Waking (Paperback)

~ Alyxandra Harvey-Fitzhenry (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10–Since her mother's suicide, Beauty, 16, has been visited by the Shadow Lady in her dreams. The teen is withdrawn and desperate to avoid the stares and questions of her classmates. Her well-intentioned father has gone so far as to lock up everything with an edge, even to the point of forbidding the use of plastic utensils, in an attempt to prevent any other accidents in the house. Then in walks Luna, a new student who marches to the beat of her own drum. She tells Beauty that girls with weird names need to stick together. Slowly, Beauty begins to reclaim her life. She finds the confidence to paint again and takes tentative steps toward a relationship with her longtime crush. The allusions to Sleeping Beauty are well done and subtle. As Luna and a handsome male classmate named Poe provide the impetus for this Beauty's awakening, her dream-life begins to take on a darker, more sinister–yet freeing–tone. This novel about waking up from a nightmare–literally and figuratively–is nicely crafted and will resonate with readers who are struggling with grief and similar emotions.–Elaine Baran Black, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
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Review

"Fitzhenry has a deft hand with her prose...a well told, magical story." (Charles DeLint Fantasy and Science Fiction 20061101)

"Harvey Fitzhenry eloquently blends mythical language and standard teenspeak throughout..." (Times Colonist 20061101)

no details (Alan Review )

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 119 pages
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (May 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155143489X
• ISBN-13: 978-1551434896
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,435,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointment, September 16, 2007

By	Lynn Acheson (Elyria, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I enjoy fairy tales and retellings, but this story was a disappointment. The overt and blatant use of symbolism is distracting and, while the initial premise of the story is interesting, it is not well developed. Many of the images appear dropped in to the text or just don't work. For instance, on page 59, there is a scene in the kitchen where "she tapped her pen on her notebook, leaning little marks like stars fallen in the grass." The repeated references to rose petals and candles became tiresome.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lyrical, March 6, 2008

By	Eleanor Skinner (Albany, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A beautifully-written story about a girl coming to terms with her mother's suicide in dreams, & starting to find friends. Mostly realistic, but it feels like you're reading a fantasy novel. If you like the writing of Patricia McKillip or Nina Kiriki Hoffman, this is for you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved This Book!!!!, June 5, 2006

By	Maggie (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

If you are somebody (like me) who adores Francesca Lia Block's poetic, metaphor/simile-packed style of writing, then you will *love* Alyxandra Harvey-Fitzhenry's debut novel 'Waking'! Alyxandra's short, wonderfully elegant story is a modern-day retelling of the 'Sleeping Beauty' myth that is lush and vibrant with spot-on witty dialogue and characters who make your heart ache for them. I just loved this book and devoured it in a single sitting! Read it! Read it! Read it!