The Foretelling (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–This atmospheric coming-of-age fantasy tells the story of a teenager who is destined to become queen of the Amazons. The product of a rape and shunned by her distant mother, Rain struggles to find her identity and prove herself. Her first-person narration is accessible while evoking a sense of otherworldliness. She talks of animals and people as sisters. The story unfolds at a measured pace with little dialogue, but the language makes it compulsively readable. Readers will be drawn in by Rain's attempts to win her mother's approval even as the teen begins to question the Amazonian way of life and see a new future for her people. Like the best of myths, this story finds truths in details and emotional insights. Not for everyone, but a treat for fans of Tamora Pierce and Hoffman's other novels.–Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. "Some stories are born out of misery and ashes and blood and terror": Hoffman's fourth novel for young adults, told in spare, lyrical vignettes, is one of these. In an all-female tribe of warriors, who kill all male babies and reproduce through sex with prisoners of war, the daughter of the fierce queen yearns for her mother's approval. Burdened by stigma (Rain was "born in sorrow" after the queen's rape) and by dark prophecies, the girl finds comfort in honing her battle skills and in developing friendships with other outsiders. After her mother dies bearing her second child, it falls to Rain to determine the future of her community--and her own. Many teens, particularly girls, will identify with Rain's self-doubt even as the young woman senses within herself "a kernel of something that was made out of fire." At the same time, the alien setting and fablelike narration offer limited opportunity for readers to remain connected with the characters. This will particularly attract girls intrigued by the gender reversal premise and book-report writers drawn by the slender length. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316154091
• ISBN-13: 978-0316154093
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,779 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Women Warriors, October 20, 2005

By	Amanda L. Addison (Gainesville, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Foretelling (Hardcover)

This is a newly released young adult fantasy novel about Amazonian women warriors (rock on!) who breed and live with horses in a sprit of sisterhood. The tale concerns Rain, an Amazon princess, who has ominous dreams of a black horse. Rain, who is the product of her mother's rape by fifty men, is ignored by her mother the Queen. Rain struggles with preparing for her upcoming rule, her mother's coldness, disagreements with her culture, and forbidden love. She also finds a sister, Io, in the daughter of her mother's female lover. Both Io and her mother were slaves in a patriarchal culture and each have a snake tattoo for each man that has raped them. Io's mother has over 200 snake tattoos. This book addresses goddess spirituality, sexuality, feminism, sexual violence, pacifism, and individuality. It is an exciting and quick read and a Girl-Power infused story.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ride like the wind with Rain, September 30, 2005

By	Peggy Tibbetts (Silt, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Foretelling (Hardcover)

Rain was born out of the violence and sorrow of rape to Alina, Queen of the Amazon warrior tribe. From a very young age she has always known she was the Queen-to-be, destined to take her mother's place. Because of the terrible circumstances of her birth, Rain wasn't raised or trained by her mother. In fact the Queen barely even looked at her. She was raised instead by Deborah, the priestess who foretells of another secret destiny in her future. Trained by her warrior cousins Asteria and Astella, she dedicates herself to becoming the best horsewoman and warrior in the tribe. She believes that is the way to gain her mother's acceptance. Her hopes are dashed however when Alina takes on the servant Penthe as her companion. To make matters worse, Penthe's daughter Io wants to be Rain's sister. But a fierce Amazon warrior has no time for sisters.

On her first solo journey with her white mare Sky, Rain finds a bear cub. She takes it back to her tribe and names it Usha. Io loves the cub as much as Rain does and together they raise her as their sister. Through this bond, Rain accepts Io as her little sister. When Usha grows up Rain rides her like a horse and imagines one day riding Usha into battle and frightening the warrior men with her power. But Usha is killed in Rain's first battle and she realizes her mistake. She trained Usha to be a horse instead of a bear.

Likewise, no matter how hard Rain strives to hate and kill men like all the other fierce warrior women in her tribe she is constantly drawn toward a different path of mercy and peace. Eventually Amazon traditions collide with her vision of the future and she faces the greatest test of her true destiny.

"The Foretelling" is an unusually spellbinding coming-of-age tale. Readers will ride like the wind along with Rain on this fascinating journey into the deeply sensuous tribal life of the Amazon.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving story, February 17, 2006

By	Kimberly Pauley "YA Author" (Grayslake, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Foretelling (Hardcover)

The Foretelling is a beautiful new story by Alice Hoffman based on the Amazonians. Rain is the daughter of the Amazonian leader and the next in line to lead the tribe of warrior women, but she is different and marked by the shame of the circumstances of her birth - her mother was attacked by 50 men. Rain is known as a girl of power, a girl stronger than 50 men, a girl of destiny.

But is her destiny to lead her people in the same type of life her mother lead them in? Or can she see a path of peace instead of war?

This is really a beautiful and dramatic story. Told in Rain's voice, every word is moving and will touch you like few stories do (or can). Almost dream-like in execution, the book is just a wonderful little thing. I very much enjoyed this one.

I recommend this book for readers aged 12 and up (even though the circumstances of Rain's birth are rough, they are dealt with gently and not really dwelt upon) and any lovers of mythology. This book will take your breath away.

--Kimberly Pauley, YA Books Goddess, www.yabookscentral.com