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A review by queer_bookwyrm
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 ⭐
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw is the sequel to Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. This was a fun, light read, perfect for Halloween. I love that Sally has gotten her own story!
We follow Sally after the events of the movie when she has married Jack Skellington, and becomes the Pumpkin Queen. Sally wanted nothing but her freedom when she was confined by Dr. Finkelstein, and is elated that she now gets to spend her life with her one true love. However, being married to Jack isn't as easy as she thought it would be. The demands of being a queen are a heavy burden to bear, with expectations that chafe at her free will.
We get to learn more about the other holiday realms from the movie. Sally and Jack visit Valentine's Town for their honeymoon. I'm glad we got more worldbuilding, even though it was a pretty brief foray into each realm. We finally get to learn more about Sally's backstory! When Sally escapes to the grove with the holiday trees to escape the pressures of being the Pumpkin Queen, she and Zero stumble upon another tree, forgotten and blocked with weeds. She accidentally leaves it open unleashing a monster into Halloween Town that puts everyone (including Jack) into a death like sleep they cannot wake from. Sally must find a way to wake everyone up and come to terms with her role as Queen.
Honestly, I didn't think this was terribly deep, but we get to revisit a beloved world and characters, and get the holiday realms expanded upon. Sally's lesson in the story is about creating your own expectations and rules for being in her role as Queen. She doesn't need to be like other queens or be what everyone in Halloween Town expects. She discovers her own strengths and belonging. Definitely a good read if you ever wanted to learn more about Sally in a story that gives her more agency.
Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw is the sequel to Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. This was a fun, light read, perfect for Halloween. I love that Sally has gotten her own story!
We follow Sally after the events of the movie when she has married Jack Skellington, and becomes the Pumpkin Queen. Sally wanted nothing but her freedom when she was confined by Dr. Finkelstein, and is elated that she now gets to spend her life with her one true love. However, being married to Jack isn't as easy as she thought it would be. The demands of being a queen are a heavy burden to bear, with expectations that chafe at her free will.
We get to learn more about the other holiday realms from the movie. Sally and Jack visit Valentine's Town for their honeymoon. I'm glad we got more worldbuilding, even though it was a pretty brief foray into each realm. We finally get to learn more about Sally's backstory! When Sally escapes to the grove with the holiday trees to escape the pressures of being the Pumpkin Queen, she and Zero stumble upon another tree, forgotten and blocked with weeds. She accidentally leaves it open unleashing a monster into Halloween Town that puts everyone (including Jack) into a death like sleep they cannot wake from. Sally must find a way to wake everyone up and come to terms with her role as Queen.
Honestly, I didn't think this was terribly deep, but we get to revisit a beloved world and characters, and get the holiday realms expanded upon. Sally's lesson in the story is about creating your own expectations and rules for being in her role as Queen. She doesn't need to be like other queens or be what everyone in Halloween Town expects. She discovers her own strengths and belonging. Definitely a good read if you ever wanted to learn more about Sally in a story that gives her more agency.