Sleeping Beauties – Complete Guide to the Novel and Adaptations

In 2017, Stephen King and his son Owen King released a novel that asked a provocative question: what would happen if every woman on Earth fell into a mysterious, cocooned sleep, leaving men to run the world alone? The answer, spread across more than 700 pages, divided readers and sparked debates about gender, power, and storytelling. Here is everything you need to know about Sleeping Beauties, its meaning, its adaptations, and why it remains one of the most talked-about books in the King bibliography.

What is Sleeping Beauties?

Sleeping Beauties is a horror-fantasy novel co-authored by Stephen King and his son Owen King, published on September 26, 2017. It tells the story of a global pandemic called the Aurora disease that causes women to fall into a deep sleep, wrapped in a cocoon-like shroud. If anyone tries to disturb the cocoon, the woman awakens as a violently feral creature. The narrative unfolds in the fictional town of Dooling, West Virginia, where a women’s prison becomes the epicentre of the outbreak.

Key insights about Sleeping Beauties

• Co-authored by Stephen King and his son Owen King, making it a rare family collaboration.
• The novel explores gender dynamics and the consequences of a world without women.
• Women who fall asleep become wrapped in a cocoon-like shroud; if disturbed, they become violent.
• Critical reception is mixed: praised for audacity, criticized for pacing and prose.
• A graphic novel adaptation was released in 2022 to mixed reviews.
• A TV series adaptation was announced but details remain scarce.
• The title intentionally references the fairy tale but subverts it.

Sleeping Beauties at a glance

Who wrote Sleeping Beauties and what is the plot?

Sleeping Beauties is a collaboration between Stephen King and his son Owen King. According to the official author site, it is a “wildly provocative” exploration of patriarchy. The story follows Lila Norcross, the local sheriff who arrests a mysterious woman named Evie Black, who is immune to the Aurora disease. Evie is incarcerated in the women’s prison where Lila’s husband, Clint Norcross, works as a psychiatrist. Clint is the first to notice the disease among the inmates.

Understanding the Aurora disease and the parallel realm

When women sleep, they become enveloped in a gauze-like cocoon. If disturbed, they awaken as “feral and spectacularly violent” creatures, according to an IMDB news article. Meanwhile, the sleeping women enter a “better place” characterized by harmony and the absence of conflict, as described on Wikipedia. The novel questions whether that parallel universe is a utopia or whether the women miss their human lives despite the flaws of the patriarchal world.

Social collapse and the core meaning

Abandoned men divide into warring factions, leading to looting, riots, and primal violence. The story is a “wildly provocative” exploration of patriarchy, examining how the world functions without women and the violent extremes men reach when their dominance is threatened — as noted on the official Stephen King site and in reader discussions on Reddit.

Is there a Sleeping Beauties movie or TV series?

As of mid-2026, there is no completed film or television adaptation of Sleeping Beauties. The most notable attempt was a TV series ordered by AMC in 2019. According to the Los Angeles Times, AMC ordered a pilot script written by Owen King, produced by Anonymous Content and writers Sugar/Zalta. Stephen King expressed excitement for the adaptation to bring the story’s “mystery and drama” to life. However, as of late 2020 and 2024 discussions, the series has not been filmed or released, and no official renewal or cancellation has been confirmed in recent major reports.

What about the graphic novel?

IDW Publishing released a 10-part comic book adaptation (Vol. 1 published June 2020) by Rio Youers and Alison Sampson. It is described as a “haunting interpretation” of the bestseller, according to the Amazon product page. The graphic novel follows the plot of the novel closely.

Is there a Sleeping Beauties movie on IMDb?

An IMDb entry exists for a TV movie titled Sleeping Beauties (tt6744330) with a plot summary that mentions “a small Appalachian town disturbed by a series of unexplained cocoon-like shrouds.” It is not confirmed whether this project is a direct adaptation of the King novel or an unrelated work. No release date or cast has been publicly verified.

Why do some people hate Sleeping Beauties?

Reception to the novel has been sharply divided. On the positive side, it was a bestseller and praised for its “gloriously absorbing” father-son collaboration and provocative social commentary, as noted in the Los Angeles Times. Stephen King himself expressed excitement for the TV adaptation.

On the negative side, criticism has been significant. Some readers and critics found Owen King’s writing contribution “less than desired” and the book “incredibly dull” and “excessively lengthy,” according to discussions on Reddit. Others noted that the story “goes off the rails” in later sections, with the depiction of societal decline described as “unconvincing.” The book has also been criticized for reading like a “broadcast television mini-series,” lacking the tight narrative structure of a novel. At least one prominent reader listed it as their “most disliked novel by King.”

Timeline of Sleeping Beauties events

1. September 2017: Sleeping Beauties novel published by Scribner.
2. 2018: IMDb entry for “Sleeping Beauties” TV movie added (unknown production status).
3. April 2019: AMC orders a pilot script written by Owen King, produced by Anonymous Content and Sugar/Zalta.
4. June 2020: Graphic novel adaptation (Vol. 1) published by IDW Publishing.
5. 2022: Full graphic novel adaptation released.
6. 2025–2026: TV series status remains uncertain; no further official updates.

What is certain and what remains unclear about Sleeping Beauties?

What is the thematic context of Sleeping Beauties?

The novel explores toxic masculinity and gender essentialism through a literal “sleeping beauty” curse. The cocoon symbolism represents both protection and entrapment. The story mirrors contemporary debates about gender roles and power dynamics. Critical reception remains mixed: some praise the ambitious premise and social commentary, while others target pacing, character development, and Owen King’s prose style. The graphic novel adaptation received average reviews, struggling to condense a 700-page novel. The TV series is in limbo, with no major studio publicly attached as of mid-2026.

Sources and quotes about Sleeping Beauties

“Sleeping Beauties is a novel by Stephen King and his son Owen King, released on September 26, 2017.”

— Wikipedia

“A timely novel, in a world that seems determined to destroy itself from the actions of men cursed with a sense of toxic masculinity.”

— Amazon editorial review

“In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze.”

— Goodreads description

“A small Appalachian town is disturbed by a series of unexplained cocoon-like shrouds engulfing the female residents while they sleep.”

— IMDb plot summary

Summary: What is the bottom line on Sleeping Beauties?

Sleeping Beauties remains a significant, albeit controversial, entry in Stephen King’s bibliography. It was his first collaboration with his son Owen King, and the novel’s ambitious gender-swap premise sparked both praise and sharp criticism. While a graphic novel adaptation exists, the planned AMC television series has not materialised. For readers interested in the full scope of King’s work, our Stephen King Books: Complete Guide offers a broader overview. Those curious about how the novel fits into the wider adaptation landscape can also explore Best Stephen King Adaptations.

Frequently asked questions about Sleeping Beauties

Oscar FrielStaff Writer

Oscar Friel covers local business, housing and jobs across Edinburgh and Scotland.