Twice Upon a Time: Sleeping Beauty, the One Who Took the Really Long Nap

Twice Upon a Time: Sleeping Beauty, the One Who Took the Really Long Nap is the second middlegrade fairy-tale retelling by Wendy Mass.

Princess Rose has grown up under constant supervision. After all, when she was just a tiny baby in a crib she was cursed by a cranky old fairy – therefore all sharp objects have been banished from the kingdom.

Of course… that doesn’t mean she won’t still get pricked, does it?

Yep. Being a princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The Prince hasn’t had the easiest time of it either. He’s never been properly named because his mother the Queen has some ogre blood and he had the misfortune of being born on the second Thursday of the month.

Let’s just say… it was a close call.

So though The Prince survived his birth, the oddness of his family has left him rather lonely. But his walks in the woods are a comfort.

That’s where he finds a hidden castle. One that looks exactly like the one he lives in, but not camouflaged by leaves. He’s determined to solve the mystery.

Will Princess Rose and The Prince’s lives collide?

As much as I liked Wendy Mass’ first Twice Upon a Time book, Rapunzel, I was much more enchanted by Sleeping Beauty!

Sleeping Beauty, the One Who Took the Really Long Nap was, in my opinion, far funnier in a more relatable way and had a bit more nuance to the comedy.

This is a candy-coated retelling with enough maturity and soft melancholy to become invested in the characters and the story among the charming, zany fairy-tale imagination of it all. I enjoyed it very much!

Sleeping Beauty is sweet, fun, fast-paced (without feeling rushed), romantic, and perfect for any age group who wants a short, entertaining read.

For me, it was a big improvement on the first in the series – leading me to look more forward to the latest addition, Beauty & the Beast, or the Only One Who Didn’t Run Away!