2017 may arguably be Stephen King’s most successful year. It is certainly the case in terms of exposure with film after film and series upon series adapting his various works. Among the new works for screen is a completely new piece of source material: Sleeping Beauties
The premise is that a virus is spreading across the globe. Dubbed Aurora, it causes the female half of the human race to form a cocoon once they fall asleep. What starts off as wispy webbing around the ears soon covers the body entirely and we soon learn that no man wants to try removing this substance, as the woman below will be feral and likely to kill.
The novel contains this worldwide outbreak within the confines of a small town called Dooling in Virginia. Those who have read the senior King’s 2009 epic Under The Dome will find a similar vibe here, as the small town becomes almost cut off from the rest of society and men who feel that they know best decide to take charge. The fact that the town is home to a women’s prison also provides not only a large-scale plot device, but also a focal point for the book’s final confrontation.
Act One introduces us to many of Dooling’s inhabitants (that is unless you examine the character glossary first), including Clint and Lila Norcross who serve as the novel’s primary characters. Mr and Mrs Norcross work as a psychiatrist at the prison and as the town’s sheriff respectively. During this act we follow Lila as she arrests an unnamed woman who has just murdered a couple of meth cooks on the outskirts of town. That woman is given the name Evie Black and is soon handed over to the prison because of her special abilities, which we later learn includes the ability to sleep without forming a cocoon.
A side plot that runs through the first act that sees Lila suspect her husband of having fathered a child with another woman. However, this is tied up before Act Two begins.
Another notable character is the town’s animal control officer, Frank Geary. Frank could almost be considered the antagonist of the story, but he means well. He just has a short temper and, upset at the cocooning of his daughter, will do anything to get her back.
In Act Two, we find out what has happened to the women who have fallen asleep, while tensions between the men (and some very tired women) continue to rise in Dooling. Reports continue to come from around the world of groups of men burning piles of cocooned women following a piece of false news (the Kings are careful not to use the word ‘fake’) that was spread.
Once the dust has settled, the book concludes with a very brief third act that ties up as many loose ends as it can in quick succession – although as in real life, it’s not all that neat. At almost 700 pages in, the rapid fire pacing of each of these chapters is very much welcome. While Sleeping Beauties is certainly an enjoyable read that will find readers turning the pages with ease, one criticism is that the tome can be a little rambling at times. Although the cast is huge and there’s a lot of ground for them to cover, it does seem that the co-writing process may have extended the book somewhat. The narrative isn’t as tight as the majority of Stephen King’s solo work and although the pacing is fine, there’s not always as much substance as there is in the likes of The Stand or It.
There is, however, something to say for the slight difference in style between Sleeping Beauties and a typical Stephen King novel. Many have praised the book as being one of King’s most bold and daring in years, giving credit to Owen King for extracting some new innovation from his father. Constant Readers will find enough of the elder King in there that the voice feels familiar, yet every so often, that voice takes on a new edge. The main plot provides an exciting concept that explores the similarities and differences between men and women and how each gender might cope without the other. While it would be easy to label the women as good and paint the men as bad, both genders are rounded out with a blend of both. While some characters on both sides of the male/female divide are pretty vile, most of the cast members have their bad qualities and some good traits. The protagonists have their flaws, just as we all do.
Aside from some potential technical glitches as a result of the book’s father-son co-authorship, another thing that stands out is the contempt both men hold for the current American president. King Senior’s feud with President Trump has been widely publicised, and the first shot taken against him in Sleeping Beauties is mildly amusing. However, there are three or four references to The Donald throughout the book and all they really do is serve as a reminder to the reader of what’s going on the real world; not always something you want from pursuits of escapism.
Sleeping Beauties is the usual must-read for Stephen King fans, despite its differences – both good and bad – from his regular work. Owen King’s addition to the mix has created a new recipe with a familiar taste.
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