Walcott claims to be able to transform a Sleeper into a Sleepless, but suggests that Jennifer stole his research. Meanwhile, new Sleepless are born naturally to other Sleepless living in Sanctuary, led by Jennifer. Leisha attempts to act as a bridge between the Sleepers and Sleepless communities. She meets with Calvin Hawke, an industry leader in the We-Sleep Movement, a Populist consumer revolution in which Sleepers only buy sleeper-made products. In Book 2, the year is 2051, and Leisha runs a law practice in Chicago. When Alice and another Sleeper rescue an abused seven-year-old Sleepless girl, Leisha realizes that Tony's characterization of Sleepers as envious parasites is deeply misguided. Tony called Sleepers, “beggars in Spain,” and Leisha tended to agree. Leisha’s relationship with her Sleeper sister, Alice is complex. While Tony is awaiting trial in prison, fellow inmates murder him. Tony arranges for the escape of an abused Sleepless boy and is arrested for kidnapping. Tony and Jennifer build a refuge for Sleepless called Sanctuary, which Jennifer later moves to a space station. As the Sleepless teenagers come of age resentment between unmodified Sleepers and the Sleepless grows. Susan later finds that Sleepless do not age past young adulthood and will have extended lives.Īs a teenager, Leisha socializes with other Sleepless teenagers including Tony Indivino and the ultra-wealthy orphan, Jennifer Sharifi. Elizabeth becomes pregnant with twins and gives birth to a genetically-modified Sleepless baby named Leisha and her 'normal' twin sister, Alice. Susan Melling about a new form of genetic modification she developed that removes the need for sleep. Chicago entrepreneur Roger Camden and his wife Elizabeth approach Dr.

The novel is divided into four parts, with the original novella making up the first part.

Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress