A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
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 gone, 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.
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 gone, 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.
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My Review:
I've never been so pleasantly surprised by a book before. I mean, I knew it would be interesting just by reading the synopsis, but it was so, SO much more than I could have possibly expected.
I read it in 3 hours. I just couldn't put it down. It was one of the greatest books I've read in years.
The beginning was a bit confusing, I'll admit it. I was probably just confused as the main character, Rose, was. The loss of identity was a very strong blow to her, but she annoyed me for being so weak! The plot was also moving very, very slowly. I did consider giving up.
But then everything got so much better! We started to get some answers to explain her past, her behavior, her suffering. We find out more about her childhood friend/long-lost boyfriend, Xavier, than just mentions of her beautiful drawings, we see how she becomes friends with Otto, an alien (yes, really. It IS science fiction, after all) and how she finally starts to fight for her life, running away from a killing machine and government agents.
This is much more than just a 'Sleeping Beauty retelling.'
Such unexpected turn-outs, such great development of characters, such creativity, so much emotion... I'm still crying because of the unfairness (and believability) of it all.
It had a great ending.
(SPOILER ALERT)
The 100 year-old girl in a 16 year old body was finally able to grow up and live her life.
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