.
It's a challenging subject, Coral is close to her grandmother and blames herself for her death. I think a book with a deep emotional core is often a compelling one.
There is lots of adventure.
There's an imaginative set of characters, and I like the idea of a worm character!
I like the idea that Coral sees the world as a set of colours and many of the colours are beautifully named. Sometimes the lists of them can be a bit laboured though and aren't always as immediately visible as I think the author might hope - I think some are just beautiful names with some ambiguity as to the shade. As someone who has dabbled in paint colours and ink colours, I really appreciated the interesting names though.
Mrs Mirk is a good villain.
The bit of a joke with Godfrey being called "God" was kind of funny. I think it might appeal to kids.
On the other hand, I think some of the beginning was a little slow for an action book but worked well for an exploration of Coral's feelings. Perhaps part of the problem with this story was it tried to be both a book all about the dabbling in Coral's head and her colours and thoughts and a pacey adventure with cutesy animals and sometimes these things didn't work together perfectly. Sometimes you felt you should be spending more time in the darkness of Coral's thoughts, getting more emotionally invested and then - oh there's a funny creature and we're being yanked out to do stuff - and other times you feel the scene should be moving and we have a whole list of colours and Coral going on yet again about how her grandma's death is all her fault.
So I can say there are plenty of positive aspects to this book.
It's a challenging subject, Coral is close to her grandmother and blames herself for her death. I think a book with a deep emotional core is often a compelling one.
There is lots of adventure.
There's an imaginative set of characters, and I like the idea of a worm character!
I like the idea that Coral sees the world as a set of colours and many of the colours are beautifully named. Sometimes the lists of them can be a bit laboured though and aren't always as immediately visible as I think the author might hope - I think some are just beautiful names with some ambiguity as to the shade. As someone who has dabbled in paint colours and ink colours, I really appreciated the interesting names though.
Mrs Mirk is a good villain.
The bit of a joke with Godfrey being called "God" was kind of funny. I think it might appeal to kids.
On the other hand, I think some of the beginning was a little slow for an action book but worked well for an exploration of Coral's feelings. Perhaps part of the problem with this story was it tried to be both a book all about the dabbling in Coral's head and her colours and thoughts and a pacey adventure with cutesy animals and sometimes these things didn't work together perfectly. Sometimes you felt you should be spending more time in the darkness of Coral's thoughts, getting more emotionally invested and then - oh there's a funny creature and we're being yanked out to do stuff - and other times you feel the scene should be moving and we have a whole list of colours and Coral going on yet again about how her grandma's death is all her fault.
December 13, 2019
Девочка Коралл видит очень много разных цветов и описывает ими реальность. У нее умирает бабушка, и она считает, что она виновата в этом. В теории мы должны всю книгу дергаться, что же она такого сделала и почему виновата. В конце книги родители говорят ей, что они просто не говорили ей, что бабушка болела. И никто толком за это не извиняется. Это довольно странно. Еще меня удивляет, что девочке, с которой у родителей вроде как хорошие обычно отношения, не верят про соседку, которую и так уже никто не любит, и считают несколько не в порядке. Ну и да, то, что в маленьком (вроде как) городе никто не заметил, что животных похищает сумасшедшая женщина тоже странно. А еще условие для поговорить с бабушкой тоже очень вымученное – чтобы в конце опоздать на пару секунд. В общем: вроде все хорошо, но на поверку претензий с точки зрения психологии все-таки набирается.
Чем больше про нее думаю, тем больше горит) И написано неплохо и увлекательно, и вот это вот все, но чот все ведут себя как исключительные мудаки, чтобы только сюжет был. Хотя в принципе можно было и без этого сделать тот же сюжет...
Чем больше про нее думаю, тем больше горит) И написано неплохо и увлекательно, и вот это вот все, но чот все ведут себя как исключительные мудаки, чтобы только сюжет был. Хотя в принципе можно было и без этого сделать тот же сюжет...
February 16, 2020
A fantasy ghost adventure tied up in Coral's grief and guilt over her grandmother's death.
The grief of Coral and her parents keeps them isolated and insular, unable to see or understand each other's grief.
Coral keeps her feelings to herself, and cannot tell her parents that she believes she is responsible for her grandmother's death.
The end of the adventure gives Coral the courage to express her guilt and receive comfort in return. The final scene of reconciliation and support feels quite hurried and quickly wrapped-up.
The grief of Coral and her parents keeps them isolated and insular, unable to see or understand each other's grief.
Coral keeps her feelings to herself, and cannot tell her parents that she believes she is responsible for her grandmother's death.
The end of the adventure gives Coral the courage to express her guilt and receive comfort in return. The final scene of reconciliation and support feels quite hurried and quickly wrapped-up.
June 25, 2022
I hadn’t realised this was a children’s book when I picked it up in the library, as it was in the adult section there too. So, it was a bit of a strange read and not something I would usually go for. The story was mythical and adventurous in the way that kids would love. It was a bit predictable but that’s to be expected for a kids book. I finished it because it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t really my sort of thing.
December 19, 2019
I really liked some of the writing in this book but it just wasn't for me! It felt like it was trying to be 'A Monster Calls' mixed with 'The Graveyard Book' but lacked meaningful and interesting characters and plot.
July 26, 2019
A glorious adventure of loss, magic, friendship and oh so many colours. Beautifully exciting and packed with imagination and heart. Loved it!
July 28, 2019
I couldn't put it down
January 29, 2020
It was a good book, but I think it should resolve the problem slower. It just didn't give a strong vibe.
June 13, 2021
a beautiful book that deals with important issues.
June 25, 2022
dnf at 55%, not my vibe. 1⭐️
August 22, 2023
I thought this book would be okay for a 13 year old, it was not
August 23, 2023
Too many similes but LOVE how she did colour references
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April 21, 2024DNF 31% 93pgs
main character is a pick me. all characters insufferable. so predictable in a bad way. i cant
main character is a pick me. all characters insufferable. so predictable in a bad way. i cant
May 30, 2024
This is one of my favourite books because it has so many themes some of friendship and others of a darker nature. This was such a joy to read.
August 22, 2025
one of the best books ever written. the worm is the best.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews