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Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they suggest Simmi is in mortal danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex embarks on his journey to change the future.
A: You know, it wasn’t as hard to write blind as I initially thought it would be. It didn’t take long to begin “seeing” Alex’s world the way he does. I wrote the entire story without knowing what anyone or anything looked like (except for Alex himself). When it came time to shoot the book trailer, the directors were asking me questions about the scenes and which props they should bring, and I really, really didn’t know what to tell them!
As I got to know Alex better and better, it became easier to tune into his way of seeing things. I read books about coping with blindness in a school setting and spent a great deal of time pondering how I might behave if I couldn’t see. In the story, Alex has always been blind; he’s always known the world to be a certain way. Not everyone understands that, and they have trouble talking about it with him. I gave Alex a tendency to overcompensate. He knows who he is and what he’s capable of, and he wants the world to know it too, so sometimes he overdoes things a bit.
Q: Your cast of characters has international flavor? What's behind that choice?
A: I don’t see why my characters all need to belong to the same culture or ethnicity. What fun is that? Culture shapes our characters in a big way, so by diversifying my cast, I was able to hit on more types of personalities and situations. Grandon is based on my hometown; it’s small and kind of boring. I couldn’t wait to escape and move on to bigger and better things. My home town was mostly Caucasian, but somehow I ended up with a very diverse set of friends even though they made up less than 1% of the student body. Fast forward a few years, and I end up marrying a man from India. He’s from New Delhi, like Simmi. I’ve always been fascinated by other cultures; I even decided to pursue my Master’s in Sociology for this very reason. I credit two early life influences for this attraction: 1) My adoration of A.C. Slater in Saved by the Bell, 2) Disney’s Aladdin being the best movie ever.
Q: What was the inspiration for Farsighted?
A: Everything started with a single image—my face in these tacky oversized sunglasses reflecting out at me from the car’s side mirror. I was daydreaming while my husband drove us across Michigan for my sister’s wedding. Something about my image really struck me in an almost horrific way. I felt the glasses made me look blind but found it so weird that there was still a clear image within them; it seemed so contradictory. At the time, my book club was reading The Odyssey, which features the blind Theban prophet, Tieresias. I started thinking about what it would be like to have non-visual visions of the future and began forming a modern Tieresias in my mind. Lo and behold, Alex Kosmitoras was born. I didn’t want him to be alone in his psychic subculture, so I found other characters with other powers to keep him company. Thank God for my poor fashion sense. :-)
Q: What would you like readers to take away from Farsighted? Is there a different message for adults than for teens?
A: First and foremost, I hope that readers will enjoy themselves. My primary goal is to tell an interesting story that people will find entertaining and be glad they read. Secondly, I’d like to infuse contemporary Young Adult fiction with a bit more diversity and teach readers about the beauty of other cultures and other ways of life. I also hope that Farsighted is a book that leads to introspection—what would I do if put in Alex’s place? Did Alex ever have a choice or was this path his destiny? What would it be like to see the world the way he sees the world?
I like to think of anything I write as being kind of like a Disney movie, in that the primary audience will be children, but there are extra tidbits for the adults too. Farsighted has been infused with a great deal of research about runes, classic mythology, and Eastern spirituality, but you don’t need to understand any of that to be entertained by the story.
Q. There have been articles written this year about YA being too dark for teens. What are your thoughts on this?
A: I definitely agree. I want to get back to the core of the YA genre, and I attempted to do that with Farsighted. I also think that paranormal has gotten a bit too out there. One thing I hear from readers quite a bit is that the paranormal seems normal in Farsighted. They don’t question the existence of the powers, and it doesn’t seem out there like some other books of the genre do. That was important to me. I wanted my story to be run by the characters, not the fantastic elements. This is a story about Alex, not about a blind psychic.
Q: What motivated you to structure the book around the runes?
A: Remember how I said my Master’s degree is in Sociology? It’s actually Quantitative Sociology. I’m a numbers person as well as a word person. I love things to be organized just so. If you set a stack of papers in front of me; I’m going to fuss with them until they are lined up in a perfect stack. It’s just the way I am. Shaping each chapter around a rune gave the story order, which made me feel happy and comfortable. Whenever I got stuck and didn’t know what should happen next, I was able to learn more about that chapter’s rune and get the inspiration I needed to continue. The runes themselves tell a story, one that is successfully completed. I felt that boded well for Farsighted.
Q: What is your writing process like?
A: I begin with a seed of an idea and work out from there. With Farsighted, I started with Alex and created the rest of the story and characters to fit around him. Using the runes as a structural framework for this novel created an outline for me too. I’m a numbers person as well as a word person. I love things to be organized just so. If you set a stack of papers in front of me; I’m going to fuss with them until they are lined up in a perfect stack. It’s just the way I am. Shaping each chapter around a rune gave the story order, which made me feel happy and comfortable. Whenever I got stuck and didn’t know what should happen next, I was able to learn more about that chapter’s rune and get the inspiration I needed to continue. The runes themselves tell a story, one that is successfully completed. I felt that boded well for Farsighted.
Q: What do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?
A: I LOVE YA—I read it, write it, love it! My favorite author is JK Rowling. The more I read, the more I realize how brilliant she is as an author. If you remove the dialogue tags from Harry Potter, you still know which character is speaking, and Rowling managed to create an intricate beautiful world without allowing her character development to suffer, which is tremendously rare. I consider her literary God. Suzanne Collins, and JD Salinger are classic faves.
My all-time favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, definitely. The novel has so many layers and entertains on so many levels. Also the characters in that novel seem more real than those from any other I’ve ever read. It’s just beautiful—that’s the only word for it.
Q: If you had to be stuck on an island for a year with three literary characters, who would they be?
A: First up, we’d obviously take Robinson Crusoe. He knows what he’s doing, and he can be the provider. I’ll also take Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games—if we get in any kind of danger, she’d be a great protector. Lastly, I’d take Ron Weasley. Ron and I can live the good life, while the other two make sure we all stay safe and well-fed. I know I would never get bored with Ron around—he’s just 24/7 entertainment.
Q: You’ve taken a risk by going with an unconventional ending. Without spoiling the story for your readers, can you tell us why you made this choice? Are you glad you did this? Do you feel it’s been successful? Why or why not?
A: Yeah, I ended with a cliffhanger, which goes against traditional publishing wisdom. But you know what? I. AM. INDIE! Being indie means taking risks and breaking the mold and, boy, am I excited to do it. The ending is kind of polarizing, people either love it or wish there was more there. The joining thread is almost everyone mentions looking forward to the next book in the series. Farsighted demands a companion, and people see that. I think it was a good decision since this is the first in the series and since I enjoy toeing the line of convention. It’s fun to shake things up.
Anonymous
Posted January 24, 2012
Very interesting read. Told from the point of view of someone who is blind. Very enjoyable.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This was such a good book, and I seriously think Emlyn Chand has a winner in her hands!
I loved the way the descriptions in the book are what main character, Alex Kosmitoras, would be sensing since he is blind. As you progress through the novel, you can really tell that Chand took alot of time and effort in researching on what and how someone who is bling see's or would see things. Because of this, Chand did a fantastic job describing, in detail, how much more enhanced Alex's senses are due his blindness. To even go far as to having Alex snap his fingers to say "yes" shows just how even the little details made this story even more believeable. I will admit that I did find myself snapping my fingers right along side Alex when he would answer yes...don't ask me why, but I just did. This just proves how wrapped up I was in this story!
There were points throughout the books where I felt sorry for Alex. His thoughts of how he thinks his dad feels about him... to see their interaction with each other. To see how he's treated at school because of his disability. My heart ached for him time and time again! I mean, seriously! What kind of person whould treat someone who's blind the way Alex was being treated at school. This was just one example of how powerful Chand's writing is. She puts so much emotion and personality into all her characters that you can't help but hate who you should hate, and love who you should love. Playing with the heart strings...well played Emlyn Chand...well played.
I found it so interesting how Chand mixed in Alex's visions throughout the story. She gave just enough information in the visions that she made me want to read continuously to find out what was going to happen next! The little plot twists that she weaves in this tale leaves the reader wondering where this is all leading too, and how will she out do herself at the next twist. But she does accomplish it! Just when I thought I had the ending picked out and was ready to pat myself on the back, she twists it again and I'm guessing all over again. LOVED THAT!
On of my favorite things about this books is the two (2) potential love interests for Alex, and seeing how he tries to deal with his feelings and understand them. I'm so used to seeing the love triangle formula as female + male + male, that seeing the male + female + female change was fun and refreshing!
The buildup to thefinal showdown was perfectly executed. Once the action started, it was non-stop excitement! The way Chand incorporated all the character's abilities, and had them working together for the greater good was so interesting to read!
The ending left off with a fantastic cliffhanger, which just screams "hurry up 2nd book", and it should be highly anticipated. I, for one, cannot WAIT to see what is in store for this cast of characters.
Emlyn Chand promises to be an excellent writer and story teller with her ability to write attention grabbing storylines. It will be interesting to see what other plot twists she has up her sleeve.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I was contacted by the author of Farsighted - Emlyn Chand about a month ago and she asked me to read and review her book for a blog tour she is going to have. After learning more about her book I found the synopsis of Farsighted to be very interested so I decided to give it a go and read the book and I am very pleased that I did. Her book was surprisingly really good. I love that it is not your ordinary paranormal fiction novel. Farsighted takes the paranormal fiction genre to new levels with a fresh, entertaining, and fast paced novel you will love to read over and over again.
Alex Kosmitoras life has never been easy but full of daily challenges. Why? Because he is blind. Alex sees through all of his other senses with are more in tuned because of his loss of sight. Upon going into a new school he meets two girls Simmi and Shapri (both main character's of the book) ,and learns they all share similar "gifts". Alex will come to learn his gifts are more that he ever knew he had when he begins to see visions of the future. Alex is only now to learn that, Simmi the girl who has a major crush on may be in trouble. With Alex's new visions he keeps seing that Simmi will die and he will do anything he can to protect her from this horrible future he sees. Will his "gifts" save the girl he loves or will it be to late?
I found reading Farsighted to be quite refreshing. The book was unlike any other paranormal novel I have read. The whole concept of the book is very unique and like a breath of fresh air - Not your normal paranormal read (Vampires, Fairies, Angel, Werewolfs.) I really enjoyed reading about Alex and his gifts and I have never read a book where the main character is blind. That makes for a very fun, and entertaining book to read. All of the characters in the book both main and secondary were well thought out and very interesting with their own stories which gave Farsighted more depth and personalty. The plot within the book was very fun to read with twist and turns along the way which made for a fast paced read and had to keep turning the page to see what would happen. I could tell the author, Emlyn Chand did her research while writing the book to learn more about blind people and as well as people from India's culture. I would very much recommend Farsighted to the YA crowd as well as adults. If you are looking new to read I would so say to give this book a chance. You will not regret you did.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The first thing that grabbed me was the cover. I couldn't get over his likeness to a teen-age Anthony Michael Hall. Once that happened, I couldn't get Anthony Michael Hall's voice out of my head - I made them one and the same.Could it be coincidence? Alex, the main character, was blind and had a gift of second sight - and so did one of AMH characters, Johnny Smith (although he wasn't blind - he was still disabled and used a cane).
Emlyn Chand did a fantastic job creating her characters, especially Alex. She took a blind teen and gave him a very realistic voice. She tackled some difficult character traits: a teen, a male, an outcast, and blindness, but she pulled it off and did it very well.
"Farsighted" was a great young adult novel. It dealt with being young and different and the journey one travels. Each chapter starts with a Rune and a reference of the path that the "traveler" is on. These, of course, coincide with what happens to Alex in that chapter.
What I found most intriguing about the story, was Alex's point of view and how he "saw" the world. We never really got to "see" his friends or family - just how he "saw" them by smells, sounds, etc. Then when he starts having his "visions" it gives even a more interesting twist, because he visions are with his other senses and he doesn't know what is real or his "second sight" in the beginning.
These visions prove to be an important part of the story - giving mystery and suspense as you try to figure out who, how and why... It certainly keeps one interested in the story and makes it difficult to put aside, as the need to know grows greater with each chapter.
Emlyn wrote an exciting young adult story that will please adults as well, and with the suspense and surprise ending, this is definitely one to add to your must read list!
I received an e-copy of this book from the author to read and honestly review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When the author, Emlyn Chand, asked for reviewers to join her book tour on Facebook, I let a couple days go by before answering that call. Having been friends with Emlyn on FB for a while and reading things she had posted about the book, I wasn't interested. Even after committing to the book tour I still was on the fence. I was actually pleasantly surprised with how much I DID enjoy Farsighted after I read it. Very well written, fast paced, not one grammatical error, likable characters.
Alex, the star (or should I say sapling) of the book, is blind and has been that way since he was born. His mother owns Sweet Blossoms, a floral shop, and his father (who Alex just can't seem to figure out)can't seem to find a job so his family never really had much. A sophomore in high school, Alex is use to being made fun of and bullied and has no friends. Until Simmi, a transfer student from India comes into his life. She smells like an Almond Joy. Then enters Shapri, who moved from New Orleans. All three have some type of psychic ability, whether they accept it or not. When Alex starts "seeing" visions, he has no idea what is happening. With the help of Shapri's mother, Miss Teak, he is able to understand those visions, but how to stop what he is seeing before it happens is a different story. Someone is wanting his beloved Simmi dead, but who is this guy and why?
Although I was enjoying the read, I didn't really start to get into the story until about half way through when things started falling in place and the action really picked up! I actually wanted Alex to be in love with Shapri, she's more outgoing and spunky than quiet soft spoken Simmi. I am looking forward to finding out more about Shapri and Simmi in future books. One thing that I really liked about this read was that Alex isn't a poor me kind of guy. You almost forget he is even blind until you come across a sentence about how something "smells" to him or using his cane. He seems fairly independent, considering he can make his way from school to his moms shop by himself, and he is not afraid to stand up for himself!
This is a great first published novel for Emlyn Chand. She has created an interesting world that will pull you right in. I'm excited to read book two, which will come out in 2012 (hopefully early 2012 and not later!). An enjoyable read for YA and adults. Farsighted is clean enough for even mid-grade readers getting ready for the transition to YA.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Alex Kosmitoras is boy, turning sixteen in few days, he goes to school where he is pretty much only spoken to by the school jerk. Alex is blind, his family poor, his father unemployed and his mother working hard to support them.
As school begins after the summer, Alex makes his first friend he's ever had in school, Simmi. She's moved in from New Delhi and immediately intrigues Alex with her almond scented hair and lovely accent.
As fun as the new occurrence is something weird is happening, Alex "sees" other moment in the middle of his school days, and when Simmi's death pops up Alex takes to learn all he can about his "gift" to stop Simmi's murder!
I loved Alex's character! From the beginning he's very reliable and has a unique vision and voice about his life. It¿s so refreshing to read the first person narrative from a blind young man who doesn't fixate on looks, he "sees" colors, feels textures, and that was just LOVELY to read.
Alex grows immensely along the book, starting out feeling numbly normal and goes to having a psychic ability! His mother and father play really good and strong secondary characters feeding into the story the twist and the lulls it needs.
This book is wonderful, a unique view on life, it's a must read for YA fans. The easy beginning turns into a fascination read, into a book you can't stop reading, and if you have to it makes you grunt in disappointment.
Can't wait to read Emlyn Chand's next book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Alex Kosmitoras has been blind ever since he got sick from the measles as a child. Because of this, his life has never been that easy. Yet he¿s tried his best not to let the jeering and the bullying by other kids at school get to him. At least, not till now.
You see, Alex has started having visions ¿ visions that he¿s unable to understand. They all started after having met Simmi, a new girl at his school who¿s arrived from India. She¿s smart. She¿s funny. And she smells like an Almond Joy candy bar ¿ a scent that drives him to distraction.
He finds himself drawn to her, wanting to know more about her. To delve deeper into the world she lives in. His attraction for her grows day by day, but so do the visions. When his visions start to show that Simmi is in some sort of danger, he knows that he needs to find a way to make them stop. But how? he wonders.
Alex soon meets Miss Teak, the woman who¿s bought the shop next door to his mother¿s. With her help, he begins to master the powers that he¿s been gifted with ¿ powers that seem daunting and unhelpful, at times. Despite this, he vows to do everything he can to protect Simmi ¿ no matter the cost.
Setting aside his differences with those around him, Alex knows that time is running out. The visions start occurring more and more and he¿s aware of the fact that he¿s practically running ¿blind¿ with what he¿s gotten so far. As the clock winds down, he soon discovers the path he needs to take and embarks on a journey that will leave him wondering whether the world as he knows it will ever be the same again.
This was truly a delightful read. Emlyn painted a truly unique take on a paranormal world seen through the eyes of a guy who¿s unable to truly see the world he lives in. We experience his world through his sense of touch, hearing, and smells that allow him to ¿see¿ everything around him. Alex is the kind of guy that any girl would be proud to take him to Mom. I truly recommend reading this enticing book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.but I like this! The author is a wealth of knowledge for Indie authors, so I was intrigued when she offered her first book up for review. I like it! I'm not going to go so far as to say that I will enjoy YA stories now, but, I do like this. Multicultural characters makes my heart sing. She took a blind character and made sure the reader could 'see' what was going on. Not only that, I know the school system around a special ed. student and she incorporated all of that into the story so that you had a feel for what his life would be like. I'm really impressed with the story and only hope she writes some old people stuff as well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RoGoodman
Posted October 23, 2011
Think about being sixteen. The overwhelming uncertainty of who you are and the person you will become in the future is a daily part of your life. You have issues with your peers, in addition to your parents. Now, imagine you had to endure all that without being able to use your eyes. Farsighted isn't just an ordinary novel; it's a journey through the eyes of someone who can't see. Alex Kosmitoras was born blind, but ironically enough "sees" much better than everyone around him.
Emlyn Chand has created a world where each and every reader will experience what it's like to be without vision. She hasn't just written a well-crafted story, the text will transport you into this fantastic world. You become Alex. You smell, touch, and experience what he does. You're the outcast; the one who feels alienated and alone. You're the one being bullied and at the same time shunned by your classmates. And you're the one who eventually starts to know when things are going to happen, before they occur.
When psychic premonitions of impending doom involving his closest friend start to plague him, Alex knows he must take action. Amid the confusion and uncertainly of what is going on around him, because things aren't always as they appear, he soon discovers he has the power within him to change situations. With the help of his equally gifted friends, Simmi and Sharpi, in addition to his father and Miss Teak, Alex sets off to stop the dangerous Dax.
One of the things that impressed me the most about Farsighted was the fact that Alex was written as a strong character, despite his "disability." The concept of this YA novel is one of the most innovative and interesting ones I've read in a long time. Emlyn Chand should be commended for her debut offering, not only for her writing ability, but her originality in conveying this story.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Alex Kosmitoras has been blind ever since he got sick from the measles as a child. Because of this, his life has never been that easy. Yet he's tried his best not to let the jeering and the bullying by other kids at school get to him. At least, not till now.
You see, Alex has started having visions - visions that he's unable to understand. They all started after having met Simmi, a new girl at his school who's arrived from India. She's smart. She's funny. And she smells like an Almond Joy candy bar - a scent that drives him to distraction.
He finds himself drawn to her, wanting to know more about her. To delve deeper into the world she lives in. His attraction for her grows day by day, but so do the visions. When his visions start to show that Simmi is in some sort of danger, he knows that he needs to find a way to make them stop. But how? he wonders.
Alex soon meets Miss Teak, the woman who's bought the shop next door to his mother's. With her help, he begins to master the powers that he's been gifted with - powers that seem daunting and unhelpful, at times. Despite this, he vows to do everything he can to protect Simmi - no matter the cost.
Setting aside his differences with those around him, Alex knows that time is running out. The visions start occurring more and more and he's aware of the fact that he's practically running 'blind' with what he's gotten so far. As the clock winds down, he soon discovers the path he needs to take and embarks on a journey that will leave him wondering whether the world as he knows it will ever be the same again.
This was truly a delightful read. Emlyn painted a truly unique take on a paranormal world seen through the eyes of a guy who's unable to truly see the world he lives in. We experience his world through his sense of touch, hearing, and smells that allow him to 'see' everything around him. Alex is the kind of guy that any girl would be proud to take him to Mom. I truly recommend reading this enticing book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ReviewerRachel
Posted October 13, 2011
Farsighted
By Emlyn Chand
Alex Kosmitoras isn't your average sophomore. For one thing, he's blind and has been since birth. For another thing, he has the ability to see the future. He wishes he didn't though.well, maybe he did. After all, it did gain him a best friend, Simmi, a girl who had just moved from India. He just wished he could control the visions. Most of the time his visions just showed things in the near future, you know, like his dad asking how school was, but then he was struck by a serious one. Over and over this vision came: Simmi's death. Through the new psychic business next to his mother's florist shop, he learned there are two different kinds of visions, ones that will happen no matter what; and those that can be prevented, but who's to tell the difference? And then there is the paradox, what if the very thing he does to prevent the incident, cause her death in the first place? Can he save Simmi's life, and what is the cost he's willing to pay?
Farsighted is an awesome book. It was new and exciting, it almost made the shelf of fame. The sequel (s) will decide if it goes on the shelf or not (I'll have to think on it, It's a tuff decision.) It was just a fantastic fantasy. One of my favorite things about this series is the dimension. If you want it to be a fun fantasy, it is. If you want it to be deeper, it is. Here is the deeper part:
I'd say the core of Farsighted is Truth, not only truth but the way that lays influence the truth. That truth is better incorporated if you knew something worse first. It offers a nice insight into emotions, which is the secondary theme of the series. (Along with strength, or what the world perceives to be strength.) In a twisted sort of way, the worse things that happen to us are the best. They make us more determined for the good things and make us who we are and make us better people. Alex is perfect for the symbolism for trials and tribulations. Being blind, he's 10X more likely to listen and has 10X the choice to NOT hear it. Those moments of complete disorientation are the physical manifestation of our emotional incapability's (ours by choice). He's the epitome of human abilities. Because, in reality, we all have our own blindness. It shouldn't be our 'disability' of our lives per say, rather our 'ablility.' Anyway, I love this book, it's definitely a re-reader, and one of my favorites this year. Only one negative, cussing. But I think the story is definitely worth it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.b00kr3vi3ws
Posted April 13, 2012
Alex Kosmitoras (Pronounced Caas-me-toe-rh-aas as insisted by Alex) was born blind and at fifteen he has adjusted to life well enough. Depending upon his other senses, he can get through school, homework – pretty much everything. But he is treated like an outcast, a freak at school because of his handicap. Well, that seems to be like the life of any blind person, right? Only Alex is different. He has visions of present and future! You may say that it is ridiculous – how can a blind person, who has never seen the light of the day, have visions? Well, like everything else, Alex’s visions are also dependent upon his other senses – he hears and feels it rather than ‘seeing’ them. It’s ironic that he should have the ‘second sight’ when he has always been deprived of the first!
His life was set. A loving and coddling mother, a father who is nice to him only when his mom is around, zero friends and the school bully’s favourite target! But everything changes when Simran Shergill arrives in the town and enrolls in his school. She is sweet and empathetic. She befriends him and his life takes a turn. He enjoys having a friend and even has feelings for Simmi and they certainly have ‘CHEMISTRY’ together ;). That is when he starts getting visions and that too visions of someone mortally hurting Simmi. What option does he have other than finding that person and trying to prevent the whole episode? So, Alex along with his dad (oh! did I mention that he has his own secrets?) Simmi, Shapri and Miss Teak, embarks on an adventure that is going to influence everyone around them.
I love the characters in this novel. They are truly lovable. The plot is amazing and so is the flow of the story. Towards the beginning I did feel that it was a bit slow, but later on I realized that the details were necessary for us understand how the characters think and feel and also the dynamics of the relationships. But what I love the most about this book is that at the beginning of each chapter there are one or two lines written that set the mood for the chapters. It’s simply unique and genius of Emlyn!
Thrilling and sucks you in!
If you’re looking for fun novel with realistic characters and a touch of the paranormal, look no further! Emlyn Chand gives us a hero that is far from perfect and at times a little doubtful but faces his demons anyway. I have to say that she has created the best blind character I have ever seen. Alex displays a lot of the little subtle things that make blind people unique and I absolutely loved it. From the snapping of his fingers, to the swaying when standing still, Alex made me smile as throughout the novel he does the little things blind people do but don’t really notice until you point them out to them. I told my fiancée about this and now he’s interested in reading it.
The story is thrilling and sucks you in. It’s unique and refreshing to see a dangerous plot laid out with a hero that’s not racing to meet it. Alex thinks this whole thing is a little crazy and possibly outright insane but when his friends lives are in danger, he rises to the challenge just like he does every other challenge in his life. It’s inspiring, it shows you don’t really have to have superpowers to conquer the big problems and with an ending you’ll never expect, you’ll leave the reader dying for the next book. I know I am!
Very Enjoyable!
Alex is 16 and is blind. The story is told thru his eyes. He was born that way, but yet he can see things in the future. With nurturing and training he develops his psychic gifts. The author has a great way of telling the story.
Icecream18
Posted March 6, 2012
Alex is one of those protagonists that a reader will be hard-pressed to forget about. He is blind, but sees the world in different ways. He has visions that can reveal hidden dangers or events to come. Alex is sort of normal, aside from the unusual visions, but everything changes for him when Simmi comes to town. Simmi is the exact type of girl he has always wanted to date. She interests him and gives him a chance at a normal friendship....and maybe something more.
When Alex delves deeper into his visions, he finds that the truth is not always clear. Soon he is having difficulty orienting himself-is the world around him real or fake? Are his visions really coming true? The reader will love this fast-paced plot that will make the book difficult to put down. Alex's character is the true drawing-point, the reader will connect to him with ease. The other characters are interesting and the author connects them to the plot perfectly; they are fun to get to know. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.
InquisitiveHippo
Posted February 12, 2012
Emlyn Chand takes a challenging point of view in writing her story – that of a blind narrator – effectively eliminating the visual sense as an avenue for storytelling. What results is a captivating tale highlighting the other senses and managing not only to communicate the story effectively, but to truly envelop the reader in Alex’s world. In particular, I enjoyed the unpredictable elements that kept me guessing about the direction of the narrative, which Chand accomplishes without resorting to the abrupt “shocker” approach. She creates multifaceted characters with interesting interrelationships and I was riveted to the story until the very end.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 31, 2012
Started off alright, but I lost interest halfway through.
Anonymous
Posted January 20, 2012
This was a great read. The characters are are ones you will love and hope for the best. There are some great twist and Emlyn Chand throws in some great twist.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 14, 2012
If you like the show Heroes, you will like this book. It has all the heroic, save-the-world, super powers and intrigue that the show did. The characters are fun, the story entertaining!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.¿They say that right before you die your whole life flashes before you ¿ a medley of your own personal greatest hits. Well then, I must be about to live, because events that haven¿t happened yet are constantly pushing themselves into my head.¿
When I was contacted by the lovely Emlyn Chand to review her novel Farsighted I knew I couldn¿t turn down the opportunity, and I couldn¿t be happier that I took this on for review! Emlyn has an amazing way with words, I found myself completely and totally captivated by the story of Alex and Emlyn¿s writing seemed to just flow right threw to the end so beautifully.
(goodreads blurb)Alex Kosmitoras¿s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.
Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival¿an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to ¿see¿ the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future..(end blurb)
What a great debut! This novel was the perfect first book to what I can already tell is going to be an amazing series! With Alex being blind it is incredible how Emlyn was able to make everything so vivid¿even though Alex never describes how anything looks..I could easily imagine everything with the descriptions of smells, hearing and touch. It only goes to show how great of an author Emlyn is, even though her story would be a difficult one to write, she did it amazingly AND still made it an amazing adventure with new challenges around every corner for a group of very unique characters.
This book had so many twists and turns, every time I thought I was connecting the dots, another curveball would be thrown in and leave me completely perplexed! I loved the adventure and I loved not knowing where everything was going, the majority of YA novels coming out are very predictable, so to say the least Farsighted was a nice breath of fresh air that really kept me guessing all the way till the end.
Even more than the adventure, I loved the group of characters. They were each so different and each their own person, Simmi was the kind hearted gentle person that still knew how to stand up for herself, and Shapri¿don¿t even get me started on her I absolutely adore her! She is so edgy and has such spunk, she wouldn¿t take anyone¿s crap! Deep down though you can tell Shapri has feelings (as much as she tries to deny it!) and is a warm hearted person, just rough on the edges is all! Emlyn put together an amazing trio that I cannot wait to see what happens to in ¿Open Heart¿ (Farisghted #2)
The adventure and mystery wrapped into Farsighted will leave the readers on the edge of their seat never knowing where the story is going to go next. Emlyn has an amazing way with words and her novel Farsighted is one that should be read by everyone.
Overview
Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, an enticing new girl comes to their small Midwest town all the way from India. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Sophomore year might not be so bad after all.Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival--an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially ...