Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Delacorte Press (2007), 386 pages
Description
Photographer Abby Mason's life is changed forever by the disappearance of the young girl with whom she had been walking on a cold and foggy beach, and her desperate search for the truth behind the child's vanishing.
User reviews
LibraryThing member writestuff
Abby Mason, a photographer, is about to be married to Jake - a handsome school teacher - and become a stepmother to Jake’s adorable, green-eyed daughter Emma. For Abby becoming a mother is a leap of faith, something she was not sure she could ever do, and yet she has fallen in love with not only
The Year of Fog begins on that fateful day with the first hours and days of the official search and media blitz. As the days turn into weeks and then months, many reach the conclusion that Emma has drowned - including her father - and all that is left is Abby’s certainty, her mother’s instinct, that Emma is still alive.
Michelle Richmond has written a book about guilt, fear, memory and hope. In Abby, she captures the raw emotions of making a mistake with dire consequences and the obsession to right the wrong. Richmond explores the confusing science of memory as Abby struggles to put together the pieces of what she may (or may not) have seen in order to solve the mystery of Emma’s disappearance. Perception and memory become intertwined with Abby’s art of photography and Richmond’s writing in these sections is poetic and beautifully wrought.
Richmond’s novel enthralls the reader from beginning to end. It is a page turner which begs to be read in one long gulp. It is a literary rollercoaster ride of despair and hope, joy and sadness. Richmond weaves together a convincing story of a family on the verge of destruction and one woman’s determination to find the child she loves. It is rare when a writer is able to make the reader feel what the protagonist feels on every level - but, that is exactly what Richmond does in The Year of Fog. I was breathless, my heart racing, with the desperate urge to find Emma. As a volunteer in Search and Rescue for more than ten years, I was reminded of the actual searches I have been on - the sense of urgency, the conviction that the lost person must be just around the next corner, the fear that giving up the search might be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.
The Year of Fog is a gripping tale, one skillfully written which will haunt and exhilarate the reader.
Highly recommended.
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Jake but with Emma as well. And so having Emma to herself for a weekend while Jake is out of town feels wonderful…until a moment on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach when, in a dense and swirling fog, Abby looks away for a second and Emma disappears.The Year of Fog begins on that fateful day with the first hours and days of the official search and media blitz. As the days turn into weeks and then months, many reach the conclusion that Emma has drowned - including her father - and all that is left is Abby’s certainty, her mother’s instinct, that Emma is still alive.
Michelle Richmond has written a book about guilt, fear, memory and hope. In Abby, she captures the raw emotions of making a mistake with dire consequences and the obsession to right the wrong. Richmond explores the confusing science of memory as Abby struggles to put together the pieces of what she may (or may not) have seen in order to solve the mystery of Emma’s disappearance. Perception and memory become intertwined with Abby’s art of photography and Richmond’s writing in these sections is poetic and beautifully wrought.
Richmond’s novel enthralls the reader from beginning to end. It is a page turner which begs to be read in one long gulp. It is a literary rollercoaster ride of despair and hope, joy and sadness. Richmond weaves together a convincing story of a family on the verge of destruction and one woman’s determination to find the child she loves. It is rare when a writer is able to make the reader feel what the protagonist feels on every level - but, that is exactly what Richmond does in The Year of Fog. I was breathless, my heart racing, with the desperate urge to find Emma. As a volunteer in Search and Rescue for more than ten years, I was reminded of the actual searches I have been on - the sense of urgency, the conviction that the lost person must be just around the next corner, the fear that giving up the search might be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.
The Year of Fog is a gripping tale, one skillfully written which will haunt and exhilarate the reader.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Lisa2013
recommended for: everyone who enjoys well written novels with realistic and sympathetic characters
This is such a beautifully written and compelling story. I really enjoyed it and I found it difficult when I had to put the book down and do something else.
I loved that I didn’t know how it would
I live in San Francisco and it is the main setting for the book and, unlike many books that supposedly take place in the city, the author got just about everything right here: the many neighborhoods and so many specific locations in each of them. So, that was great fun for me, and softened some of the painful feelings that came up for me because of the subject of the book.
This is a novel told first person by the fiancé and soon to be stepmother of a child who goes missing. I loved Abby’s voice and the story was so riveting. I cared about Abby, Emma, Jake, and several other characters in the book; even some of the peripheral characters are shown in some depth.
What I especially enjoyed was how information about photography and memory are interspersed with the story. The author either has much knowledge or did a lot of research about these subjects, and she writes very poetically about them. As someone who knows virtually nothing about photography, I learned quite a bit. There are quotes from books about memory and the contents were so fascinating that I put one of those books on my to-read list. Having the book go back and forth in time between Abby’s present and past also added immeasurably to the story.
I am eager to read all the other books by this author. My only regret is that this book would have been a good choice for my book club and I wish that I had waited, nominated it for one of our books, and read it with my book group. (Vegan Book Club members: I wouldn’t mind reading it again for one of our discussions. Or, you all might enjoy this one on your own.)
This is such a beautifully written and compelling story. I really enjoyed it and I found it difficult when I had to put the book down and do something else.
I loved that I didn’t know how it would
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end, and I won’t ruin it for those of you who haven’t read it, but the book was suspenseful and emotionally moving from beginning to end.I live in San Francisco and it is the main setting for the book and, unlike many books that supposedly take place in the city, the author got just about everything right here: the many neighborhoods and so many specific locations in each of them. So, that was great fun for me, and softened some of the painful feelings that came up for me because of the subject of the book.
This is a novel told first person by the fiancé and soon to be stepmother of a child who goes missing. I loved Abby’s voice and the story was so riveting. I cared about Abby, Emma, Jake, and several other characters in the book; even some of the peripheral characters are shown in some depth.
What I especially enjoyed was how information about photography and memory are interspersed with the story. The author either has much knowledge or did a lot of research about these subjects, and she writes very poetically about them. As someone who knows virtually nothing about photography, I learned quite a bit. There are quotes from books about memory and the contents were so fascinating that I put one of those books on my to-read list. Having the book go back and forth in time between Abby’s present and past also added immeasurably to the story.
I am eager to read all the other books by this author. My only regret is that this book would have been a good choice for my book club and I wish that I had waited, nominated it for one of our books, and read it with my book group. (Vegan Book Club members: I wouldn’t mind reading it again for one of our discussions. Or, you all might enjoy this one on your own.)
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LibraryThing member angelswing
I loved this book. It's the first one I've read by Richmond, but it certainly won't be the last! It's a mystery/suspense/romance all in one. This is one you've got to read. It's about what happens when a woman engaged to a man is on the beach with his little girl and she suddenly disappears. Great
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book! Show Less
LibraryThing member WWDG
I must say that I nearly didn't pick this book at the library as the cover screamed 'chick lit' at me however I am so glad that I did. It grabbed me from the very beginning the first chapter sets the tone very well and I must say that I found it hard to put down.
I found the comparison between
My only quibbles are slight ones. 1) Where does she find the money to do what she does in her search for Emma? As she is a freelance photographer she has no regular income and I would have thought that she would soon have run out of money to persue all the lines of enquiry. 2) I found the resolution to the mystery a little too convenient, surely the police would have treated the person found to be behind the disapperence as a suspect just as much as Abby and Jake were so why was this not the case.
But that said I found the story to be gripping and I really empathised with Abby and the plight she found herself in. I highly recommend it.
I found the comparison between
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photography and film development and memory very telling and a useful tool that added to my enjoyment of the novel. Given the nature of the theme it could have felt very exploitative and crass but this was not the case at all. My only quibbles are slight ones. 1) Where does she find the money to do what she does in her search for Emma? As she is a freelance photographer she has no regular income and I would have thought that she would soon have run out of money to persue all the lines of enquiry. 2) I found the resolution to the mystery a little too convenient, surely the police would have treated the person found to be behind the disapperence as a suspect just as much as Abby and Jake were so why was this not the case.
But that said I found the story to be gripping and I really empathised with Abby and the plight she found herself in. I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
One of the worst nightmares that could possibly happen, while walking along a foggy beach, Abby lets go of the little hand and allows her future step-daughter to run ahead. She only looks away a few moments to take a photograph, but that’s all it takes to change things forever.
This is a book that
She is sure that she holds the key to finding Emma and following up on her memories leads her to Costa Rica where she is finally faced with the answer of what happened to Emma.
Michelle Richmond handles this story deftly, just laying it out simply and letting us feel the emotion without jamming it down our throats. Her insight and sensitivity make this beautifully written book linger in the memory.
If you think you could handle the difficult subject matter, I would highly recommend A Year of Fog.
This is a book that
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was both very hard to read and very hard to put down. The heartbreaking and compelling story of how people cope with the tragedy of a missing child. From the first desperate search, Abby is convinced the little girl has been kidnapped and wracks her brains to remember a detail that could lead to finding Emma. Emma’s father and the police come to believe that the child was taken by a sneaker wave, a drowning victim. A memorial service is held, but Abby still cannot let go, even at the cost of her relationship.She is sure that she holds the key to finding Emma and following up on her memories leads her to Costa Rica where she is finally faced with the answer of what happened to Emma.
Michelle Richmond handles this story deftly, just laying it out simply and letting us feel the emotion without jamming it down our throats. Her insight and sensitivity make this beautifully written book linger in the memory.
If you think you could handle the difficult subject matter, I would highly recommend A Year of Fog.
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LibraryThing member BlackSheepDances
I almost missed the treasure of The Year of Fog, simply because the wording on the book cover made it look like the sibling of every other 'chick lit' book I've seen. It had the words "for fans of Jodi Picoult or Jacquelyn Mitchard". Since I have never cared for their books, I nearly passed on this
This is a really suspenseful story strung around the msytery of the brain's memory capabilities, the symbolism of fog (that softens hard edges but also hides details) and made dazzling by the sparkling gem of San Francisco's scenery and culture. I've been learning about hooks and actions that make a reader keep going and interested in a book. This one had so many perfect examples. Foreshadowing was a big factor. I could not put it down, as it kept moving forward so quickly that it felt like running down a hill, dangerous and hard to control.
I could rave on and on but I most liked how she brought her characters to life with minimal words, just little snippets of descriptions and dialogue that were so telling that it was like reading their biography first. Great read.
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one. I'm so glad I didn't!This is a really suspenseful story strung around the msytery of the brain's memory capabilities, the symbolism of fog (that softens hard edges but also hides details) and made dazzling by the sparkling gem of San Francisco's scenery and culture. I've been learning about hooks and actions that make a reader keep going and interested in a book. This one had so many perfect examples. Foreshadowing was a big factor. I could not put it down, as it kept moving forward so quickly that it felt like running down a hill, dangerous and hard to control.
I could rave on and on but I most liked how she brought her characters to life with minimal words, just little snippets of descriptions and dialogue that were so telling that it was like reading their biography first. Great read.
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LibraryThing member laws
Excellent book. I finished it in one sitting. I could not stop reading it. Abby take her fiancee's daughter Emma to the beach. While walking along the beach in the fog Emma vanishes. Abby is beside herself . Everything changes including her realationship with Jake(Emma's Dad). Abby can not believe
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that Emma is missing or dead. Even when they finally call off the search months later , Abby continues on her obssession to find Emma. Abby does eventually find Emma and unites her with Jake but things will never be the same with Abby and Jake. Show Less
LibraryThing member KPW
I enjoyed the book, but the ending was a tad far-fetched.
LibraryThing member joeypod
I really enjoyed this book. The story really plunges you into how the characters are feeling. The majority of the story centers on looking for the missing girl but I never once got tired of reading about it though. I was completely surprised by the ending but thought it was absolutely fabulous. I
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loved that it seemed so realistic and was not just the happily ever after ending. I also appreciated that you found out what happened to the little girl. Can't wait to read more by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member readingrat
A beautifully written book that takes the reader into the very heart of a desperate search for a lost child.
LibraryThing member PermaSwooned
I loved this book!! This story is so beautifully written. The author expresses so well how one would feel when the unthinkable happens. The disbelief, the frantic panic, the terrible guilt. She uses a recurring refrain that really lured me in: "Here is the truth, this is what I know. I was walking
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on the beach with Emma. It was very cold and foggy. I let go of her hand." Life is so fragile. I have to say that her hunt for Emma was a bit out there, but I'm not taking points off for that. Her story just leapt off the page and into my heart and mind. Excellent. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member madams
6 year old Emma disappeared one day while walking on the beach with her soon to be stepmother, Abby. Abby is overcome with guilt and refuses to believe that she cannot be found. But, how will she find her and why can't she accept the fact that she is gone?
LibraryThing member pdebolt
The pace of this book is excellent and the characters are well portrayed. It demonstrates how fragile relationships are and, perhaps, how perserverance brings results. The main character was with her fiancee's child when she was kidnapped, so she is guilt-ridden and the father of the child is
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bereft. The outcome is probably the only way this tragedy could have played out, but I was hoping for the alternative. Show Less
LibraryThing member mckait
Abby Mason walks along a beach with Emma. The daughter of her fiance. A child she already loves.
Following along behind the little Emma, she stops and looks away for just seconds. When she looks up again the girl is gone.
Abby searches frantically, and calls the police. It is left up to her to call
The story journals the days and weeks from the first moment Abby realizes Emma is missing, through the weeks and months where her thoughts are with the child, and during which she attempts to hold her relationship with Jake together. Can any relationship survive such a tragedy?
This is a mystery, it is a love story, and compelling story of faith and growth of the human spirit.
There is a period about three quarters of the way through, where the story lags a bit, but stick with it, for an emotional and intriguing ending.
I recommend it .
Following along behind the little Emma, she stops and looks away for just seconds. When she looks up again the girl is gone.
Abby searches frantically, and calls the police. It is left up to her to call
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Jake, Emma's father, and let him know what has happened. That call is the beginning of a journey that will tale Abby deep into the depths of her own heart and soul, and a great distance away to another country, where she believes that she will find the girl.The story journals the days and weeks from the first moment Abby realizes Emma is missing, through the weeks and months where her thoughts are with the child, and during which she attempts to hold her relationship with Jake together. Can any relationship survive such a tragedy?
This is a mystery, it is a love story, and compelling story of faith and growth of the human spirit.
There is a period about three quarters of the way through, where the story lags a bit, but stick with it, for an emotional and intriguing ending.
I recommend it .
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LibraryThing member MsGemini
This was a good story and very hard to put down at first. Then towards the end I felt the story was dragging and I wanted it to end. I was a bit surprised at where the author took the ending. Overall, I enjoyed the story and felt the characters were strong and their emotions were real.
LibraryThing member punxsygal
"Here is the truth, this is what I know: we were walking on Ocean Beach, hand in hand". In a fleeting moment, Abby lets go of Emma's hand and looks into her camera. When she looks back, six-year old Emma is gone. An engrossing tale of searching, hope, despair, rethinking a moment in time over and
You posted this review 1 minute ago.
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over again. How one small decision can change a life. You posted this review 1 minute ago.
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LibraryThing member liberry
I enjoyed the way Michelle Richmond writes, but I don't know if I liked this story or not. I read frantically, desperate to know how it ended. But the ending wasn't satisfying in some aspects-- too easy, anticlimactic. But I think that was the effect the author was working toward. the writing is
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good and I suspect I will spend a lot of time thinking about this book now that I am finished with it. It's funny-- usually I love, or hate, a book, and I'm totally caught in the middle on this one. And I think that's the author's intention. Nice work! Show Less
LibraryThing member carmarie
This book was very nicely done! Sometimes with subject matters like this, it seems to be done before. The missing child story has been done thousands of times, but never like this! I was happily surprised that I couldn't keep my nose out of it!
LibraryThing member Sukisue7
A little drawn out in places. The narrative doesn't flow, and many of the chapters are very repetitive. I was expecting more from this. I didn't warm to the characters, and felt that things were a little too drawn out at times. There was no real mystery here, and for me, the ending was a big
An average read - one that will leave you wanting more.
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letdown, with no real explanation, or great plot twist. I even glossed over some of the chapters on memory research, as I found it all so boring.An average read - one that will leave you wanting more.
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LibraryThing member susabusa
Great read -- loved it, loved it! I thought that the ending would end up being cheesy and inprobable and I found it VERY believable. Strange mix of good and bad ending... happy and sad for the main character.
LibraryThing member im2883
Held my interest, but the author seemed to htink that I was from that city and knew what she was talking about when she told me all of the streets she was going down. I tried to envision the blocks, but it held no relevance to the story. Thank God for the characters persistance. All in all it was a
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great book. The feeling that radiated was intense. Show Less
LibraryThing member dawnlovesbooks
i think i am rating this book lower than i would have, had i not read three great works of deep literature beforehand. it seemed a little dense and repetitive to me. it does remind me of jodi picoult's books though, so i would recommend other readers give it a chance.
LibraryThing member mary3s
An excellent book club pick - our club spent the longest time ever discussing a book with this one. Just discussing our thoughts on the fiance was involved - we all disliked him but each with a different reason.
LibraryThing member spotteddog
Interesting, but not as suspensful as I hoped. Interesting info re: photography. Loved the Costa Rica connection.
LibraryThing member hammockqueen
Abby loses Emma on a beach when she stops to look at something she finds photogenic. Emma's father hates her now and they try to find Emma. She is found by Abby but the father can't forgive or get past it all. I didn't much like
Awards
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Fiction — 2007)
Library Journal Best Books (2007)
Language
Original publication date
2007-03-26