Reviews

Beggars in Spain Avon Paperback, Mar. 1994

Pixel Planet Have you ever thought about not having to sleep? What else could you accomplish? Would your life improve? What would society think about a group of people that never slept? In Beggars In Spain, author Nancy Kress takes this idea and expands her award winning novella into an intelligent, thought-provoking SF novel. Leisha Camden is the first person genetically altered before birth so she does not have to sleep. Her rich industrialist father has the procedure done so that his daughter will have an edge over anyone else. At the beginning of the process, it is discovered that Leisha's mother is also carrying a "normal" child. The procedure to alter Leisha is a success, and she soon shows superior intelligence after birth. The process also becomes more popular, and soon there are a small but growing number of "sleepless" children around the country. As she becomes a teenager, Leisha meets some of the other Sleepless, and they begin to form an informal community, mostly existing in an on-line environment. As the Sleepless enter adulthood, they begin to experience more discrimination from the "Sleeper" population, which intensifies when it is discovered that the Sleepless might also be immortal, or very close to it, since they never suffer from any disease and do not seem to age. What follows is a novel of discovery, for Leisha and the others as they attempt to make a place for themselves. Leisha refuses to believe the other Sleepless in their belief that they will be shunned by the rest of society. They eventually form a community called Sanctuary, and use their superior intellect to assure their safety, both financially and defensively. Leisha remains outside Sanctuary, and becomes shunned by both Sleepers and Sleepless. Over the next one hundred years of the story, the two societies will work against each other, with the Sleepers trying to find their place in the world. While the book is about the two groups, Leisha is the focal point. Her refusal to shut herself off from the rest of the world lets her see both sides of the debate. She feels, perhaps naively, that both sides can live together. This debate is also played out with her twin sister, Alice, with whom she has a changing and growing relationship throughout the book. Alice, somewhat rightfully, despises Leisha, though eventually the two sisters' relationship grows more positive. Kress's portrayal of the two sisters, as well as all of the characters, rings very true. The character development is one of the best things about the book, with the author really having the knack for making them seem alive. The book also does a really good job of describing the two societies, and the prejudices they each bring about. In an especially interesting twist, the Sleepers eventually genetically manipulate their offspring, creating an even more intelligent race, a race that begins to suspect they might be subject to some sort of oppression. Throughout the book the plot developments grow out of these conflicts, and seem intelligent, rather than forced. Beggars In Spain is one of the best SF books I've read in some time. The characters are intelligent, the plot interesting, and the writing style is very compelling. The idea of going through life without sleep is an interesting one, and Kress does an excellent job of describing what effects this would have on our planet. If you are a fan of intelligent SF, you should read this book.

Copyright ©1999 Nancy Kress