To Read, Perchance to Dream: Book Review: 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 sub-basement, 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.

At first glance, this book seems to be unoriginal. The synopsis even relates it to Sleeping Beauty, the young girl who is awoken from her long sleep by a kiss. But don't be fooled, that's just the beginning of an interesting and unique story.

Rose has been asleep for 62 years; everything and everyone she ever knew is dead. The author, Anna Sheehan does an excellent job building Rose's character. She moves from the weak, grieving young girl into a strong, resourceful young woman. As she tries to fit in to the new life thrust upon her, she learns more about her past.

This novel is about a young girl coming into her own. Life keeps dealing her blow after blow, but she fights back and gets stronger every time. It's a good read for young women and science fiction fans.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Candlewick Press through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.