Story: 9 / 10
Characters: 9
Setting: 8
Prose: 8

Certainly one of the 10 best science-fiction books I've ever read. Will definitely continue the next book in the series shortly. ( )

Well that was such an interesting novella.

It looks at a group of genetically modified youth and how, due to not needing sleep, they are able to far surpass the accomplishments of 'sleepers'. The novella discusses the value of highly productive people and how their genetic advantages are seen as 'unfair' by the masses. The book also explores how much value should be given to those who are unproductive members of society and in constant need of help. After all, "what do we owe the grasping and nonproductive needy?"

I loved the epiphany at the end. I don't think I will go on to read the other installments as I enjoyed where the award winning novella ended. ( )

I've had this on my TBR list for ages, and I'm really glad that I finally sat down with it. Oddly enough, I'm thankful that I hadn't read this when it was first recommended to me because I'm not sure I would have fully been able to absorb the book and it's political, philosophical, and biological intricacies.

Kress envisions a world where genetic modification has reached the point where parents can select specific traits for their unborn children. One of these is sleeplessness. The book follows one of the first Sleepless, Leisha Camden, as she moves through a world where Sleepers resent and hate her, and her continued belief in the necessity of coexistence has caused her to be an outcast among the Sleepless.

Extremely fascinating world building, and the scary thing was I can see the seeds of the world Kress created for the future in our own world today. Despite having been published nearly 20 years ago Beggars in Spain is still very relevant. ( )

On its surface this book is a thoughtful examination of possible social and political implications of human genetic manipulation. But I was surprised when the book also addressed deeper questions about family, ambition, romance, and inequality with depth and subtlety. All that while examining the lives and choices of some very compelling and complex characters.

There's a feeling of realism in this book that is rare in Sci-Fi, even near-future stuff. The characters' way of matter-of-factly presenting dramatically amazing technological developments made them seem very attainable, and the way that there was pushback and downsides to every development struck me as more realistic than the typical Sci-Fi attitude of simple acceptance and integration of change.

I kept expecting the story of this book to begin building towards a conclusion and instead new characters and plot lines would rise to prominence as the old ones were resolved. I wasn't ever on the edge of my seat, since the book is focused more on characters than a fast-paced plot, but I was nonetheless continually surprised by the events of the story. The evenness of rising and falling action did make any sections drag if they were focused on characters I disliked, but overall I enjoyed the pace.

I'd recommend this book to anybody interested in a solid non-apocalyptic near-future story. ( )

This was a reread of a book I read probably a decade ago and remember lovingly.
I listened to it on audiobook.

This definitely contains spoilers.
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Some aspects of this book just flat out make me uncomfortable: Richard marrying a 15 yr old 'Polynesian' girl when he's in his 70's, Jennifer Sharifi the only non white main character is a murdering tyrant and no homosexual, much less transgender, folks mentioned. Are all of The Sleepless straight and cis? How boring.

Disgusted at the idea that only certain people who contribute in certain ways are valuable to society.
Also the Sleepless are not marginalized at all. It's not numerical minority status that removes power and creates marginalization, after all the 1% is a minority as were slave owners compared to enslaved persons. No marginalized is a social caste and The Sleepless don't fit that ever. In fact, like the 1%, their advantage incurs anger and rightfully so.

Speaking about 'beggars' without any mention of the circumstances that cause poverty is manipulative and obscene. Poverty is created by an inequal distribution of wealth. That is not poor people's fault. Also the suggestion that rich folks work for their money when studies dispute that belief, is offensive. Poor folks aren't poor because they're lazy, they're poor because there is a finite amount of money and rich people are hoarding more than their fair share. Which is by design. Poverty can be eradicated by redistributing the wealth. Our system works exactly as it was designed to work.
It is almost impossible to leave the underclass you're born into through education and hard work. The bootstrap myth is a fallacy that has been disproven repeatedly. If you don't understand how this works, you should definitely read Joseph E. Stiglitz's 'The Price of Inequality'.

Also how is Eric not mentally unbalanced after crippling Drew? Eric is smarter, faster and supposedly the sleepless have no mental or physical health challenges. Yet, a child who injures another child in this way, virtually unprovoked has mental health issues. Yet fast forward to adulthood and Drew's the bitter loser and Eric is a productive member of society. I feel like the author is saying something about genetic predispositions to crime/poverty again without exploring the inequalities that create poverty, which is not naturally occurring at all.

The idea that politicians and rich people work for the good of all is laughable. What world does this author inhabit? Corporations that care about their employees barely exist, nonexistent are corporations that would EVER pay 80-90% in taxes. It's a ridiculous theoretical future.

"Governments serve one person's personal needs" this I agree with. They also serve certain group's needs, like the 1%. Or White Christian Land owning men-which is who our country was founded for and The Constitution was written to protect. The United States was never intended by the Founding Fathers to include freedom for all, only for them.

Ultimately I disagree with this author that Beggars in Spain have value because no one can determine what they may contribute in the future. Drew is clearly the 'beggar' who grew up to contribute.
People contribute by existing. The authors premise, again, presupposes that those who have more have earned it and as such are contributing to society. I completely disagree. Wealthy people are money hoarders. The only thing they contribute to society is poverty and oppression.
I also find it ludicrous that future poor people won't read. I have friends who hold multiple degrees, some of them from Ivy League Institutions, they don't read for pleasure. Reading has little to do with intelligence. Why do sci fi authors assume poor folk are lazy and unintelligent? This is a support of capitalism without acknowledging it's limitations or pitfalls. Just victim poor folks.. As if Capitalism is equal and drives humans to excel. Again just the opposite. Those that work hardest in today's society are those that earn the least. They aren't poor because they don't want to work or were too unintelligent to plan for their futures. The opposite in fact, they are poor because Capitalism requires have nots inorder to function.

In a future where everyone's not required to work just to survive, we may see a free exchange of ideas and science. Society would be free to advance without Capitalism oppressing 90% of the population who are forced to work just to survive. Without Capitalism the brc1 test would be cheap and available to everyone. Right now it's really only available to those who aren't poor. The price of medicines, like the epipen-which was developed with tax dollars only to be patented by a private company and now unaffordable for many who truly need it. How are those rich folks benefitting society again? How is Capitalism helping us to excel? Capitalism ignores global warming in an effort to benefit from wealth for the top wealthiest right now. Nevermind it's destroying the Earth's ability to sustain human life.
Without work we would be free to focus on our interests, to contribute truly to society in meaningful ways. Working just to survive prevents that. Who knows what exists in the mind of a poor kid who can't afford college and goes to a horribly underfunded public school? Possibly the cure to cancer, HIV, diabetes. We don't know because Capitalism has decided that child is unworthy of the resources and opportunities wealthier kids get. Without opportunity that child will work a labor job for which they are not appropriately paid and they will be lost in surviving, unable to contribute to society in all of the gifts they possess. They still contribute in a meanignful way just not their full capacity. Society is cheated of all of their gifts.

This novel feels like a defense of the system that is literally destroying the Earth's ability to sustain human life. To say nothing of the rampant transphobia, homophobia, racism, sexism and rape culture.

I read this novel years ago and loved it.
There are 2 versions of me: Me before #BlackLivesMatter and Me after #BlackLivesMatter. Pre #BlackLivesMatter I was a liberal Democrat. Post #BlackLivesMatter I'm a militant anarchist. Rereading books I used to love is often disappointing. This probably the most disappointing yet. ( )