Customer Reviews

The Sleep of Stone

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently stumbled across The Sleep of Stone in my local library and thought it looked interesting. My read of it turned out to be a predictable, but pleasant experience.

It is a very short novel about the origens of a local legend. The shortness makes it an enjoyable quick read and the legend, although influenced by various fairy tales, is fresh and captivating. The story is presented in a simple storytelling frame structure. An old man encounters a young couple in a local romantic grotto and ends up telling them the sadly romantic legend associated with it of a young couple from years before and of the creature whose consuming love of the young man tried to destroy them. It is a story sweetly told, but with a close eye to the deep emotions of the characters.

I found the actual tale of the Sleep of Stone to be the best part of the book. The frame story was cute, but it was distracting. It actually took me a few tries in starting the book because I couldn't get past that part. While the end part is good, the beginning part (which sets up the real story) is not very captivating.

The real strength of the book was the way as a reader I was able to empathize with the characters' emotions. The young love of the couple was evident, but most vivid were the feelings of the creature that tried to destroy that love. The creature's obsessive love of the young man completely consumed her. This burning desire pushes her to trick, murder, and unleash utter chaos at the young couple's wedding. The passion is so real, it is disturbing.

The book follows a typical plotline for a fairytale type story, but it still is a touching and enjoyable read. Pick it up for a short cozy evening and have fun.

The Sleep of Stone is marvelous. It's a simple story, but told with stunning beauty and depth. The atmosphere is dreamy and slightly surrealistic. This wonderful little treasure can be read on so many different levels-- The Sleep of Stone just goes to show that fantasy doesn't have to be of epic proportions to be excellent. This slim little volume touched me more than six or seven hundred pages of complex plots and myriad characters could have.

This beautifully told story includes both magic and memorable characters. Although they are set in a far away, unknown time and place, the problems of the characters are believable. Ghysla is a shape shifter who is the last of her kind and alone. She finds hope in love for Prince Anyr, but complications arise with his betrothal to a human girl. Magic spells and some surprising twists follow. This story is highly recommended and should be considered a classic fairy tale

when i was about to enter 7th grade i went to the flea market my grandmother worked at, i went to the used book store and just brozed around i bought 2 books for a dollar. The snow queen by joan d. vinge (best book in the world) and sleep of stone. i red it in school and i was amazed... i couldnt put it down. im not out of high school and i still seem to want to pick it back up and read it again agian... iv read it about 5 times by now. i love the character ghysla.... i even made a costume based on yjr book for a convention i will be going to. this is a book everyone should read. its an easy read and it flows and its very easy for anyone to under stand.

You have to read this book it was the best book ever to be written and one you simply just can't pass up. I rated it a ten only because there were no higher choices!!! There is just not enough words in the english dictionary to describe how wonderful a book this really was!!!