Christina is 13 years old. She’s an island child, excited to leave for the mainland, a small town in Maine, to start high school. Her older island friends, Anya, Michael and Benj warn her that the town kids will tease and mock her island ways. They tell her not to “yarn”. What they don’t prepare her for are the Shevvingtons. The high school principal with his strangely hypnotic but mocking eyes, and his ghastly wife with the tiny, yellow teeth and a cruel grin. Christina can hold her own against kids her own age, but how can she protect herself and Anya from the twisted nature of the man and woman they’re forced to board with all year, the same couple who run the high school?A growing sense of dread and wondering how Christina would keep going in the face of such evil kept me turning the pages. I finished The Fog in two sittings, this time round. I first read this twenty or more years ago as a child. The first few pages brought it all back: the lonely imagery of the island, the harshness of the cruel sea lashing violently against the rocks, Christina’s isolation in the big house on Candle Cove, the feeling of powerlessness against those older and in authority, the despair that no grown ups will help or even believe her claims.Christina is a force to be reckoned with. She is granite, unable to be broken, unlike Anya who doesn’t have half her strength or cop on. Christina is tough and resilient but achingly lonely.One aspect I didn’t exactly get was that while Christina blames the Shevvingtons for Anya’s rapid descent into insanity, Anya is actually acting on the strange side from the moment we meet her at home on her island, dreamily rambling about the sea wanting its next victim. I wonder if the rest of the books in the series will explain this.I read many Caroline B. Cooney horror books as a kid. She’s an excellent writer. Though marketed as a teen book, I still found this story to be a chilling read. This is how young adult horror books should be written.Key Points Growing dread The powerlessness of children against evil adults The horror that no adult will believe, not even your own parents The violence and power of the sea Imagery of solitude, rock, granite, island, loneliness but also strength. Christina is alone but she is steely.You won’t find ghosts or anything supernatural lurking here (unless you count the tales of the sea captain’s wife who threw herself from the roof of the Schooner Inne and is said to haunt Candle Cove), but this is a horror book.The evil here is of the human variety, the abuse of children while in the care of adults. Christina’s story is frightening and disturbing.I never did find out what became of her and Anya and the rest when I was a kid, but this time I’m going to track down the rest of the trilogy.
I received an advance review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my impartial review.Review of Fog by Caroline B. CooneyFirst of all, I must confess that I became a major fan of Caroline B. Cooney’s YA and MG novels back in the 1980’s, as a single mom of 3. It was important to me to introduce my children to good books, as I had been (and continue to be) such a voracious reader since early childhood. Well, I got hooked on Ms. Cooney’s novels: good characterizations, fascinating locales, sprightly plotting (who hasn’t pondered “The Face on the Milk Carton”?), and much more more render Ms. Cooney a consistent champion in the YA/MG sweepstakes. Obviously, since I was already well past that age when I discovered her books, she appeals to adult readers too.So when I discovered “Fog” on offer via NetGalley, I did not even wait to read the blurb! Of course, “Fog” lives up to my expectations. A story of “gaslighting”-the procedure of psychologically manipulating one or more individuals to convince the targets, and their loved ones and friends, that they are in actuality either already insane, or becoming so. The term derives from a 1944 film, but the practice is no doubt much older than that. The problem is that only the controllers and the target know the facts are not apparent-“outsiders,” including family and friends, don’t see a difference. “Fog” is also a story of courage-of what it means to find courage in oneself, when one is under attack (psychological, verbal, or physical) and when no one else sees a problem, instead blaming the victim. As such, “Fog” should become must-reading for those victimized by bullying, or for those proactive in bullying prevention. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
What do You think about Fog (2001)?
The sea was a mathematician. The sea kept count. They were the island princesses, marked out for sacrifice.When Christina gets sent to the mainland for junior high, she's excited about living off the island, about going to a normal school, and about boarding at the Shevvington's giant hotel on the cliff with the older, more mature, more sophisticated island girl, Anya. But things aren't as they seem, and Anya seems to be losing her mind to the sea itself. Christina finds herself alone, frightened, and desperate to save Anya, and prevent herself from becoming the next victim.Although I haven't read "The Face on the Milk Carton," I remember enjoying Cooney's "Both Sides of Time" trilogy when I was growing up, so I was really interested to see what "Fog" had in store. It turned out to be a (non-bloody) Shining-esque psychological thriller that starts out slowly, but builds up to become quite the page-turner in the last few chapters. The reader can't help but feel for Christina as she becomes increasingly isolated and more desperate.This book was obviously written for a younger YA crowd; the narration lacks subtlety, much like the 13-year-old protagonist herself, and many of her reflections and thoughts are painfully obvious ("I'm afraid of them"). Christina herself is a character that I personally don't feel a lot of love for -- she seems to me a rather whiny, self-important, snobbish young girl -- though I did appreciate her determination to save her friend Anya. In addition, one of the dominating messages of the book is that adults will always believe other adults, even over their own children, and therefore can't be counted upon -- a message that really rubs me the wrong way.Overall: A thriller that's simultaneously freaky and fluffy, but a great novel for those that want suspense and terror without a lot of blood and gore.
—W
This book was okay. I had high expectations since it was written by one of my favorite authors Caroline B. Cooney. This book was sort of a mystery, but I felt that I wasn't able to fully connect to the characters. When one of the main characters, Anya was about to put herself into the water I wasn't soo terrified because I didn't feel very close to her. Even though the book is telling the story of Christina I felt that it doesn't give a very good description of her emotions, which means I, as the reader don't feel a certain mood while reading. I believe if Caroline B. Cooney had added more detail and description it would be more fascinating and easier for me to relate to the characters. As the book is written now I can't seem to find much to relate to the characters. However, I'm still going to read the sequel and the third book to maybe find some conclusion to the "mystery" at the house.
—Susan
I loved The Face on the Milk Carton, and this was not that book. I think that young readers will like it. I was 'yawn' ho hum until the ending when it did finally become intense. It made me curious enough that I will probably read the next two books. I don't feel it is up to the other books I've read of hers. ** stop here for spoilers** Our young herione comes to the mainland to attend 7th grade. It is supposed to be a joyous fun time in her life but instead she is ruled by the people who let her board in their 'hotel.' The place has a history of girls going mad and jumping into the sea. It borders the sea and the waves are a constant noise inside. Her roommate goes crazy and wants to jump into the sea. She totally quits school. Our hero figures out that it is the wicked Mr. and Mrs. of the house (who also are the principal and English teacher at school) who are making the girls go crazy. She keeps saying she is cut from stone and she can do hard things. I liked that idea. That is a good thing to teach young people. In the end she saves one girl, and then finds out that her little sister has been allowed to come to the mainland to school. Of course she will be the next person who is targeted to go crazy and walk into the sea. …. book two.
—Jessie
