Bibliographic Information: Sedgwick. M. (2006). The foreshadowing. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN: 0-385746466
Awards & Honors: ALA Best Book for Young Adults; NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies; Outstanding International Booklist; Recommended Reading-Junior Library Guild
Plot Summary: In 1915, as World War I starts, Sasha longs to be a nurse. Her brother, Thomas, dreams of studying medicine and being a doctor. Their father, a prominent English doctor, opposes them both in their plans. He believes Thomas should enlist and contribute to the war effort like his older brother Edgar has, rather than go to medical school, and he doesn’t think nursing is an appropriate pursuit for his daughter. He is also alarmed by Sasha’s ability to clairvoyantly foresee death. The first of these visions came when she was five. She has learned since then not to speak of this ability to anyone in her family, but keeps with her a book of Greek myths, in which the story of Cassandra helps her understand the power she has.
Sasha does persuade her father to let her try her hand in the hospital as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment), but is dismissed from her position when it is found out that she has been secretly communicating with a shell-shocked patient and that she has foreseen the death of patients. Meanwhile, her older brother Edgar has gone missing, Sasha knows he is dead. Thomas, in a fit of anger, does enlist and is sent to the war. Sasha has recurring visions of Thomas standing in the path of an oncoming bullet. She resolves to save him and steals a nurse’s uniform and papers, setting off to France in search of him. On her journey, Sasha encounters an eccentric young soldier called Hoodoo Jack who appears to have clairvoyant abilities like hers. He goes AWOL with her to find Thomas and when they do, there is an unexpected twist.
Critical Evaluation: The Foreshadowing is a well-developed novel that accurately reflects the attitudes and environment in England at the beginning of the first World War. Sedgwick skillfully connects these young adults’ struggles for power and self-determination with the deepest questions about fate, will, and interpretations of patriotism. Sedgwick uses a countdown device to effectively build suspense: the first chapter is titled, 101, and the count finishes at 1. Some chapters are headed with numbers, but left blank, denoting lost time, shock, and grief. The Foreshadowing is a finely crafted story that is a pleasure to read. It is worth mentioning that Sedgwick is an engraver and that wood cut illustrations of his adorn the book to great effect.
Annotation: Sasha, a 17-year-old English girl, had her premonition of death when she was five years old and saw the impending demise of her little friend. Now, as her brother goes off to fight in World War I, she has another vision and goes on a dangerous quest to save him.
About the Author: Marcus Sedgwick is a British author and winner of the Branford Boase Award for his debut novel, Floodland. He has worked as a stone and wood engraver, book seller and illustrator.
Sedgwick has written more than a dozen books for children and young adults. Many have dark themes and are based in historic events paired with paranormal elements (Anonymous, 2010).
Anonymous. (2010). Marcus Sedgwick (1968-) biography – personal, addresses, career, honors awards, writings, sidelights. Retrieved from http://biography.jrank.org
Genre: Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Coming of Age
Curriculum Ties: English, History, World War I
Booktalking Ideas: The Foreshadowing presents varied ideas about the meaning of patriotism. Describe this from the perspectives of each of the siblings (Sasha, Edgar, and Thomas).
Interest Age: 12 and older
Challenge Issues: None are foreseen.
Reason for Inclusion: Aside from being a work of good quality writing, The Foreshadowing is also a wonderful vehicle for understanding some of the experiences of young people in WWI and feelings about war in general. The book also explores timeless young adult themes such as autonomy.
See an interview with Marcus Sedgwick:
