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While Beauty Slept {Book Review and #Giveaway}

November 24, 2014 by Elizabeth

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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while-beauty-slept-novel-coverWhen Elise’s great-grand-daughter comes skipping home from the marketplace one day with a tale told by a passing minstrel of a princess locked in a tower for a 100-year sleep, Elise is amazed. She was there and she alone knows the truth of the events that have given rise to this legend. She sits the girl down and traces back over her long life.

While Beauty Slept sets the tale of Sleeping Beauty firmly within the confines of our own reality, in a medieval kingdom plagued by war, the pox, political infighting and more. Elise is raised as a poor farm girl with an abusive father and a mother worn down by yearly pregnancies. Her mother secretly teaches her to read and write, always promising she’ll be more than a poor peasant’s wife. She also lets Elise know that her father was someone from the castle where her mother worked as a serving maid, although she guards the man’s identity, since he refused to support them. When Elise, her father and one brother are the only ones to survive a bout of smallpox, Elise takes the opportunity to seek her fortune elsewhere–retracing her mother’s steps as a serving maid in the castle.

There, she rather quickly works her way up to serving the queen and as such is a companion to the young princess, Rose. She’s there when the king’s bitter sister promises death and destruction to the kingdom in revenge for perceived slights. And she’s there watching the aftermath. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, because although you all know the tale, this telling has some new twists.

While Beauty Slept is well done and imaginative. I enjoyed seeing the tale through new eyes. Elizabeth Blackwell does an excellent job of creating the castle environment with its petty intrigues and passing crushes, its haunted queen who wakes every morning in tears and its brash young upstart to the throne, cruel and careless of others. Although Elise’s initial meteoric rise is a bit surprising (from unknown new maid to queen’s personal servant), overall the tale is believable. Each character is well-drawn and I especially enjoyed watching Elise mature from rough-hewn working girl to a gracious noblewoman entrusted with the kingdom’s secrets. My one gripe with the book is the heavy-handed foreshadowing. It seems every chapter ends with something like “but the road ahead would be rougher than I could have imagined” or “how could I know great tragedy lay ahead” or things like that. It’s distracting.

However, While Beauty Slept offers a historical fiction take on a classic tale, and as such, it’s enchanting and delightful. If you enjoy fairy tales, historical fiction, or strong female characters, I can highly recommend this book as a great companion for a winter’s evening.

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About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a voracious reader with eclectic tastes who loves being part of the team at 5 Minutes for Books. She's lived in 7 countries and is currently in Oregon, where she spends most of her time with Iraqi refugees. She has 3 teens.

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20 Comments

  1. Nannypanpan says

    December 5, 2014 at 6:00 pm

    Would love this for my sister

    Reply
  2. Kimberly V says

    December 4, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    I would love to read this book. I’ve heard a lot of nice things about it.

    Reply
  3. Shannon L says

    December 4, 2014 at 11:44 am

    Fairytales with a backside, love it

    Reply
  4. eve says

    December 2, 2014 at 11:33 am

    Sounds like a great book! Would love to read it!

    Reply
  5. vickie couturier says

    December 1, 2014 at 4:13 am

    make a great gift for the reader in your life

    Reply
  6. Jenn W says

    November 29, 2014 at 1:55 pm

    This sounds like a great take on a classic tale! Would love to read it 🙂

    Reply
  7. emily says

    November 27, 2014 at 6:55 am

    I love books like this that re-imagine stories that we already know.

    Reply
  8. Jennifer Rowe says

    November 26, 2014 at 10:17 pm

    My daughters and I are so into the new twists on fairy tales!

    Reply
  9. Daniel M says

    November 25, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    entered Disney’s FROZEN Sing-A-Long Edition #Giveaway

    Reply
  10. Daniel M says

    November 25, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    sounds like a fun one!

    Reply
  11. anne says

    November 25, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    Thanks for this interesting giveaway.

    Reply
  12. YvonneJ says

    November 25, 2014 at 10:57 am

    Great cover and wonderful title…this is definitely on my TBR.

    Reply
  13. Heather B says

    November 25, 2014 at 9:02 am

    I love fairytale retelling, and different versions and twists! I would really like to check this one out, going to add it to my list!

    Reply
  14. Leela says

    November 24, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    I entered the David Baldacci Books for the Whole Family giveaway.

    Reply
  15. Leela says

    November 24, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  16. Liz says

    November 24, 2014 at 4:17 pm

    This is right up my alley!

    Reply
  17. amyc says

    November 24, 2014 at 2:08 pm

    I have been wanting to read this book. It sounds intriguing.

    Reply
  18. Wehaf says

    November 24, 2014 at 11:44 am

    This sounds like a fun re-imagining of the classic tale.

    Reply
  19. DEBIJOT says

    November 24, 2014 at 8:56 am

    I believe I would enjoy reading this book.

    Reply
  20. Sue says

    November 24, 2014 at 8:06 am

    Sounds like a good read! Thanks for the giveaway:) [email protected]

    Reply

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