The Foretelling
A Novel
-
-
3.9 • 8 Ratings
-
-
- $27.99
-
- $27.99
Publisher Description
New York Times Bestseller: A lyrical, suspenseful coming-of-age story based on Greek myths of the Amazons, woman warriors living near the Black Sea.
Born out of sorrow in an ancient time of blood and war, Rain is a girl marked by destiny. Her mother, Alina, is the proud queen of a tribe of female warriors, yet she refuses to touch or even look at her only daughter. So Rain draws on the strength and knowledge of her Amazon sisters to learn the ways of her people: how to carve spoons out of bones, ride her white horse as fiercely as a demon, and shoot an arrow straight into the heart of an enemy.
Determined to win her mother's love and take her rightful place as the next queen, Rain becomes a brave and determined fighter. But the dream of a black horse clouds her future, portending death. As one devastating battle follows the next, Rain hopes for a different life for her tribe beyond never-ending bloodshed. Peace, mercy, and love, however, are forbidden words in her language—can Rain teach her sisters to speak in a new tongue before it's too late?
Inspired by Greek legends and recent archaeological discoveries in Russia and Ukraine, The Foretelling is a breathtaking achievement from the bestselling author of The Dovekeepers.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this alluring novel, Hoffman (Green Angel) evokes the pure, strong emotions of women in an Amazon tribe, through the poetic narrative of their heir-to-the-throne. Princess Rain feels a greater kinship to horses than to humans. Shunned by her mother (whose rape by 50 men led to her daughter's conception) and envied by other children, Rain leads an isolated existence, spending most of her days practicing marksmanship and horsemanship. By the time she enters her first battle, she is physically and mentally prepared to strike down her foes, but unlike the rest of her army, she finds no pleasure watching her enemies die ("When I walked through what was left of them, I felt something rising inside me.... Mercy"). Meanwhile, haunted by a dream of a black horse a common symbol of death she fears that her people, who equate compassion with weakness, may one day rise against her. Written as a series of impressionistic vignettes, the novel raises intense issues (especially regarding the spoils of war) and may be best appreciated by more sophisticated readers. Hoffman's prose eloquently expresses the beliefs and rituals of a lost civilization and offers a sympathetic portrait of a young leader who chooses kindness over cruelty. Ages 12-up.
