THE PROBABLE FUTURE

In the 1600s, Rebecca Sparrow woke on her 13th birthday and discovered she couldn't feel pain. It resulted in her death. Unique abilities continue to plague the Sparrow women. Elinor Sparrow always knows who's lying; her daughter, Jenny, dreams other people's dreams; and Jenny's daughter, 13-year old Stella, sees how people will die. Alice Hoffman's unusual family saga, a kind of "Roots" for witches, is fraught with supernatural tensions made more credible by Susan Erickson's intelligent reading. As Stella searches for answers, Erickson becomes an angry, confused teen. As Jenny deals with Stella's rebellion, Erickson sounds like any parent at her wit's end, and her portrayal of Elinor's moments of self-discovery rings with truth. While the ending ties up a bit too neatly, Hoffman's is a fascinating tale. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]