The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick

This is taken strictly from the back cover of the novel:

It is 1915, a few months after the start of World War I. Seventeen-year-old Sasha is a sheltered English girl. Just as her brother, Thomas, longs to be a doctor, Sasha wants to be a nurse. As the hospitals fill with young soldiers, she gets a chance to help. But working in the wards confirms what Sasha has suspected. She has a terrible gift: she can see the future. And as with Cassandra, the prophetess of Troy, no one believes her. Sasha's premonitions show her the horrors on the battlefields of the Somme and the faces of the soldiers who will die. One of them is here brother.

In this riveting story, Sasha risks her own life as she races to find Thomas and--somehow--prevent his death.

Marcus Sedgwick has been hailed as "one of the UK's brightest stars...one of the most compelling storytellers around" (The Bookseller), and this haunting study of fate and free will is his most powerful novel yet.


ISBN # 978-0-553-48785-5
Published Laurel-Leaf, 2008
291 pages

Summary:
This novel is broken into two parts. One thing that was really interesting to me was that it begins with Chapter 101 and counts backwards. As the suspense in the novel builds, the way Sedwick chooses to number the chapters is almost a countdown, or ticking time bomb, to the impending tragedies that Sasha sees before anyone else. Hence, the reason Sasha views this gift more-so a curse. She is so determined to use this ability to save the life of her beloved brother, but can she? The ending really caught me by surprise, so I won't ruin it for you. I thought this was a great book overall.


Lingering Thoughts:
I have tried to put myself inside of Sasha's shoes and imagine what life would be like if no one believed me. I feel as if her "gift" scared the people who loved her-people are, after all, scared of the unknown. Since I personally have a fear of death, I could understand the reactions of her parents. What I can't imagine is being her, or having absolutely no one to confide in. On one hand, I'm not so sure I believe in premonitions; on the other, just because it has never happened to me doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist. I could somewhat relate this book to movies such as Final Destination or The Sixth Sense. If you enjoyed these movies and are interested in historical fiction, you will love this book. Great read, although a bit gory at times in the descriptions of war injuries.


You can take a peak inside of the book and/or buy the novel here.

You can visit the author's website here.