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What would
you do if you saw a woman who seemed to be asleep,
practically covered by leaves and heard something
moving right toward you? At age 10, Ivan ran
away. When he was 27 Ivan went back, fought
the bear who guarded her, kissed Sleeping Beauty
awake, agreed to marry her, and found himself naked
in the kingdom of Taina in the early 900s. As
for Sleeping Beauty, otherwise known as Princess
Katerina, she had expected a strong, handsome
knight to awaken her from the witch’s spell,
not this pathetic, weak man who probably couldn't
even lift a broadsword. The tale soon diverts
from the typical tale of Sleeping Beauty as Ivan
and Katerina flee the witch Baba Yaga by returning
to the present time. Unfortunately, Baba Yaga
manages to follow them and in the course of trying
to stay safe from her, Ivan finds out that his own
mother practices witchcraft. Ivan and
Katerina have to flee back to Taina and do battle
with Baba Yaga. Fighting, spells,
romance, it’s all here as Orson Scott Card
gives new life to an old tale. (Mary
Huebscher, Librarian, Holy Cross of San Antonio,
San Antonio, TX marwood45@hotmail.com)
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