The Foretelling

Very mythic in scope; it's the story of a young woman who grows up to be the queen of a band of female warriors (Amazons).

It's a beautiful writing style. (The opening line is: "I was born out of sorrow, so my mother named me Rain.") However, there are broad sections of years and actions that are told in a summary fashion, and conversations are as sparse as the details.

I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it really does read a lot like an old myth with all the ensuing faults and advantages rather than a novel. ( )

Reminiscent of some of Ursula K. Le Guin's shorter works, this fantasy reads something like an extended legend moreso than a novel. It took some time to get started, unlike the other work I've read from Hoffman, but the narrator's soft and poetic voice ended up gaining momentum after a few chapters, when there was less exposition and more straightforward story-telling. And, for fans of story-telling and the old-fashioned feel that can come from a single narrator delivering a story with ease and scant details, this book will be a real find.

The characters are rendered beautifully, and the story itself is original and well-paced. After the exposition leads into the story, you can't help but be sucked into the world of the tale, and it's well worth the journey. This is a quick read, and one which wavers between dark fiction for a young adult and an adult's simply told fantasy, but I think it will be an ideal find for many readers. ( )

The Foretelling is Alice Hoffman’s fourth book for young readers, and what a great tale it is. Rain, the female hero, is a young Amazon princess who was born to Alina, Queen of the legendary Amazon warriors. She is destined to become the Queen of the Amazons, as told in the prophecies of her people. Told in spare, gorgeous way, we learn that Rain is raised by the other women of the tribe, her mother unable to be close to her as Rain is the child of a violent rape. Rain, like all girls of her tribe, is raised on mare’s milk (female horse) and nurtured with the strength of the warriors. She is a girl given to dark dreams and strange longings.
Rain is determined to win her mother’s love and become the best Amazon warrior there is. She practices constantly on her horse, learning tricks and becoming so one with it that she exceeds even Amazonian expectations. None of what she does wins her the love she craves though, and Rain grows up always feeling a bit different and alone. She must find her place within the tribe and become a Queen in her own right, and bring about a very different future for her people. This story is remarkable in its ability to bring a legendary and little-known culture to life. Alice Hoffman’s Amazons are larger than life, but very real and multi-dimensional. Rain’s quest to find herself and her place in the midst of war, turmoil and treachery is astounding and quite wonderful. It’s such an eloquent, believable and poetic story. I definetly recommend it! ( )

I heard so many great reviews on Alice Hoffman and after reading Practical Magic I thought I'd give her another try. I decided to go with a young adult book because of the amount of language in Practical Magic. I am proud to say that there was no bad language (or very little) in this book. I am sorry to say that it was a similar writing style that continued to make me feel distant from the characters. There was still no connection to them at all. It was a fun story though and I did enjoy it. I just wish I had a better understanding of the main characters in this story. To see full review go here http://books4linda.blogspot.com/2011/03/foretelling-by-alice-hoffman.html ( )

My favourite book of all time ;) ( )