Sally’s Lament by Mari Mancusi
Series: Disney Twisted Tales #19
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings
Pages: 346
Published By: Random House/Disney on 8th October, 2024
Format: Hardcover
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Book Synopsis:
What if Sally discovered Christmas Town instead of Jack?
Sally has mostly loved her creepy hometown of Halloween Town. But lately, she can’t help but want something more. In a place full of the frightening, you’d think living in the shadows wouldn’t feel so . . . isolating. She knows she could do so much more if she wasn’t always stuck in the lab of her creator, Dr. Finkelstein. Soon Sally is surprised to learn that the Pumpkin King, Jack, is longing for a change of his own. Determined to find a solution for them both, Sally follows a vision that could be the key to changing their fates.
But the more time Sally spends in the strange, jolly land of Christmas Town, the more suspicious she grows of the seemingly idyllic winter wonderland. What is lurking behind those dancing sugar plums? And what exactly does it mean to be put on the Naughty List? Will Sally be able to save the best of both towns–before it’s too late?
Book Review
I love the Disney Twisted Tales books and have read many of them. However, this is the first one I have read by Mari Mancusi and I actually really enjoyed it. This book is an alternate Nightmare Before Christmas story but following Sally instead of Jack.
The holiday vibes in this book are a main focus and I really liked how we get a mix between the creepy from Halloween and the merry from Christmas. I think the Mancusi managed to capture both essences really well. You can definitely read this around Halloween or during the lead up to Christmas!
The writing style definitely feels YA, which works well since the publisher promotes the book that way. The book has a great pace overall throughout. The story hooked me right from the start. and was such a quick read! There were a few parts that I thought were a little repetitive but overall it didn’t take away from the story.
I really enjoyed the plot in Christmas Town. I’d been worried it would be a cheesy read, but Mancusi added enough mystery and curiosity to keep it engaging. I wanted to keep reading to uncover what was going on and I like that in a book.
Having Sally as the main character was a great choice. We got to see more of her personality and watch her grow throughout the story. I was glad that Jack played a big role in the story, and it was cute watching their relationship develop throughout. That being said, the ending between them felt a bit rushed. I would’ve liked it to unfold more slowly, with a little more depth to wrap things up.
I won’t lie — the epilogue really pulled on my heartstrings, and Mancusi executed it beautifully! It was a shame that we didn’t get an appearance from Oogie Boogie but I did like the introduction of new characters in Christmas Town.
If you’re a Disney fan then I would highly suggest giving this one a read. I think this would be the perfect book for getting out a reading slump.
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