Sonderbooks Book Review of The Foretelling

Reviewed October 6, 2005.
Little, Brown and Company, New York, 2005. 167 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (J MCN F HOF).
SonderbooksStand-out 2005 (#1, Young Adult Historical Fiction)

The Foretelling is a powerful story with the flavor ofmyth. I had trouble deciding how to categorize it, since it feelslike fantasy, but there isn’t really any magic except that ofprophecies. AliceHoffman based her book on the many legends of Amazons, combined witharcheological evidence that such warrior women may have lived on thesteppes of Russiaand the Ukraine. I decided to call it a historical novel, sinceitgives a history that might have been.

Rain is the daughter of the Queen, but the Queen never even looks ather. Some day, Rain will need to lead her people, womenwarriors. However, she has been brought up by the priestess, whoteaches her about prophecyand a destiny different from that of her foremothers.

Rain learns to ride like no one has ever done before. Her peoplehave ruled their land for generations because of their relationshipwiththeir sister horses. One day, Rain discovers a baby bear andbringsit up as if it is another horse. This bear will be involved inchangingRain’s destiny.

I love Rain’s voice, which tells the story. We feel as if we’rehearing the heart of an actual Amazon of centuries past. Thisbook will stay in your heart and your imagination.

Reviews of other books by Alice Hoffman:
Nightbird
The Story Sisters
The Probable Future
Blackbird House

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

******The Foretelling*

by Alice Hoffman