Book Jacket
Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.
Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose--hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire--is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.
Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes--or be left without any future at all.
Review
This book might have been my tipping point. I am officially a fan of science fiction. Or at least, of sci fi that explains the new world in terms I understand, with stories centered on the best and the worst of human nature, regardless of whether the characters are actually human or not.
This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. No, not really a retelling. The idea is there, and then Sheehan takes this story to awesome new levels. Rose is a tragic character at first, trapped in her situation, and it is a complete joy to watch her wade through a lot of pain in order to discover her inner strength. I love her.
I also really enjoyed the love stories in A Long Long Sleep, mostly because they are unlike any love story I've read before. Rose's memories of Xavier are incredibly sweet and a real testament to love encompassing romance, friendship, and companionship. Then there is Rose's crush on Bren, who is the classic hero, cute and in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time. But that doesn't quite go the way I expected. Finally we have Otto, an alien-human species that Rose technically owns, but who understands her in a way no one else does. I love all the tangled relationships she has, and how none of them actually overwhelm her life. They are big, but they are not the whole story.
Five out of five stasis dreams.
Release Date: August 2011
Reading Level: Grade 8+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection: YPL RIO
Don't believe me? Check out these reviews of A Long Long Sleep:
Presenting Lenore
YA Librarian Tales
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