31: Night of the Living Dummy II
“His bright red lips curled up into that smirking grin. The smile suddenly seemed evil. Mocking.”
Well, I’m halfway through reading all 62 original Goosebumps stories, and what better way to mark the occasion than with a throwback to one of the earliest books, “Night of the Living Dummy.”
The downside? I’m forced to use “throwback” literally here, because “Night of the Living Dummy II” is almost identical to its predecessor. Both stories feature a pair of sisters: Kris and Lindy in Part One and Amy and Sara in Part Two, with one sister being jealous of the other’s talents. Both feature a lead character practising her ventriloquist act for her family. And both include a dummy that comes to life to insult said family while the protagonist takes the heat.
But the similarities don’t stop there. Both books feature two dummies: Mr. Wood and Slappy in Part One, with Slappy being more of a prop than a character; and Slappy and Dennis in Part Two, with Slappy taking the lead and Dennis coming to life at the end (just like Slappy did to wrap up Book One).
Even the plot points are similar, a series of domestic disturbances culminating in the girls joining forces to “destroy” the dummy in the middle of the night, only to have him show up the following morning at the breakfast table. There’s just not enough to differentiate the stories. It’s a rinse-and-repeat scenario, a disappointment, to say the least.
That’s not to say “Night of the Living Dummy II” doesn’t have its moments. One scene in particular stands out: feeling confident about her act with Slappy, Amy gets an opportunity to perform at a kid’s birthday party (note: a similar milestone to Kris performing at her school’s talent show in Book One). Before Amy takes the stage, however, she introduces Slappy to the five-year-old birthday girl and her mother. The girl, starry-eyed and excited, shakes Slappy’s hand but then immediately bawls when he won’t release her from his death grip. This sets off a domino effect, and soon the entire room is upturned by the sounds of screaming kids and angry parents. It’s chaos, and R.L. Stine does a wonderful job of building the anxiety and tension.
It’s also worth noting Stine’s attention to tone of voice. As Amy tries to convince her family that Slappy is responsible for wreaking havoc on the house, she notices a shift in how her loves ones perceive her: “They kept glancing over the table at me. Studying me like I was some kind of zoo animal.” As well, Stine’s description of the dummy is creepier this time, more visceral and comparative: “The thin, boneless legs nearly collapsed with each shuffling step. Like a scarecrow, I thought, gripped with horror. He walks like a scarecrow. Because he has no bones. No bones at all.”
Unfortunately, compelling language and a keen eye for showing instead of telling doesn’t make this story memorable. It’s a near doppelgänger of the original, cut from the same fabric and carved from the same wood. And seeing as there’s no connection to Book One—i.e., it’s a new story with new characters (and I use “new” loosely here)—I was hoping for a new premise, too: Slappy on vacation, Slappy on a boat. Hell, Slappy in space, for god’s sake.
For a sequel with big shoes to fill, this one falls short. A tired reenactment. A puppet on a string.
2/5 drops of Monster Blood.
