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A review by thepastelnerd
Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of Sleeping Beauty by Cameron Dokey
1.0
1.5 stars rounded down. I usually round up, but...
*inhales deeply*
Okay.
So.
I really enjoyed most of the book. The descriptions were nice and fanciful, the characters felt real, the fairytale element was clear even though it was also clear this tale deviated from the core story of sleeping beauty significantly.
Honestly, the writing and editing isn't the best. It was at times vague, repetitive, and/or confusing, but I was still enjoying the story so I thought I'd give it probably 3 stars.
*Spoiler below*
And then....and then Aurore's cousin who she had a strangely close relationship with that I just chalked up to being siblings originally was revealed to be her one true love! He waited for her for 100 years and they get married and have many children! Yay, right?
NO.
I don't care how romantic you write it. Ew. No. I don't care if in the time the book was roughly placed first cousin intimacy was okay. Today, in this society, it is very wrong and very gross. I could have given a pass for like a fourth or fifth cousin that was raised alongside the crown princess, but not a first cousin.
It's even more upsetting because we spend a significant chunk of the book watching her cute budding romance with her fifth-great-nephew or something like that. Still weird, but I was willing to give it a pass because I was still enjoying the book before Aurore decided to commit incest right at the end.
By the way, I read this series as a tween and didn't remember anything about Beauty Sleep until I read it. Now I remember that middle school me was also grossed out. Sigh. Also, the bit about the world falling apart because she hadn't fallen victim to the curse was too dark. It didn't really fit the tone of the rest of the book.
TL;DR: Could have forgiven some of the bad writing in favor of the cute fairytale-ness if it wasn't for the incest at the very end.
*inhales deeply*
Okay.
So.
I really enjoyed most of the book. The descriptions were nice and fanciful, the characters felt real, the fairytale element was clear even though it was also clear this tale deviated from the core story of sleeping beauty significantly.
Honestly, the writing and editing isn't the best. It was at times vague, repetitive, and/or confusing, but I was still enjoying the story so I thought I'd give it probably 3 stars.
*Spoiler below*
And then....and then Aurore's cousin who she had a strangely close relationship with that I just chalked up to being siblings originally was revealed to be her one true love! He waited for her for 100 years and they get married and have many children! Yay, right?
NO.
I don't care how romantic you write it. Ew. No. I don't care if in the time the book was roughly placed first cousin intimacy was okay. Today, in this society, it is very wrong and very gross. I could have given a pass for like a fourth or fifth cousin that was raised alongside the crown princess, but not a first cousin.
It's even more upsetting because we spend a significant chunk of the book watching her cute budding romance with her fifth-great-nephew or something like that. Still weird, but I was willing to give it a pass because I was still enjoying the book before Aurore decided to commit incest right at the end.
By the way, I read this series as a tween and didn't remember anything about Beauty Sleep until I read it. Now I remember that middle school me was also grossed out. Sigh. Also, the bit about the world falling apart because she hadn't fallen victim to the curse was too dark. It didn't really fit the tone of the rest of the book.
TL;DR: Could have forgiven some of the bad writing in favor of the cute fairytale-ness if it wasn't for the incest at the very end.