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badseedgirl's review
4.0
I just finished this book, but there are so many high concepts taken on by this book I don't think I could give it a fitting review. Nancy Kress tackles what it means to be a human, genetic manipulation and at what point does the manipulation creates another species.
Parts of this novel are a libertarian's wet dream, but there are some horrific results because of these beliefs.
A very deep, and thought provoking book, but that was none the less entertaining.
Parts of this novel are a libertarian's wet dream, but there are some horrific results because of these beliefs.
A very deep, and thought provoking book, but that was none the less entertaining.
dajoyofit's review against another edition
4.0
This was really good. I enjoyed the concepts and the world. The relationships between the sisters was interesting and I loved the cliff hanger at the end. Makes me want to read the novel.
joshhall13's review
5.0
Fascinating and detailed what-if for an emerging subspecies of human, brought to us by genetic mods. Mrs Kress has so much depth and detail to some areas like legal and economic aspects, she must have researched this book very well
tricapra's review
4.0
Such an interesting concept, and I loved the endless jabs at Objectivism. Other reviewer's are gonna have more useful things to say about this, but I'm too deep now into my Kress kick to sit down and review this in depth. Gotta start the second book, after all.
karinlib's review
3.0
From what I understand this book started out as a novella, which won Nebula and Hugo awards in 1991. It was later expanded into a novel in 4 books.
It starts off with scientists being able to manipulate genes in vitro so that a human will no longer need to sleep. The first book focuses on Leisha a sleepless, and experiences as a child. She is raised alongside her "twin", who did not have her genes manipulated, Alice. There are enough Sleepless in society now that there are two classes: Sleepers and Sleepless.
As the characters find out, they are able to accomplish so much more without sleep, but how do the sleepers feel about the sleepless who have it so "easy".
I liked the book. The writing was such that I was fully engaged.
It starts off with scientists being able to manipulate genes in vitro so that a human will no longer need to sleep. The first book focuses on Leisha a sleepless, and experiences as a child. She is raised alongside her "twin", who did not have her genes manipulated, Alice. There are enough Sleepless in society now that there are two classes: Sleepers and Sleepless.
As the characters find out, they are able to accomplish so much more without sleep, but how do the sleepers feel about the sleepless who have it so "easy".
I liked the book. The writing was such that I was fully engaged.
kitsuneheart's review
5.0
What would you do with your time if you didn't have to spend a third of your day asleep? How would your life change if you were genetically predisposed to intelligence? What if these traits allowed you functional immortality?
Genetic engineering has progressed to the point where parents are able to pre-select desirable traits for their children, including intelligence, low-risk factor for diseases, and the newest modification: sleeplessness. Freed from the demands of a night unconscious, the children thrive, learning faster than any genius in history, gaining the admiration of all humanity. But when it's discovered that the Sleepless will also never age past their mid-twenties, the mass of un-tampered humanity turn upon them, limiting their jobs and rights, until the Sleepless realize they must splinter off from humanity and become something new. But giving up your humanity may very well mean giving up your soul.
This book had been on my shelf for years, given by a friend, and I kept putting it off. I wish I hadn't. It's intriguing, both in the initial concept, and further in, as we come to the morality of the Sleepless. The constant question of the Beggars--what are we obligated to do for the mass of unfortunates, when what little resources we have would be so stretched thin as to be meaningless when bestowed?--is a serious question for middle class and up individuals in the US; those who are in the position to bestow financial gifts, but unable to bestow so much to solve all of the world's ills.
Greatly recommended!
Genetic engineering has progressed to the point where parents are able to pre-select desirable traits for their children, including intelligence, low-risk factor for diseases, and the newest modification: sleeplessness. Freed from the demands of a night unconscious, the children thrive, learning faster than any genius in history, gaining the admiration of all humanity. But when it's discovered that the Sleepless will also never age past their mid-twenties, the mass of un-tampered humanity turn upon them, limiting their jobs and rights, until the Sleepless realize they must splinter off from humanity and become something new. But giving up your humanity may very well mean giving up your soul.
This book had been on my shelf for years, given by a friend, and I kept putting it off. I wish I hadn't. It's intriguing, both in the initial concept, and further in, as we come to the morality of the Sleepless. The constant question of the Beggars--what are we obligated to do for the mass of unfortunates, when what little resources we have would be so stretched thin as to be meaningless when bestowed?--is a serious question for middle class and up individuals in the US; those who are in the position to bestow financial gifts, but unable to bestow so much to solve all of the world's ills.
Greatly recommended!
ladylizardxvii's review
5.0
I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed. While the "futuristic" aspects of the story were a little silly, since it starts in the near future--2008, the philosophical arguments were still worth arguing about. I thought the characters, especially the ones that told the story (Leisha, Jennifer, Jordan, Miranda), were very well developed and interesting to watch struggle, succeed, fail and interact with one another. Well worth the read!
11corvus11's review
4.0
I'd probably give this three stars overall as it kind of lost me and bored me and multiple sections. I added an extra star because it has a cool mix of hard sci-fi and sort of biopunk sci-fi. I also found the way that she tackled economic systems and politics in a very complicated way to be interesting. The message I got from it by the end was not one I totally liked, but there are parts of it that I liked. And I do like that it's not as easy to see it as a binary of two philosophies fighting.
rampaginglibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Nebula and Hugo award winning author Nancy Kress has yet another wonderful combination with her Beggars Trilogy (also known as Sleepless trilogy) which starts off with Beggars in Spain, continues with Beggars and Choosers, and comes (almost) full circle with Beggars Ride (although all three books can easily stand alone.)
Beggars in Spain started out as a novella and that novella still seems visible within the novel, which had three very distinct parts (in some ways it might have been better left as a novella~or in separate parts as it did seem to drag on a bit, and the breaks were quite visible). The basic premise (though there are so many philosophical ideas and arguments tossed about in these books it's a little difficult to narrow down) is that if people could be genetically programmed to function without sleep they would be able to accomplish a great deal more. These genetically enhanced humans are known (logically enough) as Sleepless and not only do they have superior beauty and intelligence, they also do not seem to age. What could be better than that? Well apparently being like everybody else, because as societies have proven again and again, "if it is different we must destroy it." Examining issues of diversity, genetic engineering, meritocracy, socialism, separatism, and enterprisism, Beggars in Spain offers much food for thought without being too didactic.
Beggars in Spain started out as a novella and that novella still seems visible within the novel, which had three very distinct parts (in some ways it might have been better left as a novella~or in separate parts as it did seem to drag on a bit, and the breaks were quite visible). The basic premise (though there are so many philosophical ideas and arguments tossed about in these books it's a little difficult to narrow down) is that if people could be genetically programmed to function without sleep they would be able to accomplish a great deal more. These genetically enhanced humans are known (logically enough) as Sleepless and not only do they have superior beauty and intelligence, they also do not seem to age. What could be better than that? Well apparently being like everybody else, because as societies have proven again and again, "if it is different we must destroy it." Examining issues of diversity, genetic engineering, meritocracy, socialism, separatism, and enterprisism, Beggars in Spain offers much food for thought without being too didactic.