Disney's Encanto: A Tale of Three Sisters

A Magical Book Review

I always love when novelizations add something to the movie, and A Tale of Three Sisters does just that!

If you haven't watched Disney's Encanto, you're missing out. The film tells the story of the magical Madrigal family and their magical house as seen through the eyes of Mirabel, the lone family member who didn't receive a magical gift. When the family's magic begins to falter, Mirabel goes on a search to save the magic and the family along with it. It's a simple tale wonderfully told, with interesting and loveable characters, enchanting visuals, and songs that will get stuck in your head for months. (And I mean that literally. I still wake up singing We Don't Talk About Bruno in my head multiple times a night.)

A Tale of Three Sisters is a novelization of the film, but it gives more to the story. Instead of having just Mirabel as a POV, we also get the points of view of her two older sisters, Isabela and Luisa. Isabela is seen as the perfect one: graceful, beautiful, and gifted with the ability to grow flowers; Luisa has super strength, and she works hard to serve the family and the people of the village. In the film, there are important scenes between the sisters and Mirabel, but seeing parts of the story through their eyes gives them more depth and makes me like them even more.

Isabel wishes she could be herself rather than having to work extra hard to be perfect. She also wishes she could have a better relationship with Mirabel, but she's afraid of being associated with Mirabel's "troublemaking" and being accused of doing something wrong. Luisa loves helping people, but she wishes people wanted her help for things other than her strength...like her amazing hugs! It's great to see more of the motivations and the desires of these two characters as well as to see into their magical rooms! Having Isabel and Luisa's points of view really add to the story and help see more of the internalized stress that's been caused by Abuela's expectations that subsequently leads to the failure of the magic.

Another great thing about the novel is the way in which the songs are handled. Some novelizations include the song lyrics verbatim and write them as if the characters simply burst out into song like they do in the movie. While this works in a visual medium, it seems strange in writing. Here, most of the songs are included, but they're incorporated into conversations in a way that feels natural. You can still hear the songs in your head, and the information and feelings contained in the songs are still included, just in a way that feels less awkward.

Finally, the epilogue includes a sweet scene that's not part of the movie. Many people wondered what changes might have occurred in the house after it was rebuilt, and this extra scene gives a glimpse into Mirabel's new room. It's a very cute ending and one that's perfectly fitting for a heroine such as Mirabel.

All in all A Tale of Three Sisters is a wonderful novelization of Disney's newest animated feature film. If you love Encanto, you'll love the additional details and the epilogue in this novel, and if you haven't seen the film yet, this will give you a fun, easy-to-read introduction to the story...but you really should still see the movie. It's definitely worth it.