FORMAT: HARDCOVER (REVIEWED), DIGITAL | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Stephen King is one the greatest living horror authors. Sleeping Beauties is a collaboration with his son, Owen King. The original novel tells the tale of bizarre sleeping sickness called Aurora. All the women in the world begin to fall asleep and cannot be woken. Meanwhile, in a sleepy American town, one women seems unaffected by the disease and may well be the only one.
It’s a haunting and disturbing tale and not one that many readers will draw any comfort from, after all stories about pandemics are hardly comforting at the best of times. Westlake Soul author Rio Youers has adapted the novel into the graphic novel format and he’s done a great job in keeping King’s famously subtle dialogue consistent whilst at the same time keeping it short and straight forward; after all this is a graphic novel and the pictures should tell the story.
Alison Sampson’s art (along with Triona Tree Farrell colouring work) suits this story perfectly. Haunting, detailed and quite vibrant, this is not only a horror comic done well, but also as art. Comic book adaptations of novels tend to go wrong when they rely too much on one perspective or approach; here we have a careful balance of visual storytelling and well created narrative.
This is only volume one and though it feels like the book is taking it’s time, this is a Stephen King story; they tend to be quite long. The creators behind this book know they have plenty of time to tell the tale. The pacing is gripping and engaging and makes you want to get the next book.
