Book Review: Sally's Lament by Mari Mancusi

Title: Sally's Lament

Author: Mari Mancussi

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publishing Date: October 8th, 2024

Read: December 2nd, 2024

Pages: 352

Audio Length: 8 Hours 27 Minutes

Genre: YA fantasy retelling

TW: N/A

Series: Twisted Tales #19

Source: Audio

What it's about:

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?

What I thought:

When I saw that there was a new NBC retelling I had to have it and then I found out that Mari Mancusi wrote it and I double needed it.

I love Mari and I love NBC. 

Cover:

I always love the Twisted Tales covers and this one has a special place in my heart. Absolutely love.

Story:

So this is where a problem comes in, it just wasn't at all what I expected it to be. It was an okay story but it's not what I expected or honestly wanted. I know that sounds silly, I did enjoy it. I just wanted something a bit closer to the movie. 

As a standalone book it's great, as a NBC retelling, not so much.

Pace: 

Everything happened really quicky, it was a really quick read.

Writing: 

Of course the writing is amazing as usual coming from Mari.

Characters: 

So as a standalone, again, I loved them. Jack was pretty yummy to be honest, is that weird?
Anyway! 

But they didn't seem to match with the movie. They just weren't them.

Ending: 

I did enjoy the ending, I cried. I won't tell you why, but I did. And it's what made the book a four star to me.

Narrator:

Overall:

I did like this book, but not as a NBC retelling, just as a standalone book.

A little Snippet:

“Oh, it is good to be home," he declared. And Sally agreed with him. There was so much she loved about Christmas Town. But Halloween Town was pretty great, too. And it was okay, she decided, to like both for what they were. If she learned anything from this adventure, it was that one thing didn't have to define you. You got to define yourself--- in any manner you saw fit.”

― Mari Mancusi, Sally's Lament

Possible books of likeness:

Author's info:

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.
Website:http://www.marimancusi.com
Twitter: marimancusi

Other books I've read by this author:

Graphic Novel Review: Clementine Book One by Tillie Walden

 

Title: Clementine: Book 1

Author: Tillie Walden

Illustrated by: Tillie Walden

Publisher: Image Comics

Publishing Date: June 21st, 2022

Read: December 27th, 2024

Pages: 259

Audio Length: N/A

Genre: YA Horror graphic novel

TW: N/A

Series: Book 1 of Clementine

Source: Physical

What it's about:

Acclaimed author Tillie Walden enters the world of Robert Kirkman's THE WALKING DEAD as 17-year-old Clementine must learn the difference between living and surviving in this intimate, coming-of-age YA graphic novel trilogy.

FROM THE WORLD OF ROBERT KIRKMAN'S THE WALKING DEAD...

...CLEMENTINE LIVES!

Clementine is back on the road, looking to put her traumatic past behind her and forge new path all her own.

But when she comes across an Amish teenager named Amos with his head in the clouds, the unlikely pair journeys North to an abandoned ski resort in Vermont, where they meet up with a small group of teenagers attempting to build a new, walker-free settlement.

As friendship, rivalry, and romance begin to blossom amongst the group, the harsh winter soon reveals that the biggest threat to their survival...might be each other.

A coming-of-age tale of survival written and illustrated by two-time Eisner award-winner Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam).

What I thought:

*There could be spoilers if you haven't finished the game! If you don't care about that keep reading*

It's no secret how much of a fan of Walking Dead I am. I've seen every episode more than once, I've played all the games, I've read EVERY graphic novel and I'm working through the books. 

So when I found out that there was a whole graphic novel dedicated to Clem, I knew I had to have it. I enjoyed reading it, though it's not exactly what I expected. I don't know what I expected but it almost didn't feel like TWD universe and it didn't really feel like Clem. Maybe because I'm used to seeing her in video game form this just wasn't her. I don't know. I still liked it for what it was, but I can't give it a 5 star because of that. 

Cover:

I actually like the cover, I like how it shows little clem.

Story:

It doesn't feel like TWD like I said, but as a stand alone I like it, I wish there was a bit more to it but unfortunately that happens a lot with graphic novels. 

I would've liked to see more happen.

Pace: 

It went too fast! I feel like nothing happened at all, but maybe that's because it's the first of the series, I don't know.

Writing: 

It's still well written I think, it's just a base for the rest of the series, I don't know if there will be more past the third one, but it would be cool if there was.

Characters: 

I love Clem usually, but again this didn't feel like her. I know she has been through some sh*t but she just wasn't who she was in the games. I liked one of the characters but they got killed off (It's not a spoiler, it's a graphic novel about zombies, of course people die) and the rest were just meh.

Ending: 

A cliff hanger, like usual. 

Artwork:

I actually don't like this art style at all, maybe that's why I'm having a hard time feeling like it's Clem? Because it also just doesn't look like her.  

Overall:

It's still TWD, it's still Clem, and I will still love and enjoy them.

A little Snippet:

Possible books of likeness:

Author's info:

Tillie Walden is an American cartoonist and illustrator.
Born in 1996 in San Diego, California, Walden graduated from the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont, where she is currently a professor.
Walden started publishing short comics when she was just a teenager. Her first long-form graphic novel The End of Summer was published by the British publisher Avery Hill in 2015. Her second book I Love This Part came out only a few months later, winning the 2016 Ignatz Award for promising new talent. Later Walden received the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work for her memoir Spinning (2017). Among her other works are A City Inside (2016), On a Sunbeam (2018), Are You Listening? (2020), Alone in Space (2021) and the series Clementine.
Website: http://tilliewalden.com
Twitter: TillieWalden