Review of 'Long Live the Pumpkin Queen'

Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be" ... or are they? Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams—if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town.

Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. Finkelstein for a different cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy.

Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare?

Review

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen takes readers back to Halloween Town and sends Sally into Dream Town, where she must face the dreadful Sandman.

Characterization

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen picks up shortly after Nightmare Before Christmas ends. Jack and Sally are getting married, and she is given the title of the Pumpkin Queen.

Except Sally does not feel suited for the title.

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is a character-driven story following Sally as she struggles to fit into her new role. Her insecurities and fears of not being good enough keep her from reaching her full potential. This seems somewhat different than the Sally we know. Sally was brave, yet she didn’t dare to speak up about her reservations.

We’re seeing the more hesitant side of her come alive here, and it works for the narrative. All her life, she was trapped by Doctor Finkelstein, her overbearing “father.” Any fans remember how he treated her, keeping her locked up, but what he also did was keep her from discovering who she was.

Sally does not know who she is, which is the biggest struggle here because she must figure out who she is and if she is strong enough to save Halloween Town and all the holiday realms.

She is, by the way.

Storytelling

I loved that this was a character-driven story about Sally coming to terms with who she is, accepting herself, and loving herself. Insecurities are a big part of who we are, but the key to living is not letting them control us. That made Sally incredibly relatable.

However, the story was not as flushed out as I would have liked. The pacing in some parts felt a little clunky and a little slow. There was some good momentum and a nice build, but I wanted more of Dream Town, and it felt like it was not explored enough. At times, it also felt reminiscent of the film Rise of the Guardians, which is not bad. Still, it did take away some of the originality that Earnshaw is so good at doing.

Earnshaw offered some exciting plot twists that kept the reader engaged. Watching Sally come into her own made the story worthwhile.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was an excellent way to follow up The Nightmare Before Christmas. Within the pages of Long Live the Pumpkin Queen, readers explore other realms and get a deeper look at Sally.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Character Development : 9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 8/10
• Intellectual Depth: 8/10
• Originality: 7/10
• Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Like this review?

Don’t forget to follow Cyn’s Workshop on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads | LinkedIn to stay tuned for future reviews.

About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.