Most people would say that Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is already a twisted tale. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, stumbles onto Christmas Town and decides to take it for his own. Christmas is almost ruined, but at the last second he finds the spirit of Christmas and Santa saves the day. But what if Jack Skellington isn’t the one who finds Christmas Town? What if Sally did instead? How would that change the story? That’s the question that Mari Mancusi poses in Sally’s Lament.
[Warning: My review of Sally’s Lament, A Twisted Tale contains some spoilers!]
Something new from Disney’s Twisted Tale series
It’s Halloween! The biggest night of the year in Halloween Town, and Sally has snuck out to join the festivities. Then in comes Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. He puts on a spectacular show and Sally is entranced. Suddenly, her maker, Dr. Finkelstein, appears to drag Sally home, telling her she’s not ready yet. But Sally is feeling something new, something close to courage. So she makes her escape again and runs off into the night, ready for something new.
And boy does she find it! Deep in the woods, Sally stumbles across a circle of trees that have oddly shaped doors on them. Sally opens the door shaped like a triangle tree and accidentally falls inside. When she comes to, everything is different. There’s a strange white substance covering everything, and all the trees are green and covered with brightly colored lights. Sally is completely captivated, she’s found something new! She’s excited for herself but also for Jack, who is also longing for something new. She can’t wait to tell him but decides to explore the town some more on her own.
However, the longer Sally is in Christmas Town, the more she’s bothered by the feeling that something isn’t right. On the surface, it seems like a perfect place, and the people are all so nice. But there’s an underlying current of stress in the citizens, fear even. Sally is determined to find out what’s really going on in Christmas Town and help out the new friends she’s made. But is she ready?
Sally’s Lament is a story about finding your own strength
The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of Disney’s more niche offerings. Those that like it are obsessed with it and those that don’t kind of just pass it by. I think part of the reason for that is that it is a little hard to classify. It’s usually thought of as a Christmas story, but is it really? Or is it a Halloween tale? I say it’s neither. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a story about discovering yourself and learning to appreciate what you have. With the twist that Mancusi gives to Sally’s Lament, it becomes a tale about finding your own strength.
Sally is looking for something more, just like Jack. But the difference is in their confidence level. When Jack found Christmas Town, he fell in love and decided to take it for himself. He believed that he could do everything that Santa did, but better.
But Sally is different. When she finds Christmas Town, she doesn’t want to take it for her own, she just wants to enjoy it while it’s there. And when she realizes there’s a problem, she doesn’t want to solve it for herself, she wants to save the friends that live in Christmas Town.
Sally is looking for more in her life, but she doesn’t need to appreciate what she already has, she needs to find the strength to take what she needs. Whereas Jack had to look inside and find happiness, Sally needs to look inside and find strength, then she’ll be able to go after her happiness. It’s a different kind of story that is more empowering and relatable than the original The Nightmare Before Chrismas, I think. Fans of the movie will love seeing Sally stretch and grow, but I think Mancusi’s story will appeal to a larger reader base than the movie did.
There also isn’t the same confusion about what kind of story Sally’s Lament is. It’s definitely not a Halloween tale, and it’s definitely not a Christmas story. It is a story of empowerment and learning to believe in yourself. The fact that it takes place in Christmas Town but not during actual Christmas, and the fact that Sally doesn’t have anything to do with Christmas preparations, makes it clear that Christmas has nothing to do with the story beyond being a setting. And I think that improves the story because it allows us to focus on Sally and her journey without the messy Christmas baggage.
The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Sally becomes a formidable character
I admit that The Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t one of my favorite movies. But I have seen it a few times. Sally always was a so-so character to me. She made small attempts at being herself, but she remained tied to Dr. Finklestein who treated her like a thing instead of a person. She was capable of amazing things, but she only used her brain to help Jack, not herself.
I’m so glad that Mancusi gives her a better life in Sally’s Lament. Sure, she starts in the same place, but she ends up so much better. And she gets there on her own. Sally is really sweet and kind, she cares about others and genuinely wants to help them. That’s how she gets used so badly in The Nightmare Before Christmas. In Sally’s Lament, she still wants to help others, but she realizes that she can help herself too. In the end, she stands up for what she believes in and saves not just Christmas Town, but herself, and that’s even more important.
I loved watching Sally go from an insecure, child-like character to a strong and powerful opponent. The progression wasn’t forced, either. It all came from her desire to help others. The more she helped them, the farther she was willing to go to keep helping them. The more she had to find strength in herself, the stronger she became. And the more she helped others, the more she realized she could help herself too. It was a completely natural progression that was really beautiful to read.
Sally’s Lament, A Twisted Tale is a story for any time
Sally’s Lament is here just in time for the holiday season. And many people will assume because of the main character and the tale being twisted that it’s a Halloween book. Or a Christmas book, depending on their feelings about The Nightmare Before Christmas. But it’s really not either of those. It’s a hero’s journey, really.
I do recommend reading Sally’s Lament right away, but not because it’s the perfect Fall book. I recommend reading it right away because it’s a great story. The actual time of year you read it isn’t important. So get it and read it now. Or get it and read it in a couple of months. Or next Spring. Or sitting by the pool. Just make sure you read it. You don’t miss out on Sally’s journey to be a hero. It’s a journey she never planned to take, but don’t all the best heroes work that way? Sally’s Lament is a great read whenever you get the time, so get it!
My Rating: 8/10
Sally’s Lament by Mari Mancusi is now available wherever books are sold. Are you a fan of the Twisted Tale series from Disney? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
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