Review: A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Title: A Kiss in Time
Author: Alex Flinn
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub. Date: 2009
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Fairy tales, True Love, Curses/Spells, Sleeping Beauty
Pages: 371
Plot (from book jacket):
"Talia fell under a spell. Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it was so not what I had in mind.
I awakened in the same place but in another time - to a stranger's soft kiss.
I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have not choice but to run away with a commoner!Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels... The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all - even time?"

This was a cute story and an original and interesting plot idea, but I really didn't like this book all that much. I really had high expectations, but execution fell a bit short.

I felt like the characters weren't fully developed - they simply weren't very believable. More importantly, their love story (the main focus of the novel) wasn't very believable. I felt that both Talia and Jack's looks were focused on a bit too much. The comments about their physical looks might not have been so bad though if there was a bit more to go on though. Talia is supposed to be blessed with gifts from fairies, but I felt like the fairies may have messed up a bit.

I also felt like the dialogue was a bit stunted. Talia was supposed to sound like she was from a past time (300+ years prior), but instead she sounded forced and unnatural. Jack's dialogue sounded much more natural, but it still was a bit odd.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 7
Characters: 6
Writing Style: 8
Romance: 6
Originality: 10
Total: 37/50 (C-)

I picked up this book because I love the story of Sleeping Beauty and I generally enjoy retellings, but this retelling really missed the mark. I didn't feel like the characters were destined to be together - which is the whole point of Sleeping Beauty! A Kiss in Time isn't the first retelling I'd recommend, but if you are a diehard retelling fan you might still want to give it a try.