Almost There (Twisted Tales #13) by Farrah Rochon

Title: Almost There (Twisted Tales #13)

Author: Farrah Rochon

Genre: Disney/Fantasy/Mystery/Mythology

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published:

Format: Paperback

Pages: 464

Price: $17.99

Synopsis: What if Tiana made a deal that changed everything? Sometimes, life in the Big Easy is tough. No-one knows that better than Tiana, though she also believes that hard work can go a long way. But when the notorious Dr. Facilier backs her into a corner, she has no other choice but to accept an offer that will alter the course of her life in an instant. Soon Tiana finds herself in a new reality where all her deepest desires are realised—she finally gets her restaurant, her friends are safe and sound, and, most miraculous of all, her beloved father is still alive. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted … But after a while, her hometown grows increasingly eerie, with new threats cropping up from unlikely places. Navigating through this strange new New Orleans, Tiana must work alongside Naveen and Charlotte to set things right-or risk losing everything she holds dear.

 

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We all know how the Princess and the Frog ended – with everyone getting their happily ever after and the defeat of Dr Facilier, right? Well, not quite – or at least that’s the premise of the latest in the Twisted Tales series. Tiana has made a new deal with Dr Facilier, the Shadow Man, so she can be reunited with her deceased father. Living in New Orleans in the 1920s, Tiana has worked hard to get where she is, but now Dr Facilier has her backed into a corner, and she must decide what to do as an eeriness creep across New Orleans and starts to disrupt Mardi Gras, people go missing, and Naveen and Louis start to remember things that they weren’t supposed to. So, Tiana sets out with Naveen, Louis, and Lottie to set things right – before the worst happens.

 

I’ve been reading the Twisted Tales series on and off as I can fit them in – and still have several leading up to this one to go, but as each book is set within the universe of a particular Disney movie, they’re not linked by a plot or character, so I have found that there’s no specific reading order yet. These books take a darker look at the beloved movies and are aimed at a young adult audience – about fourteen and over. In this one, we get to see what might have happened if Tiana had made a different deal – what the consequences would have been for her and everyone around her. As Tiana lives with the memories, she watches others lose their memories around her, and knows that Dr Facilier is behind things – but how is she going to thwart him? The forces pushing Dr Facilier to close his deal don’t care about certain things, about the outcome – as long as they get what they want. This darker take on The Princess and the Frog and alludes to the darker themes of the movies – the undertones that drove the characters and motivations, and ultimately, led to what happened in the movie and the book – is one that teens and older readers who are fans of Disney like me will find extends the universe of the beloved movies.

 

What I like about these books, about Almost There, is that it delves a little further into the characters and world of the movies, whilst still adhering to the film we know. It presents an alternate version of the movie or what happened after and looks at how Tiana in this case gets herself out of it or resolves things – which I think is very interesting, and still gives a satisfying ending that allows the story to thrive in a different way. I think these books will be most appreciated and enjoyed by fans of Disney, because I found that knowing the story, original premise, and characters beforehand helps to engage with the story and work out where everything happening in the novel fits in with the original movie – depending on what the Twisted Tales novel has changed about the movie or the end of the movie. I like that this novel allowed the characters to question themselves and the world around them, where Lottie was aghast at certain things she saw, yet didn’t really understand at first. She had great character growth, and the undertones of racism and the history of segregation came through in simple ways – such as Tiana going to the back of the tram, the career options open to her, and where she was able to live. This was handled well, and I think will open the door to further investigation into what this time in history was like in America.

 

I think this stark difference stood out because The Princess and the Frog is the first Disney movie not set in a fantastical world based on our world like Arendelle, for example. So engaging with the real world history of New Orleans and segregation was  necessary, and gave the story – both film and the book – a strength that allows the characters to engage with the world around them in a different way, where Lottie’s outrage that her friend can’t do things illustrates a harsh reality, and where Lottie is determined to change things – as a side story, this was worked in well, and I think everything came together nicely at the end to show that friendship and unity is powerful, and fighting back against divisive forces – whatever they are, can help you find your way and change the world – even if it happens slowly for some things. Another great Twisted Tales novel.