A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Rosalinda Fitzroy is woken from a sixty-two year chemically induced sleep by a kiss.  Confused by her long stasis and grieving for her lost time and her long dead parents and boyfriend, Rose begins to confront the reason she was put in stasis in the first place and deal with a new threat in her current time.

I really loved this book.  It surprised me because I figured it to be some sort of science fiction Sleeping Beauty (which is was) but it was took the story and molded into something beyond the fairy tale. It became less of just a Sleeping Beauty retell and more of a story of abuse and lost love.  I was glad that there was no real romantic storyline other than the one in Rose's past because it would have felt more artificial.  When Rose develops a crush on, Bren, the boy woke her up, I was worried since it seemed less like her feelings and more like a contrivance, but that is cleared up eventually.  The "realest" relationship would be Rose's friendship with the odd alien-human hybrid, Otto.  That was a relationship that was enjoyable to watch progress. Overall, it was easy to see where the story was going, except for two details revealed at the end that I wasn't expecting at all.  It was nice to be surprised.  One of my few complaints was how heavy handed the Sleeping Beauty or Briar Rose comparisons felt at times.  The story had all the earmarks of that fairytale without it being forcibly shoved into the story.  My only other complaint was an unresolved storyline that would be good for a follow-up book.  I certainly hope it gets written since I am curious about what happens to Rose next.

Provided by NetGalley 
Publish date: August 9, 2011
Publisher: Candlewick
ISBN: 9780763652609

350 Page