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Christina and Anya are delighted by an invitation to board with the new school principal and his wife, but soon it is clear that they are agents of unspeakable evil who are bent on destroying the girls they harbor
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
66 people are currently reading
1,358 people want to read
About the author
Caroline B. Cooney
125Ìýbooks1,732ÌýfollowersCaroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
March 2, 2020
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I'm reading (and rereading) a bunch of old YA books from the 80s and 90s. Some of them are new to me, but others are old favorites. FOG, SNOW, and FIRE were beloved Point Horror staples for me in my middle school years, although the books were later rebranded into what is now known as the Losing Christina series. I've joked that it should be called the Gaslighting Christina series, as this trilogy is an incredibly dark look at the psychological torture and emotional abuse of children.
Christina comes from an island off the coast of Maine called Burning Fog Isle. It's super small so once kids grow up, they have to go to school on the mainland. Thirteen-year-old Christina is excited about making friends, and boarding at a luxurious seaside inn with the other older island children: Anya, Michael, and Benj.
Pretty soon, though, Christina finds out that her new home and school have some pretty serious problems. The guest rooms in the inn are pretty and quaint, but the children live in an unfurnished room at the top of a rickety and steep staircase where it's drafty and cold. Mr. Shevvington and Mrs. Shevvington, their caretakers, are also the principal and the English teacher of the school, respectively. They give new students surveys, asking them about their fears, and English assignments describing what they think it might feel like to die or have their parents abandon them.
Christina doesn't understand why none of the other adults or children seem to see through the Shevvingtons when what they're doing to her seems clear as glass. Anya, whom she shares a room with, becomes fascinated by the sea, and the Shevvingtons do nothing to curb that fascination. Indeed, they encourage it, and seem delighted by the fact that Anya might destroy herself on the waves. Because it seems like maybe they've done this before. To other girls. In other towns.
And if Christina isn't careful, she might be next.
Caroline B. Cooney is an amazing author. Not all of these books hold up over time, but everything I've read of Cooney's so far has. I think it's because she has a beautiful, unique writing style. It's like one of those sensational 1970s Gothic romances reimagined for a child, without being condescending in the least. I love the melodrama and the passion; there is restraint in the writing, but many of her books have this subdued sensuality that borders on erotic at times. And the atmosphere! The Maine coast is practically a character here, described with such lavish, chilling detail that you can almost smell the briny, cold sea air.
As a child I found it so chilling that there could be adults who might get enjoyment from torturing children. As an adult myself, I know better now-- but I think this book does a good job showing how some adults abuse their power to fuck with kids. And honestly, this is part of the reason this series is so near and dear to my heart. Christina is isolated by her peers and picked on by teachers, people who should be in her corner but instead encourage the bullying. I had that happen to me in high school. I was bullied pretty badly-- by students and by some teachers-- when I was just a year older than Christina. I spent most of my freshman year hiding in the library or the bathroom at lunch to avoid being picked on. So this trilogy really stayed with and resonated with me, because it helped me feel like maybe I could be strong like Christina was, and that I wasn't alone in my misery.
I admire Christina as a character just as much now as I did then, if not more so. Her bravery and resilience makes you root for her over the course of the trilogy. She goes through hell, only to climb out of it, grim-faced and maybe a little worse for wear, but flying her "tri-colored hair" like a war banner. I actually named one of my characters in my books-- Christina Parker from the IMA series-- after this character, Christina Romney. This book made me think of Christina as a strong and resilient name that was synonymous for survival, and when I wanted to write a book of my own about surviving against all odds, Christina was the first name that came to mind... because of THE FOG.
Anyway, as you can probably tell, this series is very important to me and I'm absolutely delighted to be able to say in all honesty that it does hold up. You can read it for free if you have Kindle Unlimited. I plan on reading the other two books soon and seeing how they weigh against this one.
4 stars
May 2, 2020
So much gaslighting it’s practically a Victorian novel.
February 19, 2009
I read this back before it somehow became known as the "Losing Christina" series/trilogy. It's always strange when a publisher reissues a book ten years later with a totally different spin on it - when I read it, it was a thriller trilogy. I think I liked it because the girl in it fears she is going crazy. The reissue make it look like some kind of "problem novel" about a girl trying to find herself, but it's a thriller. Don't let them fool you.
October 24, 2019
This is part one in the "losing Cristina" series. The story is eerie and haunting. But you have to read all three books to really understand and feel the book.
I first read this series many years ago. It was the first series I read that brought Bullying into the world of literature and that is notable. I also found the story haunting.
A young girl's parents send her to boarding school and the people who run the school turn out to be evil. There is no gore in this book. It is not a horror in the traditional sense. The Shevingtons are an evil couple who love treating children badly. Cristina is wise beyond her years, figures out what is going on almost immediately but nobody will believe her.
The story is eerie and written in a haunting dream like way. It is so atmospheric, taking place in Maine the way it does, it feels like you are there, helplessly watching Christina try to navigate her way through this nightmare.
I gave it a three but really it is a 3.5. I find it to disturbing to give it higher than that although honestly I am torn on the rating. It is such a unique read. It is indeed YA but the writing is so well done you really care about Cristina and feel for her. You want her to be safe.
I would recommend this to Stephen King fans, fans of YA with a dose of super natural. It is a creepy story, no doubt but after reading it I doubt you will forget it. 3.5 stars.
I first read this series many years ago. It was the first series I read that brought Bullying into the world of literature and that is notable. I also found the story haunting.
A young girl's parents send her to boarding school and the people who run the school turn out to be evil. There is no gore in this book. It is not a horror in the traditional sense. The Shevingtons are an evil couple who love treating children badly. Cristina is wise beyond her years, figures out what is going on almost immediately but nobody will believe her.
The story is eerie and written in a haunting dream like way. It is so atmospheric, taking place in Maine the way it does, it feels like you are there, helplessly watching Christina try to navigate her way through this nightmare.
I gave it a three but really it is a 3.5. I find it to disturbing to give it higher than that although honestly I am torn on the rating. It is such a unique read. It is indeed YA but the writing is so well done you really care about Cristina and feel for her. You want her to be safe.
I would recommend this to Stephen King fans, fans of YA with a dose of super natural. It is a creepy story, no doubt but after reading it I doubt you will forget it. 3.5 stars.
September 8, 2015
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.
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.
August 25, 2016
A copy of this book was provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fog was a pleasant surprise, dodging most of the pitfalls of similar works. For my full review, see .
Fog was a pleasant surprise, dodging most of the pitfalls of similar works. For my full review, see .
March 27, 2019
3.0 Stars
This was an atmospheric suspense novel with some creepy ideas. While this was technically classified as young adult, it read more like middle grade and probably would have been marketed accordingly if published today.
This was an atmospheric suspense novel with some creepy ideas. While this was technically classified as young adult, it read more like middle grade and probably would have been marketed accordingly if published today.
July 6, 2024
I read this with my book club that I run on Instagram where we revisit Point Horror and other books from our childhood - @talespointhorrorbookclub
Growing up on the small island of Burning Fog Isle thirteen year old Christina is off to the Mainland for school along with Anya, Michael and Benji. Whilst Christina is sad to leave her family home she’s excited to make new friends and to live with the renowned Shevingtons in a tall old house on top of Candle Cove. But Christina soon realises that there is something sinister going on. Do the Shevingtons have everyone fooled? And why is Anya not herself?
I’ve read Cooney’s writing before but this was next level! It really draws you into the mainland surrounded by the sea. You can almost smell the sea salt drifting up from the page. Christina is such a brilliant memorable character. She takes no nonsense from anyone and speaks her mind and I loved that! Down the line they renamed this series “Losing Christina� although a more appropriate title should have been the Gaslighting Christina series. There was so much gaslighting! 😲
Why this book is called The Fog I am still unsure as it was mainly about the sea! Will the next book, The Snow, actually be about the rain? 😂
I feel this was definitely written as a trilogy or with at least another book in mind. You are left with a foggy feeling of needing more of an explanation as to what you’ve just read and what the characters experience.
Give it a read if you love isolated settings, creepy houses, sinister adults and unusual unexplained goings on.
Growing up on the small island of Burning Fog Isle thirteen year old Christina is off to the Mainland for school along with Anya, Michael and Benji. Whilst Christina is sad to leave her family home she’s excited to make new friends and to live with the renowned Shevingtons in a tall old house on top of Candle Cove. But Christina soon realises that there is something sinister going on. Do the Shevingtons have everyone fooled? And why is Anya not herself?
I’ve read Cooney’s writing before but this was next level! It really draws you into the mainland surrounded by the sea. You can almost smell the sea salt drifting up from the page. Christina is such a brilliant memorable character. She takes no nonsense from anyone and speaks her mind and I loved that! Down the line they renamed this series “Losing Christina� although a more appropriate title should have been the Gaslighting Christina series. There was so much gaslighting! 😲
Why this book is called The Fog I am still unsure as it was mainly about the sea! Will the next book, The Snow, actually be about the rain? 😂
I feel this was definitely written as a trilogy or with at least another book in mind. You are left with a foggy feeling of needing more of an explanation as to what you’ve just read and what the characters experience.
Give it a read if you love isolated settings, creepy houses, sinister adults and unusual unexplained goings on.
October 14, 2022
Wow, Caroline Cooney can write.
I mean I've known this. She's one of my favorites for a reason. But this was an overwhelming reminder that she is so atmospheric and good at creating a mood and tone for a book—and this book is terrifying.
It sets up that adults can be evil. They can gaslight young girls and turn them into empty shells of themselves; they can take pleasure in destroying a person psychologically. As a kid, I had never read anything quite like it. It sort of blew my mind in sixth grade and I remember friends trading this paperback around, whispering about how it was "so scary." On a re-read, I understand why we were so afraid. We had been raised to trust adults, and this book very much told us that this wasn't always the case.
If you want an unsettling, yet beautiful YA book for fall, this is perfect.
I mean I've known this. She's one of my favorites for a reason. But this was an overwhelming reminder that she is so atmospheric and good at creating a mood and tone for a book—and this book is terrifying.
It sets up that adults can be evil. They can gaslight young girls and turn them into empty shells of themselves; they can take pleasure in destroying a person psychologically. As a kid, I had never read anything quite like it. It sort of blew my mind in sixth grade and I remember friends trading this paperback around, whispering about how it was "so scary." On a re-read, I understand why we were so afraid. We had been raised to trust adults, and this book very much told us that this wasn't always the case.
If you want an unsettling, yet beautiful YA book for fall, this is perfect.
August 31, 2015
I dislike the kinds of books where adults are awful to children, but everyone is blind to it... Not my thing. This book is about 90% that and then 10% awkward ocean metaphors.
The main character read much older than 7th grade for at least half of the book.
I have the second book in the series on my kindle already, so I will probably read it as well. Hurray for digital library books. :)
The main character read much older than 7th grade for at least half of the book.
I have the second book in the series on my kindle already, so I will probably read it as well. Hurray for digital library books. :)
February 5, 2015
{ I received this as an ebook from . Review originally posted on my blog, . }
When I saw that NetGalley was offering an ebook re-release of one of my favorite books from my middle school years (written by an author who was a staple on my personal middle school reading list), I was clicking "request" faster than poor Anya descends into madness.
Fog is my favorite kind of horror. It's creepy and eerie and ominous, and you're never quite sure who (or what) is actually evil. The Shevvingtons are, or so it seems. But what about the sea...?
The whole book is one big mind game; the Shevvingtons play it on the island children, and then you as a reader end up sucked into it too. Is Anya really crazy? Are the Shevvingtons responsible for it? Or are they trying to save her? Is the sea really coming after Christina and the others? Or does it just seem that way in their minds?
It's back and forth like this through the whole book. Christina falls under the Shevvingtons' control, then she seems to break away, then despite her best efforts she slips right back into their grasp. No one believes her when she tries to tell others what the Shevvingtons are really doing. No, everyone says, they're helping you. The twist at the end is almost heartbreaking in how cruel and hopeless it is. And through it all, the sea calls for them, through the windows of the old house and from the poster of its image on Christina's wall. ... How could you keep from losing your mind when things like this are happening to you?
And the writing - it's simple and straight-forward, yet so evocative. Cooney personifies the sea in such a creepy and wonderful way. You can't help but start to feel a sort of chilliness and dampness around you as you read, as if the sea is lurking over your own shoulder.
I read this book a few times when I was younger, and I'll definitely be re-reading it again now that I've rediscovered it. It still gets in my head and makes me question what Christina thinks, just like Christina herself does, and it still gives me chills.
When I saw that NetGalley was offering an ebook re-release of one of my favorite books from my middle school years (written by an author who was a staple on my personal middle school reading list), I was clicking "request" faster than poor Anya descends into madness.
Fog is my favorite kind of horror. It's creepy and eerie and ominous, and you're never quite sure who (or what) is actually evil. The Shevvingtons are, or so it seems. But what about the sea...?
The whole book is one big mind game; the Shevvingtons play it on the island children, and then you as a reader end up sucked into it too. Is Anya really crazy? Are the Shevvingtons responsible for it? Or are they trying to save her? Is the sea really coming after Christina and the others? Or does it just seem that way in their minds?
It's back and forth like this through the whole book. Christina falls under the Shevvingtons' control, then she seems to break away, then despite her best efforts she slips right back into their grasp. No one believes her when she tries to tell others what the Shevvingtons are really doing. No, everyone says, they're helping you. The twist at the end is almost heartbreaking in how cruel and hopeless it is. And through it all, the sea calls for them, through the windows of the old house and from the poster of its image on Christina's wall. ... How could you keep from losing your mind when things like this are happening to you?
And the writing - it's simple and straight-forward, yet so evocative. Cooney personifies the sea in such a creepy and wonderful way. You can't help but start to feel a sort of chilliness and dampness around you as you read, as if the sea is lurking over your own shoulder.
I read this book a few times when I was younger, and I'll definitely be re-reading it again now that I've rediscovered it. It still gets in my head and makes me question what Christina thinks, just like Christina herself does, and it still gives me chills.
August 23, 2021
The fog by Caroline B. Cooney is the first in the trilogy. Off to a strong start here. When Christina comes from Burning Fog Island to the mainland to go to high school she dreams of friendship, love and fun. What she gets is terror, disappointment and being blamed for things.
It got really annoying that no one would support Christina. I love her, she's really strong. She is constantly has a fight on her hands.
Really good, not a normal premise for point horror either which is cool.
It got really annoying that no one would support Christina. I love her, she's really strong. She is constantly has a fight on her hands.
Really good, not a normal premise for point horror either which is cool.
May 10, 2023
Relatively short book that kept my interest.
Although at times it was exhausting and repetitive, if I have to hear the expression "to yarn" one more time ...
I liked Christina. Her resilience was admirable. But the Shevvingtons are so unrealistic, I don't know if it is a fantasy novel or is Christina making up everything?
Sadly, some of the technology mentioned makes it obvious that it has been written decades ago (floppy disks and tape recorder).
I'm reading book 2 now as there isn't an end in book 1.
Although at times it was exhausting and repetitive, if I have to hear the expression "to yarn" one more time ...
I liked Christina. Her resilience was admirable. But the Shevvingtons are so unrealistic, I don't know if it is a fantasy novel or is Christina making up everything?
Sadly, some of the technology mentioned makes it obvious that it has been written decades ago (floppy disks and tape recorder).
I'm reading book 2 now as there isn't an end in book 1.
Read
August 23, 2012I received an advance review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my impartial review.
Review of Fog by Caroline B. Cooney
First 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.
Review of Fog by Caroline B. Cooney
First 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.
July 9, 2010
I picked this book up at a used book store because the plot caught my eye. I bought it as a trilogy and would only reccommend it that way as the first 2 books dont really end-they just build up the story and suspense/frustration. I dont usually like creepy books and this one was a bit more than I like but I really got into the main character and had to keep reading to find out how it all turned out. Have mixed feeling about reccommending it to others. I enjoyed it in the end but was not always comfortable reading it--a bit too creepy at times and very frustrating once I figured out what was happenning--but that is exactly what the author intended so she did a good job. I did like the ending and how she wrapped everything up.
August 17, 2012
have a soft spot for book by Cooney, because hers are some of the ones I read when I was actually the age for YA. (I know I'm not the only one--Face on the Milk Carton was pretty popular.) Anyway, her latest is about a seventh-grade girl who's grown up on a small island off the coast of Maine, and now she and three other students are coming to board on the mainland for school. But everything is weird and creepy, and the oldest student is acting very odd. Very strong atmosphere, but the end was unsatisfying. Apparently this is the first of a series, and I do actually want to know what will happen next, but I wish it hadn't ended so abruptly. B/B-.
January 2, 2018
Christina is leaving her small island for the first time to attend seventh grade on the mainland, along with high school senior Anya and two boys from the island. However, things are just awful, and not just because everyone seems to hate the islanders....eerie things are happening too, and why is Anya convinced that the sea is out to get her?
I'm first reading this series as an adult and maybe I would have enjoyed it more as a teen....now it just seems a bit melodramatic and I hate stories where no one believes the kids, even when it's clear that something weird is going on.....it's so frustrating! On to the next!
I'm first reading this series as an adult and maybe I would have enjoyed it more as a teen....now it just seems a bit melodramatic and I hate stories where no one believes the kids, even when it's clear that something weird is going on.....it's so frustrating! On to the next!
June 30, 2023
Christina leaves her home, Burning Fog Isle off the coast of Maine, for the first time at the age of 13. She joins fellow teenagers Anya, Benji, & Michael in travelling to the mainland to attend school. The four will be housed in a local bed & breakfast place called the Schooner Inne, which has recently been bought by headteacher & his wife, Mr & Mrs Shevvington. The others tell Christina that the mainland kids view them as odd but Christina finds that the odd behaviour comes from the Shevvingtons. From the moment they arrive the four are treated as second class but it seems as if only Christina is aware of it. Anya then starts to act very strangely & Christina knows that somehow the Shevvingtons are to blame, but when even her parents take their side, how can Christina reach out for the help they all need?
I was drawn to this mainly as it was available via ebook from my local library & the cover looked interesting. I also thought I recognised the author's name & lo-&-behold, they wrote books for the Point Horror collection (which I loved as a tween). This is very much in the same vein as the PH books: young teenager in a perilous or strange situation with the adults seemingly of little help. There's also a whiff of the supernatural about things - are the Shevvingtons supernaturally evil or just evil humans? It was a little on the simplistic side & not as scary as it could have been but I enjoyed it more than I expected & once it got going I flew through it. Definitely going to read the sequels. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
I was drawn to this mainly as it was available via ebook from my local library & the cover looked interesting. I also thought I recognised the author's name & lo-&-behold, they wrote books for the Point Horror collection (which I loved as a tween). This is very much in the same vein as the PH books: young teenager in a perilous or strange situation with the adults seemingly of little help. There's also a whiff of the supernatural about things - are the Shevvingtons supernaturally evil or just evil humans? It was a little on the simplistic side & not as scary as it could have been but I enjoyed it more than I expected & once it got going I flew through it. Definitely going to read the sequels. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
April 18, 2024
You always know when you're reading a Caroline B. Cooney book; she has such a unique flare and is the queen of unsettling storytelling.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so creepy and in many ways, ahead of its time. I loved Christina, she is a very no nonsense, feisty character who stays true to herself. This book really got under my skin, especially the Shevingtons. I kept thinking if I was in this story I'd be keeping quiet for an easy life, but not Christina, she was the only one standing up to them. The way they twisted her behaviour was so sinister.
I love the cliffhanger end and looking forward to reading the remaining 2 in the series.
Quotes I picked out...
"You can do anything if you have someone on your side."
"The window was opened, Anya was dampened by the rain coming in, like cotton waiting to be ironed."
Loved it!
I really enjoyed this book, it was so creepy and in many ways, ahead of its time. I loved Christina, she is a very no nonsense, feisty character who stays true to herself. This book really got under my skin, especially the Shevingtons. I kept thinking if I was in this story I'd be keeping quiet for an easy life, but not Christina, she was the only one standing up to them. The way they twisted her behaviour was so sinister.
I love the cliffhanger end and looking forward to reading the remaining 2 in the series.
Quotes I picked out...
"You can do anything if you have someone on your side."
"The window was opened, Anya was dampened by the rain coming in, like cotton waiting to be ironed."
Loved it!
January 13, 2022
The first in what was also the first interconnected trilogy within the Point Horror book series, The Fog is a bit of a mixed bag. There is an interesting story here about a sense of displacement and the natural young person's suspicion of adults which is only too real, but the style of writing is a bit murky at times.
This murkiness doesn't really make The Fog that fun of a read, or that appropriate for younger readers, it meanders a lot, unlike most other books in the series which are kind of non-stop action and very plot driven.
Unfortunately just as it starts getting good the book ends in a cliffhanger, which is bad, but also will definitely make you read the next one, so... that's what I'll do.
This murkiness doesn't really make The Fog that fun of a read, or that appropriate for younger readers, it meanders a lot, unlike most other books in the series which are kind of non-stop action and very plot driven.
Unfortunately just as it starts getting good the book ends in a cliffhanger, which is bad, but also will definitely make you read the next one, so... that's what I'll do.
February 22, 2020
Re-read this for Teenage Scream podcast (lovingly dissecting the best and worst of 90s teen horror):
Read
July 11, 2023This book terrified me as a 10? year old. As an adult it is upsetting but also a very stupid book.
October 20, 2024
Bon livre, mais la traduction en français laisse à désirer.
February 5, 2025
This is basically Gaslighting the book. Nothing really happens either, maybe because it's the first book of the trilogy. This story is a good example of underwealming for the most part.
April 27, 2024
Poor Christina.
September 7, 2024
An eerie read. Christina is being sent to the mainland for school. But the fog is closing in. The sea wants something. The sea wants someone.
I'm excited that this is a three-part story!
I'm excited that this is a three-part story!
November 3, 2023
Sometimes horror doesn't have to be all blood and gore.
Sometimes just the atmosphere of the book or some of the characters make it creepy enough to where we go for more of psychological horror or even a few tones of Gothic horror.
There is also something about setting a book on the New England coast or even off of it on a small island taps into that Lovecraft or King vibe especially Maine. This of course is more King because the monsters in the book are people.
Caroline B. Cooney made this series disturbing in the extreme with its first book, The Fog.
Burning Fog Island is so small that children go off to the mainland for school once they reach junior high or seventh grade for however you phrase it. There also are not that many children to begin with so now it is time for Christina Romney to head off with the others who have moved on to the higher levels.
Anya Rothrock is a pretty senior who is crazy for her boyfriend Blake. The Jaye brothers, Michael and Benjamin, are ninth graders and tenth graders respectively and their little sister Dolly has been the closest best friend Christina has ever known but she is only in the sixth grade.
Not only does Christina have to leave her only friend but also her parents and the familiarity of Burning Fog Island. The islanders have their own slang and amuse the summer people but Christina is beautiful with her brown hair with its gold and silver highlights at only thirteen with wit and brains to match.
People on the mainland can sometimes be cruel to those from the island for most of them are not very rich and usually only grow up to be fisherman bringing in lobsters or women working on the wharf running the souvenir shops with sea shells and sea glass to sell to tourists.
Christina is the youngest and can't fathom how anyone could be cruel to Anya with her beauty and she has always had a crush on Michael who only sees her as a friend or even another little sister.
Benjamin or Benj as he is called says Christina should just laugh it off if they tease her and try not to handle it with anything but that...no fists. It seems that once you are sixteen, you can leave school and that is what Benj plans to do for it isn't very far from now. Both Christina and Anya can't wait to be able to leave the island for something more once their education is complete...
The high school principal and his wife have bought the Schooner Inne on the mainland to run it and have agreed to take in Anya, Christina, Michael and Benj for the school year. Arnold Shevvington is a handsome man but his wife Candy is older and less graceful and fatter with a very stern and cold smile, ugly on the outside and on the inside.
Christina and Mrs. Shevvington have a contest of wills going on because well Christina is a thirteen year old girl and being told what to eat is seen as stubborn insolence from the older woman. Mr. Shevvington doesn't seem as bad but it is clear that he has a charm that borders on being very "sticky" in Christina's thoughts...Anya and all the other ladies in school just swoon over him.
Christina's first day at school doesn't seem to be going that bad as it seems no one is making fun of her but you can clearly tell it is all veiled like Regina George backhand compliments. It isn't until after lunch that one of the mainland boys, Jonah Bergeron, gives Christina his opinions on islanders in a rude way.
Christina socks him in the mouth and they get sent to Mr. Shevvington's office.
Jonah's punishment is basically to try and be friends with Christina while hers is seen to be insubordination against authority and showing the principal that Christina ight be a very troubled and emotional girl who needs some guidance counseling.
The day only gets worse once Christina is forced to go back to the Inne since it is her home for the school year under the clearly not very nice Shevvingtons. Anya gets home from school and begins to tell Christina that she had a very bad day as well for she is deathly afraid of public speaking and now must give an oral describing her home.
The other problem for Anya is that even though Blake is crazy about her...his parents are not and don't want him seeing her. They even told that to the Shevvingtons...harsh. Christina is able to soothe Anya's worries but is not prepared for what happens next...
Anya looks out the window and starts screaming and freaking out, saying that she can see a house on fire back on the island and thinks it belongs to Christina's family! The girl tries to throw herself out the window but Christina holds on until the others arrive and Mr. Shevvington shoves Christina away from Anya, hard enough to hit her head on the door jamb to the room.
The couple accuses Christina of trying to push Anya out the window! They move Christina to her own room instead of sharing with Anya and treat her like a broken bird while the boys can only stare at Christina as if never seeing her before.
The following day at school, Christina is humiliated in front of her English class by Mrs. Shevvington who just happens to also be her teacher. Jonah surprisingly and another boy named Robbie applaud her poem that Mrs. Shevvington accused as cheating and after class, Robbie warns her never to speak up against the teacher again.
His sister had her the year before for Senior English and it implies that she did the same thing as Christina but is still vague enough to warrant her curiosity. Blake approaches Christina about Anya suddenly acting very weird and talking crazy about the sea and she can't tell him that she saw Anya sleepwalking the night before and mumbling the same words about the sea.
Christina tries to tell her parents about how awful the Shevvingtons are but they have beaten her to the punch and told the Romneys that Christina is a very troubled young girl and they now have no pride in Christina but worry. Christina does seem to find allies in Jonah and Robbie as they are the only ones who believe anything she has to say about the Shevvingtons and Jonah even urges her to talk to at least one teacher at school, Ms. Schuyler the math teacher.
Things only get worse because Anya becomes even more troubled that she is planning to drop out of school and work at a laundromat despite Blake being loyal and still in love with her which begins to make Christina develop a crush on Blake when he seems to believe her, needing answers from someone since Anya isn't there anymore.
His valiant efforts to help the girl he loves end up getting Blake hurt and sent away to a boarding school far away once he heals, crushing Christina and any hope with her...
If you haven't read The Fog, I won't go into any more of the plot but the climax toward the end is actually...anti-climatic. You know that there is more coming to the story in another book but it seems that all is well and when the twist is revealed, you are left feeling gobsmacked and terrified.
The main character of the series is a thirteen year old girl going up against adults as cruel as any in The Secret Garden or The Little Princess but even more so to delightfully evil not seen since The Turn of The Screw...it is bone-chilling.
Sometimes just the atmosphere of the book or some of the characters make it creepy enough to where we go for more of psychological horror or even a few tones of Gothic horror.
There is also something about setting a book on the New England coast or even off of it on a small island taps into that Lovecraft or King vibe especially Maine. This of course is more King because the monsters in the book are people.
Caroline B. Cooney made this series disturbing in the extreme with its first book, The Fog.
Burning Fog Island is so small that children go off to the mainland for school once they reach junior high or seventh grade for however you phrase it. There also are not that many children to begin with so now it is time for Christina Romney to head off with the others who have moved on to the higher levels.
Anya Rothrock is a pretty senior who is crazy for her boyfriend Blake. The Jaye brothers, Michael and Benjamin, are ninth graders and tenth graders respectively and their little sister Dolly has been the closest best friend Christina has ever known but she is only in the sixth grade.
Not only does Christina have to leave her only friend but also her parents and the familiarity of Burning Fog Island. The islanders have their own slang and amuse the summer people but Christina is beautiful with her brown hair with its gold and silver highlights at only thirteen with wit and brains to match.
People on the mainland can sometimes be cruel to those from the island for most of them are not very rich and usually only grow up to be fisherman bringing in lobsters or women working on the wharf running the souvenir shops with sea shells and sea glass to sell to tourists.
Christina is the youngest and can't fathom how anyone could be cruel to Anya with her beauty and she has always had a crush on Michael who only sees her as a friend or even another little sister.
Benjamin or Benj as he is called says Christina should just laugh it off if they tease her and try not to handle it with anything but that...no fists. It seems that once you are sixteen, you can leave school and that is what Benj plans to do for it isn't very far from now. Both Christina and Anya can't wait to be able to leave the island for something more once their education is complete...
The high school principal and his wife have bought the Schooner Inne on the mainland to run it and have agreed to take in Anya, Christina, Michael and Benj for the school year. Arnold Shevvington is a handsome man but his wife Candy is older and less graceful and fatter with a very stern and cold smile, ugly on the outside and on the inside.
Christina and Mrs. Shevvington have a contest of wills going on because well Christina is a thirteen year old girl and being told what to eat is seen as stubborn insolence from the older woman. Mr. Shevvington doesn't seem as bad but it is clear that he has a charm that borders on being very "sticky" in Christina's thoughts...Anya and all the other ladies in school just swoon over him.
Christina's first day at school doesn't seem to be going that bad as it seems no one is making fun of her but you can clearly tell it is all veiled like Regina George backhand compliments. It isn't until after lunch that one of the mainland boys, Jonah Bergeron, gives Christina his opinions on islanders in a rude way.
Christina socks him in the mouth and they get sent to Mr. Shevvington's office.
Jonah's punishment is basically to try and be friends with Christina while hers is seen to be insubordination against authority and showing the principal that Christina ight be a very troubled and emotional girl who needs some guidance counseling.
The day only gets worse once Christina is forced to go back to the Inne since it is her home for the school year under the clearly not very nice Shevvingtons. Anya gets home from school and begins to tell Christina that she had a very bad day as well for she is deathly afraid of public speaking and now must give an oral describing her home.
The other problem for Anya is that even though Blake is crazy about her...his parents are not and don't want him seeing her. They even told that to the Shevvingtons...harsh. Christina is able to soothe Anya's worries but is not prepared for what happens next...
Anya looks out the window and starts screaming and freaking out, saying that she can see a house on fire back on the island and thinks it belongs to Christina's family! The girl tries to throw herself out the window but Christina holds on until the others arrive and Mr. Shevvington shoves Christina away from Anya, hard enough to hit her head on the door jamb to the room.
The couple accuses Christina of trying to push Anya out the window! They move Christina to her own room instead of sharing with Anya and treat her like a broken bird while the boys can only stare at Christina as if never seeing her before.
The following day at school, Christina is humiliated in front of her English class by Mrs. Shevvington who just happens to also be her teacher. Jonah surprisingly and another boy named Robbie applaud her poem that Mrs. Shevvington accused as cheating and after class, Robbie warns her never to speak up against the teacher again.
His sister had her the year before for Senior English and it implies that she did the same thing as Christina but is still vague enough to warrant her curiosity. Blake approaches Christina about Anya suddenly acting very weird and talking crazy about the sea and she can't tell him that she saw Anya sleepwalking the night before and mumbling the same words about the sea.
Christina tries to tell her parents about how awful the Shevvingtons are but they have beaten her to the punch and told the Romneys that Christina is a very troubled young girl and they now have no pride in Christina but worry. Christina does seem to find allies in Jonah and Robbie as they are the only ones who believe anything she has to say about the Shevvingtons and Jonah even urges her to talk to at least one teacher at school, Ms. Schuyler the math teacher.
Things only get worse because Anya becomes even more troubled that she is planning to drop out of school and work at a laundromat despite Blake being loyal and still in love with her which begins to make Christina develop a crush on Blake when he seems to believe her, needing answers from someone since Anya isn't there anymore.
His valiant efforts to help the girl he loves end up getting Blake hurt and sent away to a boarding school far away once he heals, crushing Christina and any hope with her...
If you haven't read The Fog, I won't go into any more of the plot but the climax toward the end is actually...anti-climatic. You know that there is more coming to the story in another book but it seems that all is well and when the twist is revealed, you are left feeling gobsmacked and terrified.
The main character of the series is a thirteen year old girl going up against adults as cruel as any in The Secret Garden or The Little Princess but even more so to delightfully evil not seen since The Turn of The Screw...it is bone-chilling.
September 1, 2016
Point Horror re-release.
When I requested this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review, I was not aware that this was a re-release from 1995, nor that it was previously published as a Point Horror book. I have enjoyed many Young Adult novels but would not knowingly choose to read Point Horror. Having said that, I decided to give this a go and I have to admit, there were parts of the book that I did really enjoy. On the other hand, some aspects didn't ring true and unfortunately detracted from my enjoyment.
Christina lives on a sparsely populated island, known as Burning Fog Isle, off the coast of Maine. Children are schooled on the island until the age of 13, at which time they move to the mainland school. Christina moves to the mainland to join the three older island children who had moved on in previous years. They are all to board with the principal and his wife at the Schooner Inne, perched high on the crags by the sea.
However, their hosts appear to have a spooky agenda and we fear for the safety of their charges.
I loved the descriptions of the sea, it was like another character in the book, surging and churning in the background throughout. Christina was feisty and outspoken and did a great job of holding the narrative together.
On the downside, I couldn't quite grasp the motivation of the principal and his wife, perhaps I have to read the other two books of the series for the answer to this. Christina's friend Anya's drift into blankness also puzzled me from a psychological point of view.
I enjoyed the added photos of the author as a child, teenager and adult that are in the back of the reissued version of this book. The new cover art is also much more appealing than the dated 1995 cover.
Personally, I feel that if this book is being re-released to today's young readers then it should have modern amenities added, such as mobile phones etc. To add to the cut off feeling they could be missing their chargers or have been dropped in the sea, but the book needs a nod to the modern era. Not a book for older teens but good for slightly younger readers and it's breath of fresh air that there's not a vampire to be seen.
When I requested this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review, I was not aware that this was a re-release from 1995, nor that it was previously published as a Point Horror book. I have enjoyed many Young Adult novels but would not knowingly choose to read Point Horror. Having said that, I decided to give this a go and I have to admit, there were parts of the book that I did really enjoy. On the other hand, some aspects didn't ring true and unfortunately detracted from my enjoyment.
Christina lives on a sparsely populated island, known as Burning Fog Isle, off the coast of Maine. Children are schooled on the island until the age of 13, at which time they move to the mainland school. Christina moves to the mainland to join the three older island children who had moved on in previous years. They are all to board with the principal and his wife at the Schooner Inne, perched high on the crags by the sea.
However, their hosts appear to have a spooky agenda and we fear for the safety of their charges.
I loved the descriptions of the sea, it was like another character in the book, surging and churning in the background throughout. Christina was feisty and outspoken and did a great job of holding the narrative together.
On the downside, I couldn't quite grasp the motivation of the principal and his wife, perhaps I have to read the other two books of the series for the answer to this. Christina's friend Anya's drift into blankness also puzzled me from a psychological point of view.
I enjoyed the added photos of the author as a child, teenager and adult that are in the back of the reissued version of this book. The new cover art is also much more appealing than the dated 1995 cover.
Personally, I feel that if this book is being re-released to today's young readers then it should have modern amenities added, such as mobile phones etc. To add to the cut off feeling they could be missing their chargers or have been dropped in the sea, but the book needs a nod to the modern era. Not a book for older teens but good for slightly younger readers and it's breath of fresh air that there's not a vampire to be seen.
September 21, 2012
When I requested is book from Netgalley, I had no idea that it was republished and had been around for quite a few years. I also wasn't aware that the author was well known for her Point Horror books. Now thinking about it, I can see the writing lacks modern appliances which we tend to find associated with life these days.
There are aspects about this book I really enjoyed and yet there are also parts that I really didn't enjoy, so this is very much a sit on the fence review.
I loved the idea of the story - the strong beginning had me entranced and the personification of the sea was excellent, allowing me to view it as the real villain of the story. The ending had an excellent twist which I really didn't expect. The atmosphere was excellent and I did feel a chill on reading the scarier parts. Some of the main characters were very strong and well written. Christina dealt with everything that was thrown at her well after initially being a little upset. I adored the wistful, almost angelic Anya - I wanted to save her from the lonely road she was being lured down.
However, other characters lacked personality and often felt surplus to the story. A couple of them seemed to appear in the story surrounded by intrigue and then disappear without any explanation as to who they were connected to, so by the end I felt a little confused by their very existence.
At times the writing seemed to jump around a lot and I would get a little lost in the story, which I felt was a shame as it showed such promising potential to begin with.
On reflection now, I am surprised how often it has been republished, so maybe I am missing something that others have enjoyed within it. I loved the idea and the atmosphere surrounding it, I just felt it lacked a clear plot and had unnecessary characters added to it. This book is part of a series, so maybe the extra characters appear in future books. I would love to think that the series gets better as you progress through the trilogy, as the author is well known for her Point Horror books. Unfortunately this book didn't really work for me.
There are aspects about this book I really enjoyed and yet there are also parts that I really didn't enjoy, so this is very much a sit on the fence review.
I loved the idea of the story - the strong beginning had me entranced and the personification of the sea was excellent, allowing me to view it as the real villain of the story. The ending had an excellent twist which I really didn't expect. The atmosphere was excellent and I did feel a chill on reading the scarier parts. Some of the main characters were very strong and well written. Christina dealt with everything that was thrown at her well after initially being a little upset. I adored the wistful, almost angelic Anya - I wanted to save her from the lonely road she was being lured down.
However, other characters lacked personality and often felt surplus to the story. A couple of them seemed to appear in the story surrounded by intrigue and then disappear without any explanation as to who they were connected to, so by the end I felt a little confused by their very existence.
At times the writing seemed to jump around a lot and I would get a little lost in the story, which I felt was a shame as it showed such promising potential to begin with.
On reflection now, I am surprised how often it has been republished, so maybe I am missing something that others have enjoyed within it. I loved the idea and the atmosphere surrounding it, I just felt it lacked a clear plot and had unnecessary characters added to it. This book is part of a series, so maybe the extra characters appear in future books. I would love to think that the series gets better as you progress through the trilogy, as the author is well known for her Point Horror books. Unfortunately this book didn't really work for me.
January 5, 2013
Christina Romney (lol, bad time to read about a character with that name) lives on a small island off the coast of Maine, called Burning Fog Isle. She's about to start grade 7, which means boarding on the mainland. Christina is excited to experience mainland life, but her older friends, who have been there before, warn her that everyone teases island kids.
When they get to the Schooner Inne, where they'll be boarding, the home of the principal and his wife, things immediately start to go poorly. Mrs. Shevvington is awful, and accuses Christina of having a bad attitude whenever she questions anything. Mr. Shevvington seems nice at first, but becomes increasingly disturbing as he makes everyone around Christina doubt her sanity.
This book turned out to be something other than I expected. It's very much a psychological horror story. It's kind of weird because it's written for pre-teens, yet it's filled with what is basically emotional torture. So, I enjoyed it, and found it terrifying, but I'm in my 20s. But then, I don't usually understand age guidelines. Anywho, at times it's suggested that the sea is what's out to get them, and that's rather creepy in itself, but most of the time I found it clear that the Shevvingtons were the ones to be worried about; they were straight up horrifying.
This is one of those stories that really makes me feel the character's pain. Every time someone doesn't believe her, or becomes convinced she's crazy, I just wanted to yell at them. It was very powerful. I think that's one of the scariest things a horror story can be about: your loved ones turning on you because they think you're the bad guy.
5 stars. The night I finished it, I was up half the night because I could not put it down.
Full disclosure: Free e-book copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This review is copied from my blog, The Towering Pile. It was originally published .
When they get to the Schooner Inne, where they'll be boarding, the home of the principal and his wife, things immediately start to go poorly. Mrs. Shevvington is awful, and accuses Christina of having a bad attitude whenever she questions anything. Mr. Shevvington seems nice at first, but becomes increasingly disturbing as he makes everyone around Christina doubt her sanity.
This book turned out to be something other than I expected. It's very much a psychological horror story. It's kind of weird because it's written for pre-teens, yet it's filled with what is basically emotional torture. So, I enjoyed it, and found it terrifying, but I'm in my 20s. But then, I don't usually understand age guidelines. Anywho, at times it's suggested that the sea is what's out to get them, and that's rather creepy in itself, but most of the time I found it clear that the Shevvingtons were the ones to be worried about; they were straight up horrifying.
This is one of those stories that really makes me feel the character's pain. Every time someone doesn't believe her, or becomes convinced she's crazy, I just wanted to yell at them. It was very powerful. I think that's one of the scariest things a horror story can be about: your loved ones turning on you because they think you're the bad guy.
5 stars. The night I finished it, I was up half the night because I could not put it down.
Full disclosure: Free e-book copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This review is copied from my blog, The Towering Pile. It was originally published .
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