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3.0
Sleepless has an original concept and explores some interesting theories about sleep, brilliantly capturing what it feels like to walk zombie-like through a hazy world when your body refuses to give in to a few hours of suspended consciousness.
But although I really liked the concept, it didn’t progress in the way that I hoped it would. It’s much more of a sci-fi than a thriller, relying on action rather than suspense and lacking in enough atmosphere to fill you with the fear of what Thea is going through.
Described as dystopian fiction, the dystopian elements aren’t explored well enough for me to consider it one. I love dystopian societies, and there was certainly a lot of potential for Thea’s scenario to feel real. I’ve heard adverts on the radio that proclaim they can help you sleep better, and I’ve listened to a few apps myself in attempt to drift off to sleep more easily. But I didn’t find Sleepless very convincing.
There may be an organisation at the head of this trial who have bad intentions to fit in with the definition of a dystopia, but we don’t get to see enough of them to really feel their pressure. Their motives are well established through various conversations, but I wanted their presence to have a clearer face, as they felt more like a silent partner that lacked the threat of a totalitarian regime.
For me, this was due to the lack of setup. Once Thea is on the island, events progress too quickly to fill readers with a sense of dread. We aren’t given the time to worry about what’s going to happen, to predict what might be going on, or to even care about the quickly-developed relationships because the story gets right to the action, instead. And then with so much waiting around in the middle to detail what’s happening through dialogue rather than investigation, I just couldn’t invest in the story.
While I could feel that something sinister was lurking on the island and I had visions of a mysterious face creeping in the shadows, the tone of the story is all over the place. With Thea’s mother Vivian being quite a comic character, this often distracts from Thea’s claustrophobic setting. I didn’t understand the purpose in her character, either, other than to provide the story with a quick wrap-up. The story then ends quite abruptly, allowing only a brief glimpse at the aspect of the story that I wanted to see more of before taking the easy way out.
In the end, I just wasn’t interested in the story and found it difficult to connect with any of the characters. I was hoping for more of a dystopian thriller, so sadly this just wasn’t for me. If you’re a fan of sci-fi’s, however, then there is plenty of original ideas and quick-paced action for you to enjoy, instead.
But although I really liked the concept, it didn’t progress in the way that I hoped it would. It’s much more of a sci-fi than a thriller, relying on action rather than suspense and lacking in enough atmosphere to fill you with the fear of what Thea is going through.
Described as dystopian fiction, the dystopian elements aren’t explored well enough for me to consider it one. I love dystopian societies, and there was certainly a lot of potential for Thea’s scenario to feel real. I’ve heard adverts on the radio that proclaim they can help you sleep better, and I’ve listened to a few apps myself in attempt to drift off to sleep more easily. But I didn’t find Sleepless very convincing.
There may be an organisation at the head of this trial who have bad intentions to fit in with the definition of a dystopia, but we don’t get to see enough of them to really feel their pressure. Their motives are well established through various conversations, but I wanted their presence to have a clearer face, as they felt more like a silent partner that lacked the threat of a totalitarian regime.
For me, this was due to the lack of setup. Once Thea is on the island, events progress too quickly to fill readers with a sense of dread. We aren’t given the time to worry about what’s going to happen, to predict what might be going on, or to even care about the quickly-developed relationships because the story gets right to the action, instead. And then with so much waiting around in the middle to detail what’s happening through dialogue rather than investigation, I just couldn’t invest in the story.
While I could feel that something sinister was lurking on the island and I had visions of a mysterious face creeping in the shadows, the tone of the story is all over the place. With Thea’s mother Vivian being quite a comic character, this often distracts from Thea’s claustrophobic setting. I didn’t understand the purpose in her character, either, other than to provide the story with a quick wrap-up. The story then ends quite abruptly, allowing only a brief glimpse at the aspect of the story that I wanted to see more of before taking the easy way out.
In the end, I just wasn’t interested in the story and found it difficult to connect with any of the characters. I was hoping for more of a dystopian thriller, so sadly this just wasn’t for me. If you’re a fan of sci-fi’s, however, then there is plenty of original ideas and quick-paced action for you to enjoy, instead.