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The Foreshadowing
It is 1915 and the First World War has only just begun.
17 year old Sasha is a well-to-do, sheltered-English girl. Just as her brother Thomas longs to be a doctor, she wants to nurse, yet girls of her class don't do that kind of work. But as the war begins and the hospitals fill with young soldiers, she gets a chance to help. But working in the hospital confirms what Sasha ...more
17 year old Sasha is a well-to-do, sheltered-English girl. Just as her brother Thomas longs to be a doctor, she wants to nurse, yet girls of her class don't do that kind of work. But as the war begins and the hospitals fill with young soldiers, she gets a chance to help. But working in the hospital confirms what Sasha ...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
December 18th 2007
by Laurel Leaf
(first published July 1st 2005)
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Really - a glimpse of World War I life through the eyes of an upper class girl who can see the future (deaths, that is) and runs away to France in hope of finding her brother and saving him from his death. There's nothing in here that we haven't seen, be it trenches or shell-shocked soldiers. The characters are definitely not deep; in fact, there are hardly any interesting, difficult, twisted characters to meet and be entertained by. The protagonist herself speaks with in a monotone, a constant ...more
This book shows the hardships of life and war. Seventeen-year-old Alexandra has a extremely exotic gift-or as she calls it a "curse"-she has premonitions of the very disturbing subject of death. As her visions keep coming, she has one very dark, pronounced premonition. Her brother being killed in war. She knows her visions are uncontrolable, but tries to keep her vision from happening.
This book came to my intrest because I had just recently finished Richard Adams' "...more
This book came to my intrest because I had just recently finished Richard Adams' "...more
Do you believe in Fate? Can you change Fate?
When she was five, Alexandra foresaw her friend's imminent death. It alarmed her parents who spent the next 12 years in denial, suppressing her memories of that event. Now, at 17, she hears horror stories about World War I in full swing just across the English Channel. Her father, a doctor, exhorts both his sons to "do your bit" and join in the glory of war. But Alexandra foresees her brother's death. When it comes true, her other brothe...more
When she was five, Alexandra foresaw her friend's imminent death. It alarmed her parents who spent the next 12 years in denial, suppressing her memories of that event. Now, at 17, she hears horror stories about World War I in full swing just across the English Channel. Her father, a doctor, exhorts both his sons to "do your bit" and join in the glory of war. But Alexandra foresees her brother's death. When it comes true, her other brothe...more
M. Sedgwick's setting is war and he was able to steep enough "shadow" into this book that I actually felt a little scared to turn the page. It was a dark book, not in the traditional "evil" since, but in the foreboding that filled every chapter. I did not know that Sasha was going to do what she did - it actually really suprised me - but throughout the entire book I had a dark feeling of hanging on edge, and dread - wongness. It was as if I knew, just as Sasha knew, that s...more
As dark and full of foreboding as the black cover with barbed wire would indicate. Very much a British perspective on fighting in WWI. Sasha has an unusual gift, or curse, of being able to foretell death in some circumstances. Such a skill isn't appropriate for a 17-year-old girl who is the daughter of a doctor. It isn't spoken of or acknowledged.
Alexandra(Sasha)loses her gung-ho brother to the fighting in France, and that prompts her pacific brother Thomas, who was training to be...more
Alexandra(Sasha)loses her gung-ho brother to the fighting in France, and that prompts her pacific brother Thomas, who was training to be...more
I have found within the pages of this book most of the elements that, in my mind, create a great story. Family, love, pain, hope and death. The book took me back to a different world -- a world of a horrifying war. It made my head spin with questions about the people in real life who had survived through the war and were able to handle losing their loved ones almost everyday. Or maybe they weren't. It makes the problems that I face seem silly and insignificant in front of what the people had fac...more
This story of Sasha, a young girl who has premonitions when someone is going to die. With the advent of the Great War, this becomes something of a curse for her as she begins to see things she doesn't want to see.
This story is told almost like journal entries, with brief chapters of only a page or two. It is the impressions and feelings of Sasha, a teenage girl who steals an identity and runs off to France, posing as a nurse, to save someone she loves.
I like the styling of the book, ...more
This story is told almost like journal entries, with brief chapters of only a page or two. It is the impressions and feelings of Sasha, a teenage girl who steals an identity and runs off to France, posing as a nurse, to save someone she loves.
I like the styling of the book, ...more
The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick was a thrilling book about unnatural abilities and World War One. The Foreshadowing is about a young girl named Alexandra who can see the future. This book takes place during World War One .Both of Alexandra’s brothers went away to the war. In this book Alexandra foresees the death of her eldest brother, Edgar. But it is too late to save him. Soon after she has a premonition about her brother Thomas. She sees him get shot in the war. So to save him Alexan...more
Alexandra can see other people’s deaths before they occur. This ability manifested itself when she was four and she saw her playmate, Claire, die in a vision. She continues to predict deaths and it upsets her parents and brothers who start denying that she has ability, until she is able to suppress it and deny it herself. Then Until World War 1 begins and her brothers enlist and she sees her older brother’s death in a vision. She hopes it’s nothing but a dream, but cannot deny that she still...more
I liked the background information this book gave about me about the first world war especially since I need it for my English A Level class. But all in all, the story never really got me. I felt it was quite repetitive at times and in others just too good to be true. I mean, this is the war, people die in the war, it's hell on earth, but never do we get a proper description except for; what Alexandra saw was too horrible to describe. As for the end, it felt like the author got exceptionally bor...more
I loved how original and unique this book was. This novel is a creative hybrid of historical fiction and sci-fi where the protagonist has one unique ability: the ability to see the future, more specifically, death.
The historical setting of England and France during World War I create the atmosphere of war; yet, it does not expose the reader to the complete horrors and atrocities of war. Just its presence. The novel takes you through the journey of a young girl, Alexandra Fox, and ...more
The historical setting of England and France during World War I create the atmosphere of war; yet, it does not expose the reader to the complete horrors and atrocities of war. Just its presence. The novel takes you through the journey of a young girl, Alexandra Fox, and ...more
It was really interesting to learn about the way things were for women back then and how the main character really felt like she need to do something more than just sit around the house all day I also enjoyed the settings and how she went to the war but what really disapointed me was that the main character didn't fall in love with Hodoo Jack who would be a perfect match for her because he would understand her the best of anyone if there was another book they would have deffinatly been together ...more
A fantastic story about a young upper middle class woman and how she gets pulled into a war. It all starts when she's 5 years old and "sees" the death of her best friend. From that moment on she is on a path that parallels the tragic story of Cassandra of Troy.
Of course, our main character in this story doesn't suffer quite as much trauma. The historical references in this story leave the reader enriched. Unless you're a war or history buff, you're bound to learn from thi...more
Of course, our main character in this story doesn't suffer quite as much trauma. The historical references in this story leave the reader enriched. Unless you're a war or history buff, you're bound to learn from thi...more
Wow, another fabulous story, this time set in the First World War and taken from a woman's viewpoint or rather, a teenage girl's viewpoint. Sasha Fox is distraught after she has a premonition regarding her two brothers away fighting in the war. She comes to the conclusion that in order to save her brothers she must get away from the her cosy life and the only way she can do so is by being cunning. I don't want to give the plot away but suffice to say that sometimes one must be cruel to be kind. ...more
Centered around two characters blessed (or cursed) with foresight, this book is a great concept book. It was interesting to have Sasha mention it feeling like time is moving backwards as the chapters are numbered in descending order. Set during World War I, Sasha is the typical spunky heroine who won't take no for an answer, even if it means getting herself in dangerous situations. However, there isn't a lot to be gained from her insight and realizations at the end of the book. A good read, but ...more
I really enjoyed this book. World War I has been my latest fascination and suits this book as the background of this middle class family's interactions, all the tensions and attachments hang out for the reader to appreciate. I found the foreshadowing piece (I know it is the central theme of the story, hence the title) awkward, I just don't believe, but it did move the plot along and created a terrific climax.
This was a good book. Interesting premise, and it even had a few great quotes that really got me thinking. Loved the twist at the end.
One thing - the girl was... hmm, not too much like a girl. It isn't completely apparent, except to girls. I didn't realize it until I was thinking about how the death and blood is described (she's a nurse in WW1), and it's not very emotional. Not nearly as emotional as a girl would be. He had the basics, but the complexity of emotion was lacking, and the de...more
One thing - the girl was... hmm, not too much like a girl. It isn't completely apparent, except to girls. I didn't realize it until I was thinking about how the death and blood is described (she's a nurse in WW1), and it's not very emotional. Not nearly as emotional as a girl would be. He had the basics, but the complexity of emotion was lacking, and the de...more
“It would be like reading a book you know very well, but reading it backward, from the final chapter down to chapter one, so that the end is already known to you.” - this is the last phrase in chapter 75 (technically, chapter 27); and this is how exactly the chapter numbers were in the book – started with chapter 101, ended with chapter 1.
The book is a first person narrative of an English girl, Alexandra who lived in the early 1900’s during the First World War. She was able to se...more
The book is a first person narrative of an English girl, Alexandra who lived in the early 1900’s during the First World War. She was able to se...more
Pollyanna36
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
those looking for something a little different than the run of the mill predictable story.
This novel actually surprised me. I don't know how many of you are familiar with the movie term "sleeper," but this book definitely fits in that category. From the onset, you can tell this book will be like no other you've read with its brief chapters that run backwards. While it could be labeled as an historical fiction, it touches the realm of the paranormal.
We are introduced to the heroine of our story as a young child who predicts the death of her little friend. Whe...more
We are introduced to the heroine of our story as a young child who predicts the death of her little friend. Whe...more
This book set in World War I is about a sweet young woman who sees the future but not the good things. As a young girl she sees the death of a friend. Her journey is not easy and often is very sad but in the end she comes to terms with her gift/curse and ... well, I enjoyed reading it. It is an easy read.
i loved the concept...it was great without the romance even if i prefer there to be at least a bit romance in books, i still loved the main character's persistence in helping out her brother. somehow i only remember her other brother's name Edgar [: her foreshadowing was unexpected [:
A look at WWI and the stifled life of woman of that era. Sasha has premonitions of others' impending deaths, and yet this story is oddly flat, maybe because the character does not want to confront this "gift". I enjoyed this for the history more than the story itself.
Stefan
added it
The world is flooded,and young girl get's sepparated from her parents...like the rest of his novels this one too is little depressing but through that depression and inevitable fight that our heroes must endure we find glimpses of hope for the better tomorrow..
This book was so cool! I have read other books by this author and they were really good and this one lived up to the standards. It is about Alexandra and she finds out that she can see peoples deaths. Whenever she has a premonition she tries to tell people about it and warn them but no one will believe her. Then one night in a dream she sees the death of her brother Thomas and she is determined to changed the future.
She journeys from her comfortable home in England all the way to Franc...more
She journeys from her comfortable home in England all the way to Franc...more
The plot was very creative and I didn't hate the book as I was reading it. The end was so anticlimatic and unfinished I feel. Also, I feel like his voice was too modern for World War I and I wasn't convinced that I was reading the voice of a teenage girl.
While watching Christopher play with the toys in the kids' section, I picked this up in the adjacent teen section of the library. A quick, well-paced read about a girl who can see others' deaths and how this affects her during the first world war.
World War I...a young girl in England foresees the death of her brother. She travels to find him in the trenches of France so she can change his death. Excellent! The author does a fantastic job showing the absolute waste of war.
This book is a book that allows you to travel back in time, into World War 1. Sasha goes on an amazing, brave adventure that no one else would have gone on. She is very selfless if she is risking her life to save her own brother.
My only complaint really is the ending. It didn't really hit me as a "that was awesome" type of book, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. Deals with WWI and a girl who sees her brother's future, pretends to be a nurse to find him and then attempts to save him from dying.
Very interesting read about a girl who can see the future. Takes place in WW1 and when her brother goes to fight, and she sees his death, she decides that she must run away from her safety in England and try and save him.
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Marcus Sedgwick (b 1968) was born in Kent, England. Marcus is a British author and illustrator as well as a musician. He used to play for two bands namely playing the drums for Garrett and as the guitarist in an ABBA tribute group. He has published novels such as Floodland (winner of the Branford Boase Award in 2001) and The Dark Horse (shortlisted for The Guardian Children's Book Award 2002).
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“I'm just a girl in a nurse's uniform, but that doesn't mean I know how to save these men, and they- they are men in uniforms, but that doesn't mean they know how to die.”
—
10 people liked it
“And if I really can see the future, then what does it mean? Is there any sense in our lives if everything is already out there, just waiting to happen? For if that were so, then life would be a horrible monster indeed, with no chance of escape from fate, from destiny. It would be like reading a book, but reading it backwards, from the final chapter down to chapter one, so that the end is already known to you.”
—
3 people liked it
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please tell me.i lost the book and have a report due on it tomorrow!
Nov 30, 2010 05:35pm
please tell me.i lost the book and have a report due on it tomorrow!"
Oh, u...more
Nov 30, 2010 06:22pm