Sally's Lament

A Twisted Tale

by Mari Mancusi

What if Sally discovered Christmas Town?

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?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Romance, Halloween, Fiction, Christmas

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2024

About the author

Mari Mancusi grew up where the north wind meets the sea (otherwise known as Massachusetts), but has since made her home in the great state of Texas, mostly due to her love of summer. (And tacos.) A former Emmy Award winning TV news producer, today she is the author of more than two-dozen books for kids, teens, and adults, mostly of the sci-fi/fantasy variety. In addition to writing, Mari loves traveling, video games, and cosplaying. She is also Mom to an eight year old Frozen superfan who, when recently asked by her teacher to describe her hero answered: “My Mom!” (Okay, fine, she said Kristin Bell.)

You can find Mari online at www.marimancusi.com. She knows several Samanthas.

Reviews

[Marya D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half stars, rounded up to three.

I obtained an early copy from a D23 attendee. I *really* wanted to love this book. I acknowledge I'm in the minority on this one given reader response thus far, therefore I’d encourage anyone to read it, despite my rating. I think for most general Disney fans, and many NMBC fans this will be a fun addition to spooky season reading, but overall it wasn't for me.


(Right out of the gate I will disclose that I *love* Sally. She is for sure one of my favorite female characters.)

My understanding of the Twisted Tales series is that one small element from the original story is changed (in this case, Sally discovers Christmastown, rather than Jack), thus putting the classic characters onto a new alternate version of events. My problem was that right from the start, this Sally is a very different character than the Sally from the movie.

This Sally is a much more extroverted, outgoing personality. Her conversations with Jack have an almost flirty, jocular banter, more suited to the newer Disney princesses. It’s cute, but I can’t imagine the soft-spoken Sally we know from the movie giving Jack a “smirk”, then teasing: “Now what makes you think I have a good opinion of you?” or urging him to “Spill!” when he hesitates to tell her what’s troubling him. It felt more like the dynamic between Anna and Kristoff in Frozen. There’s a brief scene between Sally and a shopkeeper that could have been Anna talking to Oaken. As for the romantic subplot, Sally was clearly crushing on Jack through the movie. In this version of their story, she waves away the idea that she might have feelings for him until the end, while he is clearly growing smitten with her. It’s again, very Anna and Kristoff, or Rapunzel and Flynn. It’s cute and entertaining – but it’s not the characters from the movie.

Sally’s original character, at least at first, was shy, awkward, and unsure. She’s also one of the smartest people in her town. She’s quiet but brave, and willing to take huge risks to do what’s right. She gains confidence as she watches Jack's doomed plan proceed. Here, there is comparatively little arc. We don’t watch her grow. I kept thinking “Will you please just let Sally be Sally?” It’s really okay to have a hesitant, introverted MFC, who nevertheless holds vast reserves of ‘get-the-job-done’ once she sets her mind to something. Quiet bookish girls can be heroes too.

There is a note of melancholy through much of the original film, however there is little of that beautiful moodiness, or wistful atmosphere here. That surprised me, as my understanding is the TT series often tends to skew a little dark. This story’s tone felt spun off from more conventional modern Disney movie tropes, mixed with holiday RomCom energy.

You could make the argument that since this is a Twisted Tale, it’s not supposed to be the same Sally from the movie anyway. If you go with that – this works as a completely different universe, with alternate versions of the original characters. That’s not how I understand the concept of the TT series, but it’s a valid take.

I’ll also add that the writing in this book is fine. It’s well paced. Jack’s character is believable to who he was in the original. I think readers who didn’t care for Sally’s original film characterization in the first place, will likely enjoy this more than I did.

(Also, as an extreme nitpick: If Jack and Sally try ice-skating, how on earth would she be a natural at it, while Jack would be the clumsy one, falling all the time? It's cute reading about him falling on his skeletal bum, but in the movie Sally still had to concentrate on walking balance, while Jack was doing acrobatics...)

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion incoming..
Ugh this reads like a Nightmare Before Christmas fanfic. The characters don't have the same personality as they do in the original movie. While this is a twisted tale I think it's to juvenile and middle grade for me to fully enjoy this one which sadness was I adore Nightmare Before Christmas.

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas but wish there was more romance between Jack and Sally, you're going to love this.

[emy-lee fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a bit disappointing :( going into this, i thought i would love it but it just didn’t really hit very well. the way sally and jack were portrayed in this, is nothing like how they were in the movie. i felt like i was forcing myself to finish this. the ending of the book was incredible sweet though

[sumi ୨ৎ]

hello?? i love the nightmare before christmas so much so i’m definitely reading this !!

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I meant to update you guys last night while I was reading this book but I read it one sitting, it was so good. It was also my 130th book for 2024 and my last five star read as well!!(:

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

OMG. A Sally story!!!!! I cannot wait!!!

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! As a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan, I knew I was going to enjoy this as soon as I saw it was a retelling. For the most part, Sally and Jack stayed true to their characters throughout the book, and I really loved the extra romance. If I had one complaint about the movie, it would be how rushed their romance felt at the end—this book added so much more depth and gave their relationship a more natural flow.

That said, I did have a small issue with one scene where Jack was fighting a monster in Christmas Town. He only tried to reason with it, which makes sense—Jack would do that—but when that failed, I really expected him to tap into his dark, scary Pumpkin King side. Jack has a darker edge, and I felt like that part of his character wasn’t honored in this scene. I get that the author wanted to keep the focus on Sally as the main character, but this moment just didn’t sit quite right with me.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautiful 🤩. It had such crazy twisted and turns. I was skeptical to pick it up due to the fact that I have never watch this movie… but it’s a twisted tale which are the best books ever. AND…. IT did not disappoint. I was fanning myself crying at the end! This is a must read for the series!

[Courtney (moyashi_girl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ended up loving Sally's Lament!
The book is based on what could happen if Sally discovered Christmas Town instead of Jack.
There is so much more to the story than just that as Christmas Town is not as idyllic as it seems...
I will admit that this was actually the first Twisted Tales book I've read and I wasn't sure if I would even enjoy it but as a huge fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas I knew I had to read it. I'm so happy I did as I really did love it and do not have a bad thing to say about the book.
It was so sweet and cozy!

The story was just so much fun and had so many fun ideas and great scenes!
The romance between Sally and Jack was absolutely adorable and gave some strong rom com vibes, which I loved!
They had some of the cutest scenes together, and I never knew sewing someones leg back on could be so romantic.
The epilogue was also just perfect, and it even made me tear up a little as I was so happy for Abigail.

Sally's Lament is the perfect book to read at any time, be it Halloween or Christmas, but I would personally recommend reading it in November as that's when the story starts.
It's definitely a book I highly recommend, especially to any fan of The Nightmare before Christmas!
The last thing i want to say is i really hope that there could one day be a sequel as I'd love to see Sally and Jack explore other towns.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little read. It’s kind of a Christmas/Halloween hybrid (as is the movie) so it’s a perfect read for around this time of year. I liked seeing Sally find her way to Christmastown and discovering a completely different world there. I love Christmas, so I liked those parts a lot. However, all is not perfect in Christmastown and there was a slight mystery to solve. I love Zero (he’s my favorite character in the movie as well) so I liked seeing him zoom around helping Sally and Jack. I also had the Kingdom Hearts music for both Halloweentown and Christmastown in my head the entire time I was reading the book. It had a quick and breezy writing style and didn’t take me much time to read at all. Definitely an enjoyable installment in the Twisted Tales series.

[Coos Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

No es ninguna novedad si cuento que, como cualquier persona darks que se respete, soy súper fanática del universo de "El extraño mundo de Jack", ¿no? Por lo tanto, tampoco resultaría llamativo que, si se publica algo ambientado en ese mundo, con esos personajes, yo estaría más que dispuesta a leerlo. Así fue como descubrí "El lamento de Sally", y me gustó mucho esta reversión, porque le da a Sally un protagonismo que evidentemente no tuvo en la historia original. Sigue jugando con algunas cuestiones básicas de este universo, no se aparta en ningún momento del concepto original.

[Kayley Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

An imaginative story perfect to read at Halloween or Christmas. 🎃🎄

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this!! 😍

[Emilie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah- these books aren’t for me. Way too boring and close to the original story for my taste.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely astounding! As a devoted fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, my excitement for this retelling was through the roof, and I’m thrilled to say it did not disappoint. The vivid storytelling and enchanting characters captured my imagination from the very first page. It has quickly become a new favorite of mine, and I can see myself revisiting its magical pages for years to come. I definitely recommend it, especially to fellow Tim Burton enthusiasts who will surely appreciate the unique twists and captivating elements woven into this reimagined tale.

[BellaDonna's Library -Ebooks and giveaways- · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was absolutely amazing and adorably written. I could see the characters exactly as they should be in the NBC universe! <3 I absolutely loved how the author was able to describe Christmas decorations in a way that let us know she had no idea what they were, but we could tell anyway. Jack and Sally's adorably innocent flirting and relationship is just the best, and the author made sure to keep it Disney themed, even with a bit more darkness added to the storyline.

I loved this book and I will be reading it again and annotating it, because it was an adorably perfect story.

[Sally Nightmare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely book that started out strong. However, to fully appreciate it, I think it's best to approach it independently rather than comparing it to Long Live the Pumpkin Queen. Otherwise, it’s difficult to enjoy on its own merits.

I appreciated the darker twists in the story, especially considering my expectations for Sally’s character. She was far more confident than I anticipated—much more so than in the movie—which was refreshing but also made her feel somewhat inconsistent. I wish there was more continuity in her character across the various sequel novels.

The buildup kept me engaged, but once Jack entered the story, my interest started to wane. While it still had its charming moments, it ultimately felt more like a children's story than I expected. Additionally, the author attempted to weave in too many themes, making the narrative feel chaotic rather than cohesive. The Soot Fang creature, for instance, felt underwhelming and didn’t add much value to the overall plot—just another thematic element that didn’t quite land.

That said, revisiting Christmas Town through Sally’s perspective was a bold choice. There’s a lot to appreciate in the book, but it doesn’t quite capture the same magic as other interpretations.

[Brianne Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mari Mancusi, the bio says you've made Tim Burton films your personality, did you forget to watch A Nightmare Before Christmas? Did you skip the whole movie or maybe fell asleep during it? These characters were far from Tim Burtons creations, they were nothing like the personalities Tim Burton had created for them.

This book needs an editor while the author needs a thesaurus and to actually watch and study A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Also, Sootfang? After he goes "you're scary" it literally turns into a toddler's Disney show and was so cringe trying to read, everytime we went back to Sootfang we went back to childrens Disney show and it was loathsome.

Most of the things Sally or Jack says are way out of character and would never say. Also, she's discovering her love for Jack. She wants friendship with him in this book. In the film it was clear she loved him and this book took that idea and yeeted it into the trash bin.

It's nice to have this book as part of my NBC collection but if you're not a collector, this book can stay off your shelf and you're better off checking it out from a library if you really want to try reading it.

[Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nightmare before Christmas is one of my absolute favourite films, so of course, I had to read the twisted tale !

This book was brilliant , I loved the fact that it picked it from the spiral hill , all the feels that you get when you watch the film is right there in the book. I love how the leaves in Sally's stomach swirl . Each character brought so much to the storyline , from the clown with the tear away face to Abigail it tied in perfectly with the original story .

The way that it is written is fast-paced , interesting , and packed with entertainment. I personally found it very hard to put the book down but also found it very hard to read the last few pages as I didn't want it to end . Seeing Christmas Town through the eyes of Sally , with all her wonder and seeing her find herself, just made it a wonderful read!

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know who these characters were, but they were not the same characters from Nightmare Before Christmas.

Jack and Sally came across more as flirty teenagers than their movie counterparts. Sally being a natural at ice skating but Jack fumbles? Sally can barely walk - don't even try to convince me she'd be able to balance on shoes with razors on ice.

Also, why does Mr. Jingles only show up when Sally discovers Christmas Town? If anything, have her visit Christmas Town, townspeople and Santa are suspicious, Santa hires Mr. Jingles as a bodyguard, and Mr. Jingles has taken over upon Sally's return with Jack.

Is it a nitpick? Yes, when the only difference is Sally finds the door first.

The writing was fine. Chemistry between Jack and Sally was ok, just not the characters I wanted to read about. Would I read another Mari Mancusi book? Sure.

I just can't recommend this one.

[Ashley (Chris's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Sally's Lament the book was really good I recommend the book for lovers of the Nightmare Before Christmas I loved how Sally finally stood her ground against Dr. Finkelstein about him controlling her. I wish I could rate the book more than five stars.

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was disappointed with the overall plot of this

[Mandy-faith Madigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Really enjoyed this story!

[Megan Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story of this Twisted Tale.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Sally🫶🏻🥹

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love these twisted tales books! Especially when the author really knows the characters and is able to make their book selves feel like their movie self! This was such a good storyline, and I was worried that Jack might be barely in it, but I was really happy with how the story was able to focus on Sally but have Jack as a really good, and important side main character. I do wish that Oogie Boogie had been included, but I really liked the new Christmas town characters. Overall this book was really good, and even though it’s Halloween/Christmas related it can totally be read at any time of year!

[Savannah C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was cute. It's one of the few twisted tales I like 👍

[Janett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute read.. I’m a huge NBC fan and love Sally!! couldn’t put it down once I started reading it.. had it’s cute moments between jack and sally that had me giggling.. the mystery behind Christmas Town and people disappearing for not being “nice”.. great for in between reads ♥️

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quale modo migliore per augurarvi Buon Halloween se non con questa rivisitazione di Nightmare Before Christmas? 🎃👻🖤

Anche se è una bambola di pezza, Sally si sente soffocare. Prigioniera del suo creatore, che la considera incapace di badare a se stessa, decide di fuggire. Non immagina certo che anche Jack Skeletron, il Re delle Zucche, condivida la sua stessa inquietudine… un desiderio di nuove esperienze capaci di risvegliare l’entusiasmo. Decisa a trovare una soluzione, Sally segue una propria visione e si ritrova in un mondo dove tutto è bianco, rosso e verde, i campanelli tintinnano e le persone sono sempre felici… ma dietro quella gioiosa facciata si nasconde un incubo terrificante perfino per chi è abituato agli incubi. Toccherà a lei e Jack scoprire la verità e dimostrare che la salvezza sta nell’accettazione della propria unicità… perché ognuno è perfetto a modo suo.

Nei romanzi di questa collana, i classici Disney vengono raccontati in una versione inedita, appassionante e ricca di mistero. La storia di Nightmare Before Christmas viene raccontata dal punto di vista di Sally: e se fosse stata lei a scoprire il Natale?

Il racconto ha una piega inquietante e il mondo gioioso e colorato del Natale si sporca di una macchia scura: dietro a tutta quella felicità, si nasconde un incubo ancora più spaventoso di quelli che si vedono nella Città di Halloween.

Sally, insieme all’unico e solo Re delle Zucche Jack e al cagnolino-fantasma Zero, si lanceranno in un’avventura tra nevicate intense, misteri da scoprire e una bambola giocattolo da dover salvare. Questo romanzo porta alla luce lati nascosti della personalità di Sally, evidenziando lo spessore emotivo di questo personaggio: non solo con Jack, che aveva sempre guardato da lontano, ammaliata dalla sua figura, ma che solo in questa avventura impara a conoscere; ma anche con Abigail, la bambola giocattolo che deve salvare e con il mostro Sootfang. Sally li aiuta a capire che devono accettarsi così come sono, perché sono le nostre imperfezioni a renderci unici.

Una rivisitazione avventurosa di Nightmare Before Christmas, perfetto per gli amanti di Tim Burton e con una morale importante.