Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
YA Fantasy, 2022 by Disney Press, 315 Pages
What I Didn’t Like:
- There’s no real world building, there’s world borrowing. Characters are used in the exact ways as the movie with no additional depth or creativity. I kept finding myself getting annoyed when the mayor or Oogie’s boys were presented in exactly the manner they were in the movie with nothing changed. I think I’d prefer that to be used as a jumping off point and then find something new or interesting.
- The big twist felt lazy. I can’t explain why it bothered me without treading into spoiler territory but let’s say I wanted something better and less cliche.
- Jack felt different and not in an “I learned from my mistakes” sort of way. He felt distracted and inattentive, which isn’t what I expected.
What I Did Like:
- Sally. Her depth is explored and her insecurities are addressed. We get to see her learn who she is and that’s pretty cool.
- The sandman is a great character with a great arc. In a world where misunderstood creatures are sort of the norm, he fits right in.
- It is cool to revisit the world of Halloween Town. Also, like everyone else who loves the movie, I often wondered what was beyond some of those other doors. This book does explore that a bit and I enjoyed that part.
Who Should Read This One:
- Fans of the original who want a little more Sally and another visit to Halloween Town.
My Rating: 3 Stars
- This book is cute and does honor most of the characters we know and love from the original movie.
Leave a Reply