Foretold review by alphatauri
Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction
by Carrie Ryan
Age Range - 12 and up
Genre - Anthology
Five Star Award

LitPick Review

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Age at time of review - 13
Reviewer's Location - Great Neck, NY, United States
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Have you ever wondered who truly controls your future--the universe or yourself? That's the question that Foretold sets out to answer. In this collection of fourteen original stories by fourteen different authors, you'll find various takes on the age-old question, ranging from apocalyptic predictions to simple prophecies. 

Opinion: 

Gentlemen Send Phantoms by Laini Taylor--This was a great way to kick off the collection. Three girls all desire the same boy, but who will he send his phantom too? The writing was beautiful, third-person prose, although I liked, not loved, the plot. 4/5.

Burned Bright by Diana Peterfreund--Things get a bit heavier in this story, which will undoubtedly remind some readers of the movie 2012. Bright has always believed her father's prophecies of the apocalpyse, but what happens when she still stays on Earth after the apocalypse? There was an eerie twist at the end, and I loved this story overall. 5/5.

The Angriest Man by Lisa McMann--The shortest story in the collection. This one's about a boy and his intriguing tie to the angriest man. I really didn't like this one, and I didn't feel that the author accomplished anything in the nine short pages it existed. 2/5. 

Out of the Blue by Meg Cabot--This was a very fast read. Two twins are interviewed about a strange encounter they had with an alien ship, and I liked how their voices were distinct. It was light and fluffy, just like the author's other works. 4/5.

One True Love by Malinda Lo--This story feels just like a Greek prophecy, but that's certainly not a complaint. A king receives that when his daughter, the princess, finds her one true love, it will be his downfall, so he keeps her away from all men. All in all, this was classic storytelling mixed with a modern twist, and it even inspired me to go learn about the author's other work. 4.5/5 

This Is a Mortal Wound by Michael Grant--Another quick ride about a boy who gets kidnapped by his teacher. The best part of it is that there's no change in the main character throughout the entire story, and if you read that, you'll see why that's a good thing. 4/5.

Misery by Heather Brewer--Alek knows that Misery is a strange name for a town, but not even he could begin to guess at its shocking secret. I LOVED this story, especially how the author incorporated the prophecy portion into it. 5/5. 

The Mind is a Powerful Thing by Matt de la Pena--A paranoid girl gets a fortune cookie with an ominous fortune, which will change things no one ever dreamed of changing. By the end of the night, none of her and her friends' lives will be the same again. The mind is a powerful thing, indeed. 4/5. 

The Chosen One by Saundra Mitchell--This was, undoubtedly, the jewel in this book's shiny crown. In a mere 40 pages or so, it manages to stuff just above everything readers love into her story--a quest, a kingdom in danger, a great sisterly bond and characters, and more. It reminded me of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. I will definitely be checking out more stuff by this author soon. 5/5. 

Improbable Futures by Kami Garcia-- A fake fortune teller is part of a canival with her mom. She wants to stop because she thinks she's tricking people, but is she truly fake? The ending to this was a bit too open for my liking. 3.5/5.

Death for the Deathless by Margaret Stohl-- It's the end of the world for the immortals, as Nostradamus predicted. I enjoyed the unique Paris setting, but again, the ending was too open. 3.5/5.

Fate by Simone Elkeles--Another light and breezy one. This one is a simple and straightforward yet sweet love story between two complex individuals. The overall tone of this one really cheers you up, and the ending of this especially made me smile. 4/5. 

The Killing Garden by Carrie Ryan--A scarily intense story. I won't go into the premise here, but let me just say it is wholly and utterly original. The buildup is masterfully done. I think the ending could have been better, but that won't stop me from giving it a 5/5. 

Homecoming by Richelle Mead--The last story in the collection, and the only one based on the author's other works. Homecoming takes place in the Vampire Academy universe, and readers will get to see Rose and Dimitri one more time. A solid ending. 4/5. 

Overall, Foretold is a great collection of stories that has something for everyone. There's a great variety of authors and styles, as well as topics. I usually don't read anthologies, but something about this one really stuck me as being "must-read." I'm certainly glad I read it, and I hope you will, too! 

Rating:
5
Content Rating:

Content rating - mature content

Explain your content rating: 

There are some dark stories and violent scenes in the book.

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