Second Sight

by Gary L. Blackwood

Washington, D.C., 1864: In a city that’s weary of war and eager for entertainment, Joseph and his father’s mind-reading act has become the toast of the town. Even President Lincoln comes to see Joseph demonstrate his amazing mental powers. It’s all an elaborate hoax, of course, but Joseph is enjoying his fame. Then he meets Cassandra, a young girl who really does have second sight—the ability to foretell events. And she’s having terrifying visions about the president. Someone is plotting to murder him. But who would believe such an accusation? It’s up to Joseph and Cassandra to interpret the visions, expose the conspiracy, and save Lincoln’s life!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Middle Grade, Historical Fantasy, Civil War

279 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 22, 2005

About the author

He grew up in rural Cochranton, Western Pennsylvania, where he attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He graduated with a B.A. in English from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. While a college student, Blackwood published his first short story, Cliffs of Gold, in Twelve/ Fifteen magazine.

He has sold dozens of stories to children's magazines, and has published thirty-five novels and nonfiction books for adults, young adults and middle readers.

Blackwood is also a widely produced playwright.

Reviews

[07SethH Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I intend to prove to you today that Second Sight by Gary Blackwood is an extremely compelling read. This story is told in a third person limited voice. It is about a boy named Joseph Ehrlich and his father, Nicholas Ehrlich, who are performers with a very successful mind-reading act. But then Joseph meets a girl named Cassandra Quinn, who really can read minds and becomes involved with stopping an assassination plot on President Lincoln. The main issue of this story is how to stop the plot, or even get people to believe there is a plot.
The only problem with the book is the setting. There is almost no way to change the setting of this book, because then there wouldn't be horse-cars, telegraphs, and President Lincoln would not be in the book. This is not a huge problem, but it is kind of annoying. But, in spite of that problem, Second Sight is still a very compelling and enjoyable read.
“Some part of him (Joseph) is still insisting that Mr. Booth would never shoot the president,” says the narrator near the end of the book. This is just one of the many parts in this book where it keeps you in suspense and keeps you turning pages. I must admit, there are a few parts in this book that are a little boring and dull, but overall, this book is very intriguing.
Another great quality about this book is that it teaches you history, but is not boring while doing it. The narrator really lets you get to know all of the characters, even the ones that are not extremely important, and many of the characters in this book are real, such as John Wilkes Booth, Davy Herold, Ward Hill Lamon, and of course, President Abraham Lincoln. It also shows you, mostly through Joseph and Nicholas’s act, the technology they used, the things they did for entertainment, and other things.
Finally, this book is excellent at not dragging out unimportant things. It sometimes skips several weeks at a time if there is nothing particularly exciting happening. Some people might look at this as a bad thing, but it keeps you intrigued and doesn't bore you with unimportant details.
In conclusion, I believe that this is a book that makes you want to read. I believe that it is one of the books that could get people who don’t enjoy reading to love reading if they could find more books like it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery, magic, history, or adventure.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immaculate and pleasantly penned book this one. In an alternative version of Washinton DC of 1864, we have an entertaining all-seeing storyteller, a mindbending spiral on history, and absorbing, background info about the emerging American theatre of the mid-60’s. This novel provides a page-turning plot, a congregation of characters both historical and make-believe, who work their subterfuges and machinations to avert the manslaughter of President Lincoln. While I was arriving towards the culmination of this book and could not help appreciate the author’s acute eye for historical minutiae even while he was so marginally twisting them to suit the purposes of the plot, I asked myself, ‘is the alternate history to be a subgenre within the broader heading of science fiction?’ This is tad disingenuous, as it can also take the shape of a customary novel or a work of fantasy.

Recommended.

[✨Catherine✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wait, only 22 reviews? I read this in, like 5th grade lol

[Books Kids Like · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Civil War has dragged on for several years. Now in 1864, it seems that the war is about to end. The people of Washington, D.C. are tired of the struggle, death, and privation. They seek diversion in entertainment at the theaters in town. Nicholas and Carolina Ehrlich used to perform on stage, but Carolina suffers from melancholia, and Nicholas suffered irreparable damage to his vocal cords many years before. Now, Nicholas earns what he can by working behind the scenes at the city’s playhouses and by teaching aspiring actors to sing and act. Joseph works for wages at a china and lamp store. The Ehrlichs reside at a boarding house where many of Washington’s entertainers live. In the evenings after work, Nicholas and Joseph practice a mind-reading act that they hope to take on stage soon. Their act, built around a secret coded alphabet, seems so convincing that they appear to be true clairvoyants. At the boarding house, Joseph meets Cassandra Quinn, a girl with authentic psychic powers. She confides in Joseph that she’s received a premonition that President Lincoln will be shot while attending the theater. Joseph believes her, and, together, they try to convince the authorities of the threat. When no one takes them seriously, they worry that they won’t be able to avert the tragedy in time.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Zachary Sokol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took a twist on American history as well as Historic Fiction. The book follows a boy named Joseph and his father Nicholas in the final months of the Civil War. They preform "mind reading" act in Washington D.C. There routine is not the real thing but they impress the crows. Until one day he meets a girl named Cassandra who might actually be the real deal and even predict the future like what horse will win, old lovers coming together and the assassination of President Abe Lincoln. This book does a great job at showing what life was like as an actor during this time and most of the characters are flushed out. The book is told though a strange method of third person but told though an act in a play but sometimes it is self aware as a book it is kinda confusing. If you can get passed that it is actually a good read. It is a simple read all the characters are very flushed out and keep that way though the entire story. About 99% of the characters actually did exist so it benefits young readers in actually learning history. It is worth a read and never did I feel like stoping the book at any point because it was boring.

[Erick Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Gary Blackwood's writing. I like his books, and this one is no exception. This book takes place in Washington DC during the Civil War. Joseph is a teen, who is just as ordinary as the rest of us, but he is striving to be different. He and his father, for the past two years have been working on a mind-reading act that not only makes Joseph a very well known person among the people of Washington, but also gets his family the money that they have been so desperately working to get.. But it isn't only the common folk who love their act. Also Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln. But Joseph's life changes very quickly when he meets Cassandra, a young girl, with the actual ability of clairvoyance, who constantly sees the murder of Mr. Lincoln. It is left up to Joseph to not only aid her in her attempt to save the president's life, but to also keep his 'ability' under wraps, so she doesn't find out that he is a fake. I gave this book five stars because it, like many of Gary's other books, was entertaining, relatable, well told, funny, and a real page turner.

[Erin Sterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alternate history set around the time of Lincoln's assassination, a boy Joseph is perfecting a mind-reading act with his father, a has-been actor, when he meets a girl who appears to have actual mind-reading abilities. Can they help prevent the kidnapping and/or assassination of Abraham Lincoln? The story is told in second-person narrative with the author playing a prominent role, and would be interesting to use in not only talking about history but also about the role of narration and stories.

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun Civil War story that re-imagines that night at Ford's Theatre and the few days proceeding. Definitely an "alternative history" with a better ending than the real events! Includes many real-life characters from Suratt's boarding house, seen through the eyes of a young boy who, with his father, puts on a "mind-reading" act. When he meets a young girl with real second sight abilities, the two of them must warn the president of the dangers she sees ahead for him. But will anyone listen?

[Rosemary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stage performers who profess to be clairvoyant usually have a system and a partner, as is the case in this novel. The author, too, plays a role in speaking directly to the reader from time to time in a sort of stage whisper; a nudge to pay attention and to understand a back story. All in all, this bit of fluff around an alternative history of Lincoln 's assassination is difficult to recommend to sophisticated readers, but I think the YA category might find it quite enjoyable.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very informative about conditions during the Civil War era. It makes the student feel as if they are really there! Although the main characters are fictional, they encounter historical characters such as President Lincoln and Mr. Boothe. This is a great book to teach about the Civil War time period.

[Deborah Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is in news style for me. The author stopped frequently in his narrative to talk to the audience about the situation, or what we were going to be doing or not doing. It was strange at first, but became enjoyable after seeing it more.

Uchronia, or alternate history, is a new genre for me.
This book claims it is more altered history than alternate, falls under this genere.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book got a rating of 1 star because I just wasn't able to finish it. It was due back to the library, and although I was halfway through it, I wasn't compelled to renew it. The writing style wasn't my favorite. I felt that the author was too present, and that held me back from being immersed in the story. I still really like other books by this author, but this wasn't a favorite for me.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alternate history is such a fun genre! This is a neat book with an original premise. Not fantastic, but overall a good read.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book. The book puts you into the middle of the plots and the assassination of President Lincoln. This book really sparks the interest of history buffs.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex spy-biography story.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I could give it a 1.5 I would. It has some decent historic details throughout the story, but the writing is not thrilling and the ending irks me more than I'd like to say.

[Dotty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uses theater characters to relay the story of the Lincoln Assassination -- caution - author plays with historical events.
I did not like the changing of history -- Lincoln not assassinated

[Morgan]

It was amazing! It really made me feel like I was apart of the story.
I really liked that Blackwood 'talked' to you in it.
I would recommend it to anyone!

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about a girl who had precognition and saw the plot to assassinate Lincoln.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought the premise was interesting but the author/narrator part was cheesy and i wish that part wasn't in it. it really took away from the story.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST. BOOK. EVER

[Linnea Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is: I wish I could re-write history to match this book's version.

[Nathaniel Brodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diffidently a must read for many kids into fiction. Has a lot of detail about the plot, characters, and events in which things were happening. A great read, try it!

[.. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was extraordinary and different. Loved it.

[Brahim AitBarka]

GOOD!! 7/10