A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Publisher: Candlewick
Publish Date: August 2011
Source: Library

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 though 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.

This book blew me away.

Okay, I know I need to say more than that, but I can't think of any words that could possibly do it justice. The writing and wording is absolutely beautiful. I mean, Sheehan describes those shivery tingles you get from a boy as spiders and I still thought it was spectacular.

Everything about this story was beautiful and heart-wrenching. I loved watching Rose grow-up and mature. She started out weak in both body and mind and became this amazing, strong-willed character. Xavier was just soo...yeah. Xavier didn't really tug on my heartstrings much, but what Rose felt for him sure did. The Xavier pieces of the story just absolutely broke my heart. And her parents. Ugh. Let's just say I hate them. Read the book and I'm sure you'll have similar feelings. Otto, my Otto. He may have yellow eyes and blue skin, but I think I love him :P It's amazing how much I could love a character who has no real voice. I was a little more iffy about Bren. I didn't like him much at the beginning, but he really grew on me. Sorry about all the character talk, but this was one of the rare times that I loved (or passionately hated) all the characters.

I love all the scifi elements in the story. The idea of having so much technology that stasis and interplanetary travel are possible boggles my mind, but I love to read about it. It was quite a lot to take in at the beginning, what with all the crazy technology and new slang, but I eventually caught on and after a while it wasn't so hard to follow.

Final Thoughts: Though it had a bit of a slow start, I absolutely adored A Long Long Sleep. If you're a little iffy about scifi, this book is a great introduction. There's a bit of romance (didn't seem too overpowering to me) and a bit of action, but it certainly isn't short on heart. This book broke my heart in a million pieces then put it back together again multiple times.

Pages: 352
Series: No
Rating: 5 stars