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18th out of 36 books
—
183 voters
The Foretelling
A coming-of-age story that pierces the soul and heals the spirit, this is the tale of the future leader of the Amazon women warriors. Rain must hold fast to her inner warrior, but she is startled and mystified by the first stirrings of mercy towards the enemy.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
September 6th 2006
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
(first published September 7th 2005)
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Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
In this intense yet complicated fantasy story, Rain attempts to gain her mother's notice and acceptance by being the best of warriors in their Amazonian tribe. The product of a rape when her mother, Alina, wasn't much more than a child herself, it is hard to gain the Queen's approval. Although Rain knows that she's been raised by Deborah, the wise priestess, to one day be Queen herself, she also pays attention to Deborah's promises of a much grander destiny.
Ra...more
In this intense yet complicated fantasy story, Rain attempts to gain her mother's notice and acceptance by being the best of warriors in their Amazonian tribe. The product of a rape when her mother, Alina, wasn't much more than a child herself, it is hard to gain the Queen's approval. Although Rain knows that she's been raised by Deborah, the wise priestess, to one day be Queen herself, she also pays attention to Deborah's promises of a much grander destiny.
Ra...more
Rain is born to her mother out of sorrow. Rather than a joyous event, her birth marks the permanence of the attack her mother suffered caught alone out on the fields. The Priestesses tell Rain she has the strength of all 50 men, but the consolation means little to her, as her mother the Queen will not speak to her.
As queen-to-be of a fierce Amazon tribe, Rain seeks to know all, and excel. She rides her horse until they become one. She rescues a bear cub, and learns to ride it as well. But in see...more
As queen-to-be of a fierce Amazon tribe, Rain seeks to know all, and excel. She rides her horse until they become one. She rescues a bear cub, and learns to ride it as well. But in see...more
The Foretelling has a wonderful premise with much mysticism and wonderfully strong women. But the narrative I found strange. While things are at times wonderfully described, I often felt like the story was being summarized for me.
I found each character intriguing, but was eventually disappointed as there seemed to be no growth in anyone but for the main character, Rain. I wanted to know more about Melek and his people, more about Deborah. There were tantalizing tidbits, but no actual depth or di...more
I found each character intriguing, but was eventually disappointed as there seemed to be no growth in anyone but for the main character, Rain. I wanted to know more about Melek and his people, more about Deborah. There were tantalizing tidbits, but no actual depth or di...more
The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman is about a time where woman ruled the countries, and men were scared of their kingdom. Woman that were warriors and not slaves for men. They would go to war with men, and when they won, they would take their prisoners to mate, producing more woman, and if a boy was born, he was sacrificed. The main character was Rain. Her mother was the queen but disliked the princess, her daughter very much. When Rain has to step up to the plate when her mother dies, and the peo...more
I like Alice Hoffman and really loved some of her works but I found that this one was really bad. I got this on the thought it would be similar to Green Angel but I was wrong. The story starts out really well,this amazon warrior girl Rain belongs to a tribe of amazons and they are at constant war with men and Rain is the daughter of the female chief. If you read the description and the first few chapters you think it is really good but then it starts to go haywire.First since their are no men in...more
The first words: "I was born out of sorrow, so my mother named me Rain."
This sets the book up for a short and lyrical coming of age story through the eyes of Rain as one of the legendary Amazon sisters. Rain's birth was anything but joyous because it was born out of gang rape, so her mother shunned her. As she grows she learns everything she can about life of the Amazons. For knowledge is power and she much know how the whole society runs. She excels in horse training and riding and becomes as...more
This sets the book up for a short and lyrical coming of age story through the eyes of Rain as one of the legendary Amazon sisters. Rain's birth was anything but joyous because it was born out of gang rape, so her mother shunned her. As she grows she learns everything she can about life of the Amazons. For knowledge is power and she much know how the whole society runs. She excels in horse training and riding and becomes as...more
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I have very mixed feelings about this book. I would definitely put it in the Young Adult category (wish I'd known that before I let my 10 year-old read it!). No bad language, but the SUBTLE references to lesbianism, rape, other procreative activities, menstrual traditions, and general violence of this all-female tribe are definitely not appropriate (in my opinion) for the young. Like I said, it was all very poetically and subtly done, so maybe (crossing my fingers) it all went over her head.
That...more
That...more
I loved this book, loved the writing, the characters and the imagery.
A bit different to my usual fare: although this is a story about Amazon women - and they certainly are immensely strong in physical prowess, will power and determination - it is a story about seeking peace, redemption, love and balance.
This book does have implied and recollected scenes of significant horror - gang rapes and sexual slavery - which were just bearable for this wussy reviewer, but more importantly, may be themes to...more
A bit different to my usual fare: although this is a story about Amazon women - and they certainly are immensely strong in physical prowess, will power and determination - it is a story about seeking peace, redemption, love and balance.
This book does have implied and recollected scenes of significant horror - gang rapes and sexual slavery - which were just bearable for this wussy reviewer, but more importantly, may be themes to...more
This is a beautifully-written retelling of the Amazon myths. It's interesting for the subject matter alone--I've never come across a straight (pardon the pun) take on a female warrior society in a nonmagical setting.
Despite her intended audience, Hoffman doesn't flinch away from hard truths. I loved that sort of thing when I was young--dark, gritty books that secretly bothered me for months--and this short novel will appeal to a certain type of girl. The book's true virtue is its ability blend...more
Despite her intended audience, Hoffman doesn't flinch away from hard truths. I loved that sort of thing when I was young--dark, gritty books that secretly bothered me for months--and this short novel will appeal to a certain type of girl. The book's true virtue is its ability blend...more
This book was simply beautiful. There's no other way to describe it. While the sentences and writing may have been short and concise, it felt as if I saw the scenes and details in the book so vividly. The language and phrasing and overall content was beautiful. The themes were well thought out and explored.
I read the book in the span of two hours yet it felt like five minutes, and still it wasn't a too easy or light read. While I didn't cry at any of the sad parts, I felt... content, throughout...more
I read the book in the span of two hours yet it felt like five minutes, and still it wasn't a too easy or light read. While I didn't cry at any of the sad parts, I felt... content, throughout...more
I am kind of under the impression that this book was marketed as a children's book, but really it is more appropriate for a young adult. I don't think mean appropriate regarding content, although I definitely think that some parts would go over a kids head, but I think it would be more interesting for a teen girl. This is the story of Rain, a product of the rape of the Queen of the Amazons. Because of the circumstances of her birth, her mother doesn't acknowledge her the way other mothers in the...more
Quite honestly, this was the first book I've read of Hoffman's. I've seen Practical Magic and have always thought about buying it, but other books caught my eye. This one was on my amazon wish list and given to me by my best friend. I was expecting a more coming of age book but instead got treated to a wonderful story set in a mythic age. It reminded me more of oral stories written by Native Americans than a traditional tale. Our heroine, comes to grips with herself and her position within an am...more
Rain is to be the next Queen of the Amazons. Can she be? Does she want to be? Does her mother the Queen think she can do it?
An odd little book, with a very strange narrative style. Perhaps it is meant to read like a myth, I just found it awkward and contrived. This story seems like a short story that got too long. The book is also an awkward design--taller and narrower, with full double-spacing and lots of extra space at the chapter title pages. To make it seem longer, methinks.
Also, the tattoos...more
An odd little book, with a very strange narrative style. Perhaps it is meant to read like a myth, I just found it awkward and contrived. This story seems like a short story that got too long. The book is also an awkward design--taller and narrower, with full double-spacing and lots of extra space at the chapter title pages. To make it seem longer, methinks.
Also, the tattoos...more
Before starting this book, I had two thoughts: Either this book is going to be surprisingly good, or I'm going to really dislike it. Well, I didn't end up really disliking it, but I certainly didn't love it, either. Or even really like it. Stories of sisterhood kind of nauseate me to begin with because they are more often than not lectures against men, and all of the female characters have major chips on their shoulders and the "I-can-beat-anyone" attitude. I'll give the Author this: her women w...more
Carol brought this to me along with another Alice Hoffman book, as she is prone to doing from time to time, bless her. I've never read Hoffman but gather that she tells a good love story, so I decided to start with the short, lyrical, young adult book about Amazon warriors who only keep their male captives around when they feel like procreating. The writing was skillful and evocative, and I'm grateful that it didn't devolve into a love story about the warrior heiress who ends up finding her soft...more
Women who war against men, slice off a breast so they may become better archers, like black widow spiders, carry on the population with drug induced orgies that often end in the death of their mates, is hard to accept. But, when one considers the fact that women are routinely raped, beaten and mutilated in third world countries and even here in the U.S. it does seem fitting that women should take on the face of the warrior. The heroine Rain, a child of rape, is born into sorrow. In this richly i...more
This is the story of Rain, a young Amazon girl coming of age on the steppes of Russia. A child born of pain and sorrow, the daughter of a Queen, a master horsewoman, sister of the bear, Rain struggles to come to terms with her past, her present, and her future. She is touched by Deborah's foretelling and begins to see there is more to life than war and prowess in battle. Will she have the strength to seize her destiny or will she succumb to the harsh life her people have always known? Is it real...more
The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman follows Rain through her hard life as an Amazon woman. Despised by her mother since birth and queen-to-be, Rain must prove to her mother, to her people, and especially to herself that she is fit to lead.
I enjoyed reading The Foretelling very much. Alice Hoffman wrote in such a poetic way it was hard to put the book down. I read it in just a couple of hours. I loved that it was based in the past instead of being another Young Adult dystopian love story. I really a...more
I enjoyed reading The Foretelling very much. Alice Hoffman wrote in such a poetic way it was hard to put the book down. I read it in just a couple of hours. I loved that it was based in the past instead of being another Young Adult dystopian love story. I really a...more
This is an interesting, very succinct book. And while I liked the characters and the world that was strongly evoked and the themes that were glanced over, there so little depth to it. Which, I get is the nature of the novella, but it kept me from really getting into it or saying I loved it. I can say I liked the themes, but I can't really say I liked the book.
Even so, I enjoyed reading about Rain and I liked the mythic nature of the story. There were times I wanted more of the story and times I...more
Even so, I enjoyed reading about Rain and I liked the mythic nature of the story. There were times I wanted more of the story and times I...more
I liked this book and how different things were to their tribe compared to how it is now and how we live. They think everything has meaning and read into things a little more than we do. They ride horses all the time. One thing I thought was different was that they dont have men in there tribe. It's all women. Wmen cook, ckean, take care of families, and fight. They are warriors and men frm neighboring tribes always try and take there land but the women always win and keep their lands. I thought...more
Apr 21, 2010
Ginn
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
historical-fiction
I love Hoffman's prose, it feels more like art and that's how writing should be. This is the story of a tribe of women warriors who live near the Black Sea in ancient times. They are among the first in the area to tame horses to ride and successfully use them in battle. The central character, Rain, is destined to be the Queen of the tribe, but keeps having dreams of the Black Horse, the tribe's symbol for death.
I don't think everyone would enjoy it, since it has some mature content (though neve...more
I don't think everyone would enjoy it, since it has some mature content (though neve...more
I had read this book before, but didn't really remember anything about it. It's a quick read, and I finished it in about a day and a half. I've only read Hoffman's novels for young adults, and the style is somewhat sparse. That's not not a bad thing; it just gives a different feel to the story. It seems more like a story you'd hear sitting around the campfire with the people from the book, which I thought was interesting. It has a mythic, fable-like quality. Hoffman's prose is beautiful and almo...more
Well this book is a very quick read and I finished it in a few hours. Its a beautiful story and unlike anything I have ever read. Rain is the Queen to Be in an Amazon type kingdom all women.. warrior women. They destroy men and use them only for mating. Rain's mother is the Queen and she can't stand Rain because she is a product of rape. Rain can't help it but that doesn't stop her from feeling horrible. Rain is very confused because she starts feeling things and thinking things she shouldn't. I...more
Rain is an Amazon and the result of a 50 men pile up upon her mother so it is no great surprise that her mother, the queen, chooses to ignore her presence. That doesn't stop Rain from trying to be the best warrior, rider, and queen in training she can be tho.
She kills men, rides bears, experiences love and loss both while struggling to gain her mother's affections. By the time her mother shows her kindness tho, it may be too late. If her mother will not accept her as a queen, how can Rain expect...more
She kills men, rides bears, experiences love and loss both while struggling to gain her mother's affections. By the time her mother shows her kindness tho, it may be too late. If her mother will not accept her as a queen, how can Rain expect...more
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Although I gave this 5 stars I do have a few complaints--I wish the story had been longer and the romance developed more. I also wish I'd read it before writing The Sorceress Queen for Alternative Alamat as I'm sure its picture of female dominance would have aided me in developing my own queen. Now I'm dying to write my own story about a similar tribe. But this book was wonderful, told in perfect language, and has an ending that surprises but feels perfectly right.
A pleasure to read! The setting of this brief novel is in an ancient pre-historical period among a ficticious tribe of warrior women, possibly [it is hinted] those that gave birth to the legends of the Amazons. Narrated by it's heroine, Rain, it is a "coming of age" story and is remarkable for the authenticity of her voice. Told simply in a stark prose that is powerfully evocative of a barely remembered past, though short you will not easily forget her story.
Sep 21, 2011
Molly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Grace Ann Griffin
Recommended to Molly by:
Emily Watson
The Fortelling had an unsual atmosphere, tone, and mood that really dipicted the setting and lifestyle of the main character. A young Amazoinan girl, learning to be queen and her life up to that point. The writing style was completely unique from any other I've come accross, when reading. It was almost like the book had really been written by an Amazonian Queen instead of a 21st century author.
Really a good read and exceptional story.
Really a good read and exceptional story.
Alice Hoffman is a good writer. She beautifully captures the mystical connection our heroine has with her culture, but I did not think this book was a particularly good YA book. I really don't know what it would offer a YA reader. Yes it was about a cult of strong women: Amazons of legend and there is a strong protagonist. Hoffman portrays her struggles from a single point of view and there seemed to me very little tension and drama in that.
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 tha...more
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 tha...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's The Name o...: Warrior Women - Horses, yellow eyes and a baby [s] | 3 | 31 | Feb 10, 2013 04:47pm |
Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing. She currently lives in Boston and New York...more
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