Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas by Shea Ernshaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favourite movies, and I read the Disney novelisation last week, so I wanted to check this one out as well.
Sally and Jack are finally married, but with Halloween celebrations around the corner, she has to perform her queenly duties. Except, Sally wants to live her own life with Jack, not have to fulfill a bunch of expectations for Halloween Town. Her need to escape all the unwanted attention and scrutiny leads her into the dark woods with Zero, where they stumble on something hidden...
Wow. I LOVED this! Sally's story is wondrous and magical. A beautiful fairy tale all of her own. Where she gets to discover new worlds, gets to know herself, and saves the love of her life.
Sally has been one of my favourite characters for a long time. So, reading a story told in her POV, as she goes on a nightmarish adventure outside of Halloween Town, is something I thoroughly enjoyed.
One of the things I dislike about continuations (of my most fave movies) is when the characters feel different. Wrong in a way that alienates me instantly, but that didn't happen here because everyone in Halloween Town sounds very familiar. In the best way possible. And more importantly, Sally is still the same rag doll. She still wears her patchwork dress, she still jumps out of windows to escape so she has to constantly resew her limbs, she's still a free spirit, and most of all, she loves Jack. The worst thing, but a vital detail in keeping in character, is that she carries over Dr. Finkelstein's whiny voice constantly berrating her thoughts.
The introduction of the other holiday towns was very well done. In a way that adds and expands Tim Burton's world. The details are vivid and so atmospheric that I felt like I was actually there. And Dream Town, with all its comfy aesthetics and stories, was my fave.
Not to mention the revelation that made me happy, then sad, until I was ecstatic all over again. 😊😫😁
Also, the cover featuring Sally, the Pumpkin Queen is beautiful. 🖤🎃🖤
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