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The Missing Girl
He could be any man, any respectable, ordinary man. But he's not. This man watches the five Herbert girls—Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy, and Autumn—with disturbing fascination. Unaware of his scrutiny and his increasingly agitated and forbidden thoughts about them, the sisters go on with their ordinary everyday lives—planning, arguing, laughing, and crying—as if nothing bad could ever breach the safety of their family. In alternating points of view, Norma Fox Mazer manages to interweave the lives of predator and prey in this unforgettable psychological thriller.
284 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2008
104 people are currently reading
2776 people want to read
About the author
Norma Fox Mazer
58 books104 followersNorma Fox Mazer was an American author and teacher, best known for her books for children and young adults.
She was born in New York City but grew up in Glens Falls, New York, with parents Michael and Jean Garlan Fox. Mazer graduated from Glens Falls High School, then went to Antioch College, where she met Harry Mazer, whom she married in 1950; they have four children, one of whom, Anne Mazer, is also a writer. She also studied at Syracuse University.
New York Times Book Review contributor Ruth I. Gordon wrote that Mazer "has the skill to reveal the human qualities in both ordinary and extraordinary situations as young people mature....it would be a shame to limit their reading to young people, since they can show an adult reader much about the sometimes painful rite of adolescent passage into adulthood."
Among the honors Mazer earned for her writing were a National Book Award nomination in 1973, an American Library Association Notable Book citation in 1976, inclusion on the New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year list in 1976, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1978, an Edgar Award in 1982, German Children's Literature prizes in 1982 and 1989, and a Newbery Medal in 1988.
Mazer taught in the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program at Vermont College.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/norma-fo...
She was born in New York City but grew up in Glens Falls, New York, with parents Michael and Jean Garlan Fox. Mazer graduated from Glens Falls High School, then went to Antioch College, where she met Harry Mazer, whom she married in 1950; they have four children, one of whom, Anne Mazer, is also a writer. She also studied at Syracuse University.
New York Times Book Review contributor Ruth I. Gordon wrote that Mazer "has the skill to reveal the human qualities in both ordinary and extraordinary situations as young people mature....it would be a shame to limit their reading to young people, since they can show an adult reader much about the sometimes painful rite of adolescent passage into adulthood."
Among the honors Mazer earned for her writing were a National Book Award nomination in 1973, an American Library Association Notable Book citation in 1976, inclusion on the New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year list in 1976, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1978, an Edgar Award in 1982, German Children's Literature prizes in 1982 and 1989, and a Newbery Medal in 1988.
Mazer taught in the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children & Young Adults Program at Vermont College.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/norma-fo...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
June 30, 2010
The Missing Girl revolves around the five Herbert girls: Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy, and Autumn. And the story is told from revolving POVs. Specifically Beauty, Fancy, Autumn and the aspiring abductor. Interesting, but it just didn't work for me. The main issue that I couldn't get past was the sympathy Mazer tried to illicit for the abductor. Although nothing blatantly sexual is written, it is clear that the man is a sexual predator. Therefore, it is beyond me why anyone ~ especially a woman ~ would want to write a story which humanizes him.
I understand that sexual predators are often the victim of childhood abuse themselves, and have uncontrollable urges. So fucking what? I have uncontrollable urges to eat an entire bag of cookies, drink too much tequila, take up smoking again and seriously stalk John Taylor! Do I do it? No! So many people have secret sexual urges and desires, yet they never take it past the fantasy stage. Yet pedophiles are always said to have a hard time controlling themselves. Really? Who doesn't? It pisses me off when I hear about a missing kid who turns up dead/mutilated/whatever and the perpetrator ends up being a known sex offender. If we know they have a tendency to lapse back into their creepy perv behavior, then why are they ever given a second chance?? Anyway... that is my rant, and that is the main reason why I don't like this book. I don't want to see the abductor as a "real person."
In addition, the multiple POV didn't really work. Beauty is 17, but seems so much younger as she naively ponders her future (no plans for college or a job ~ just wants out of her small town) and boys (insanely shy, no experience with them.) Fancy is MRDD, so through her we see glimpses of the other family members but not much else. Autumn is 11 or 12, and like Beauty seems far too young for her age. The Herbert parents are absent and absorbed with their own troubles. And the girls seem to have few, if any, outside friends, activities, responsibilities, etc. I suppose the reason is to give this a timeless feel, but for me it made the book seem incredibly old fashioned and unfocused.
So is The Missing Girl a story about a dysfunctional family? Coming of age and accepting your responsibilities? Or was it primarily a suspense novel about the abduction? The abduction is the only story line we see resolved. All other issues that were briefly brought to the surface are never fully explored or followed up on. I remember liking Mazer when I was much younger, and had been looking forward to this. But, sadly, I was disappointed.
I understand that sexual predators are often the victim of childhood abuse themselves, and have uncontrollable urges. So fucking what? I have uncontrollable urges to eat an entire bag of cookies, drink too much tequila, take up smoking again and seriously stalk John Taylor! Do I do it? No! So many people have secret sexual urges and desires, yet they never take it past the fantasy stage. Yet pedophiles are always said to have a hard time controlling themselves. Really? Who doesn't? It pisses me off when I hear about a missing kid who turns up dead/mutilated/whatever and the perpetrator ends up being a known sex offender. If we know they have a tendency to lapse back into their creepy perv behavior, then why are they ever given a second chance?? Anyway... that is my rant, and that is the main reason why I don't like this book. I don't want to see the abductor as a "real person."
In addition, the multiple POV didn't really work. Beauty is 17, but seems so much younger as she naively ponders her future (no plans for college or a job ~ just wants out of her small town) and boys (insanely shy, no experience with them.) Fancy is MRDD, so through her we see glimpses of the other family members but not much else. Autumn is 11 or 12, and like Beauty seems far too young for her age. The Herbert parents are absent and absorbed with their own troubles. And the girls seem to have few, if any, outside friends, activities, responsibilities, etc. I suppose the reason is to give this a timeless feel, but for me it made the book seem incredibly old fashioned and unfocused.
So is The Missing Girl a story about a dysfunctional family? Coming of age and accepting your responsibilities? Or was it primarily a suspense novel about the abduction? The abduction is the only story line we see resolved. All other issues that were briefly brought to the surface are never fully explored or followed up on. I remember liking Mazer when I was much younger, and had been looking forward to this. But, sadly, I was disappointed.
July 3, 2019
I could have sworn I wrote a review for this book. That's how much I didn't like it. I didn't even bother making a review. Now that I'm uploading my wrap up...I kind of need that written review. Nothing against Norma Fox Mazer....I've never read anything by her before, but I just thought this was bad writing. 2 stars.
This book is about 5 daughters. The sisters range from 12 to 17. They live in a lower working class neighborhood. The girls seem happy. Beauty the eldest wants to run away. Not really run like, leave school and drop out. More like run....anywhere after high school to get out of her small town. She feels claustrophobic in her house of 7. Beauty's father is out of work. He hurt his back at work and now is moping around. Mom is doing her best. Beauty works at a flower shop and brings home her paychecks to help the family.
There is also a pedophile. An older man who spent sometime in jail/prison. He doesn't want to go back there so he is careful. Not allowing his urges to take control.
The book is written in 6 POV's all the girls and the pedo. What really got me was....almost all the girls sound alike. You can't really tell who is talking until you read further because each girl has a different personality, but you need clues in order to find out who each one is. Another thing that got me was within the POV the voice would change from third person to second person. It didn't happen all the time, but I sometimes got derailed while reading. What is happening? Is the author talking to me? I'm confused.
My last frustration with this book is the fact that our missing girl is 136lbs and 5'1". That is my height and weight and even at the age of our victim I would have fought to get away. The pedo is old? How can she actually be stuck there? I'm so confused. The whole time I thought the girl was a timid, small mousy girl. 5'1" isn't big I get that. I'm not big, but I would definitely have tried to do some damage.
How was the writing overall? Along with the plot and story line? Mediocre...at best. I hate giving bad reviews, but if you look at my start date and end date.... it took me 5 years to finish this book.
I could write a review of this book in one sentence. Pedo watches 5 sisters, accidentally catches one. The End.
Speaking of the end....it was anticlimactic as well. Meh. Skip this one. More "thrilling" thrillers out there in YA.
This book is about 5 daughters. The sisters range from 12 to 17. They live in a lower working class neighborhood. The girls seem happy. Beauty the eldest wants to run away. Not really run like, leave school and drop out. More like run....anywhere after high school to get out of her small town. She feels claustrophobic in her house of 7. Beauty's father is out of work. He hurt his back at work and now is moping around. Mom is doing her best. Beauty works at a flower shop and brings home her paychecks to help the family.
There is also a pedophile. An older man who spent sometime in jail/prison. He doesn't want to go back there so he is careful. Not allowing his urges to take control.
The book is written in 6 POV's all the girls and the pedo. What really got me was....almost all the girls sound alike. You can't really tell who is talking until you read further because each girl has a different personality, but you need clues in order to find out who each one is. Another thing that got me was within the POV the voice would change from third person to second person. It didn't happen all the time, but I sometimes got derailed while reading. What is happening? Is the author talking to me? I'm confused.
My last frustration with this book is the fact that our missing girl is 136lbs and 5'1". That is my height and weight and even at the age of our victim I would have fought to get away. The pedo is old? How can she actually be stuck there? I'm so confused. The whole time I thought the girl was a timid, small mousy girl. 5'1" isn't big I get that. I'm not big, but I would definitely have tried to do some damage.
How was the writing overall? Along with the plot and story line? Mediocre...at best. I hate giving bad reviews, but if you look at my start date and end date.... it took me 5 years to finish this book.
I could write a review of this book in one sentence. Pedo watches 5 sisters, accidentally catches one. The End.
Speaking of the end....it was anticlimactic as well. Meh. Skip this one. More "thrilling" thrillers out there in YA.
August 17, 2008
The man watches the Herbert girls as they walk to school. He can't decide which one he likes best, but he does like to watch them all. And so he watches and waits and tries to decide.
Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy and Autumn Herbert don't notice the man. There's no reason they would. They are too wrapped up in their own lives, in the intricacies and crises of their world to notice a stranger in their path.
And then one of the girls goes missing.
The reason this book is so terrifying is because Fox Mazer gets into the heads of all her characters. The chapters are alternative, between the POVs of all five Herbert girls and the man. We understand them. We're there with them, in their hearts and heads. It's impossible not to care about them and to feel for them.
The book falters in a couple of places--in Fancy's chapters, in which she rambles into a tape recorder--and in the chapters that do not belong to the abducted sister that take place during the abduction. They drag, and don't really add anything to the plot.
Once the book tips into the true-crime-ish arena, it still treads gently, taking pains to avoid being sensational or trashy. It gets into the head of what it might be like to be a teenager and abducted, and to deal with the during and after in such a tender way that you'd almost think Mazer had been there herself.
Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy and Autumn Herbert don't notice the man. There's no reason they would. They are too wrapped up in their own lives, in the intricacies and crises of their world to notice a stranger in their path.
And then one of the girls goes missing.
The reason this book is so terrifying is because Fox Mazer gets into the heads of all her characters. The chapters are alternative, between the POVs of all five Herbert girls and the man. We understand them. We're there with them, in their hearts and heads. It's impossible not to care about them and to feel for them.
The book falters in a couple of places--in Fancy's chapters, in which she rambles into a tape recorder--and in the chapters that do not belong to the abducted sister that take place during the abduction. They drag, and don't really add anything to the plot.
Once the book tips into the true-crime-ish arena, it still treads gently, taking pains to avoid being sensational or trashy. It gets into the head of what it might be like to be a teenager and abducted, and to deal with the during and after in such a tender way that you'd almost think Mazer had been there herself.
February 13, 2009
Imagine not knowing that you are being watched from afar every day- as you walk to school, giggling, arguing, and playing with your sisters. Imagine not knowing that at any moment you or one of your sisters might be abducted by a complete stranger. Imagine what would happen if the man who has been watching you, craving time alone with you, suddenly succeeds. What will happen to you locked up in a room in his house with no way out? Will anyone ever hear your cries for help?
June 4, 2020
Someone is watching the Herbert sisters - his birds. He has already spent five years in prison as a sexual predator. When the youngest sister wanders away from home, he feels that he has been given a gift. Now it's up to her to free herself. I didn't like it at all. The mother and father were useless and I didn't like any of the characters.
March 10, 2010
This book is really creepy, but the writing is so good. There's tons of alternating perspectives which can get kind of confusing, but if you can get through that, it's an amazing and dramatic thriller. The book is about a man stalking 5 sisters. The perspectives alternate between the sisters and the man so since there are a lot of perspectives, there are lots of short chapters.
The weird thing about this book is that I didn't know what to think about this man (who, by the way, has no name in the story). He totally creeped me out at first when he was talking about watching the girls and describing them. Then, when I read some more chapters from his perspective, I started to feel sorry for him as well as be creeped out by him. He was such a sad and lonely person. I don't think anyone ever loved him or made him feel good about himself. People who have never felt that, romantically or through friends/family just make me sad. Then, it seemed to make a little more sense why he was so messed up.
Even though I felt bad for him, I have to say there were parts that really freaked me out. I mean this guy is such a screwed up person. So, there were times when I was like,"Uhh..." and wondered if this book was going to get worse and I would be totally scared of all men on the street. It didn't get worse, it got better. The book definitely gets more and more interesting as it goes on although some people (including me) might find it a little boring at the beginning. Keep reading!
I've read stories about kidnapping before, but what makes this book unique was that it is told so much from the perspectives of the sisters who are all weird and quirky and have really interesting voices. That made this book so enjoyable to read: the writing from the sisters' perspectives. They are so different and made you see all the events in the plot in a new way.
The weird thing about this book is that I didn't know what to think about this man (who, by the way, has no name in the story). He totally creeped me out at first when he was talking about watching the girls and describing them. Then, when I read some more chapters from his perspective, I started to feel sorry for him as well as be creeped out by him. He was such a sad and lonely person. I don't think anyone ever loved him or made him feel good about himself. People who have never felt that, romantically or through friends/family just make me sad. Then, it seemed to make a little more sense why he was so messed up.
Even though I felt bad for him, I have to say there were parts that really freaked me out. I mean this guy is such a screwed up person. So, there were times when I was like,"Uhh..." and wondered if this book was going to get worse and I would be totally scared of all men on the street. It didn't get worse, it got better. The book definitely gets more and more interesting as it goes on although some people (including me) might find it a little boring at the beginning. Keep reading!
I've read stories about kidnapping before, but what makes this book unique was that it is told so much from the perspectives of the sisters who are all weird and quirky and have really interesting voices. That made this book so enjoyable to read: the writing from the sisters' perspectives. They are so different and made you see all the events in the plot in a new way.
November 30, 2012
"This man watches the five Herbert girls--Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy, and Autumn--with disturbing fascination."
Sounds great? Not!
Let me tell you, it was practically a waste of time for me. I'm not one to sour my words, but honestly, this book was pretty...um, plain and flat-out.
"....unforgettable psychological thriller"
Whaaaaaat? This was barely a thriller/horror, I didn't even get frightened and stuff. The only horror was when I was just like, "UGH WHEN IS THIS HORROR GOING TO END." Yep. First half of the book consisted of the five girls complaining .
Plus, this book was too much tell than show to me. Ewgh.
Sounds great? Not!
Let me tell you, it was practically a waste of time for me. I'm not one to sour my words, but honestly, this book was pretty...um, plain and flat-out.
"....unforgettable psychological thriller"
Whaaaaaat? This was barely a thriller/horror, I didn't even get frightened and stuff. The only horror was when I was just like, "UGH WHEN IS THIS HORROR GOING TO END." Yep. First half of the book consisted of the five girls complaining .
Plus, this book was too much tell than show to me. Ewgh.
July 10, 2013
I really don't know what the point of this book is. I was hoping for more suspense or a more cohesive plot, but it was all over the place. The book tells the story of the Herbert girls, but really only focuses on the oldest and youngest. The chapters that are about the other sisters seemed thrown in and not relevant to the story. There was hardly any suspense and the characters were difficult to understand and relate to. If you are looking for a good YA psychological suspense book, look elsewhere.
March 10, 2012
the reason why i got this book out in the first place, was because i asked my librarian for a book that is similar to Stolen: A Letter to My Captor. She gave me this.
i can see where she's getting at. the ideas are similar. a man kidnapping a girl, thinking that he's doing the right thing, honestly loves the girl, wants the girl to be happy, but clearly went about it the wrong way.
but unlike in Stolen: A Letter to My Captor the man in this book physically and sexually abused the girl, Autumn. the age difference is definitely unreasonable, as the man is in his mid-forties, and poor little Autumn is only 11.
this book was quite confusing and very slow to start. it took about three quarters of the book to actually get to the part where Autumn was kidnapped, and that's what i didn't like about it. i came close to just putting the book down, but i had this feeling that the book was going to get better. i was right. it was worth reading the boring parts at the start, because as the story progressed, the book got better and better. it really is quite a spectacular book, very unique. so if your reading it and your getting bored, please don't put the book down. i promise you it's amazing once you get into it.
i didn't find that any of the characters, except for Autumn, were exactly likeable to me. beauty was too obsessed with herself, too caught up in her own little world, and her CRUSH ON HER COUSIN, was simply disturbing. Mim didn't come into the story enough to get to know her and like her. Stevie was plain heartless. The chapters from Fancy's point of view, i found boring and pointless. and the man? he was just a pedo.
But Autumn, i did like. her thoughts, and feelings were properly explained and i realised are similar to the thoughts i had when i was her age. i really felt sorry for her when she was kidnapped. it broke my heart when she would give in to the man. she was so desperate, it seemed she had already given up hope.
it was disgusting how the man treated Autumn. like she was his pet dog. "good girl" when she did something he liked, and he'd hit her or say "naughty girl" when she did something he didn't like. and he made her sit on his lap, and kiss him. and kissing her feet?? like what the hell is up with that? who does that, seriously?
only an extremely skilled author, like Norma Fox Mazar, would be able to pull off such unique styles of writing, without it sounding artificial and awkward. Mazar should be really proud of her work.
i can see where she's getting at. the ideas are similar. a man kidnapping a girl, thinking that he's doing the right thing, honestly loves the girl, wants the girl to be happy, but clearly went about it the wrong way.
but unlike in Stolen: A Letter to My Captor the man in this book physically and sexually abused the girl, Autumn. the age difference is definitely unreasonable, as the man is in his mid-forties, and poor little Autumn is only 11.
this book was quite confusing and very slow to start. it took about three quarters of the book to actually get to the part where Autumn was kidnapped, and that's what i didn't like about it. i came close to just putting the book down, but i had this feeling that the book was going to get better. i was right. it was worth reading the boring parts at the start, because as the story progressed, the book got better and better. it really is quite a spectacular book, very unique. so if your reading it and your getting bored, please don't put the book down. i promise you it's amazing once you get into it.
i didn't find that any of the characters, except for Autumn, were exactly likeable to me. beauty was too obsessed with herself, too caught up in her own little world, and her CRUSH ON HER COUSIN, was simply disturbing. Mim didn't come into the story enough to get to know her and like her. Stevie was plain heartless. The chapters from Fancy's point of view, i found boring and pointless. and the man? he was just a pedo.
But Autumn, i did like. her thoughts, and feelings were properly explained and i realised are similar to the thoughts i had when i was her age. i really felt sorry for her when she was kidnapped. it broke my heart when she would give in to the man. she was so desperate, it seemed she had already given up hope.
it was disgusting how the man treated Autumn. like she was his pet dog. "good girl" when she did something he liked, and he'd hit her or say "naughty girl" when she did something he didn't like. and he made her sit on his lap, and kiss him. and kissing her feet?? like what the hell is up with that? who does that, seriously?
only an extremely skilled author, like Norma Fox Mazar, would be able to pull off such unique styles of writing, without it sounding artificial and awkward. Mazar should be really proud of her work.
October 7, 2012
In the Missing Girl, we are given a glimpse into the daily lives of a family who is struggling economically and then is struck by a family tragedy in the midst of their day to day dramas and life choices. First, we meet Beauty, one of the five sisters in this tale. Beauty introduces the reader to the family. The family consists of mother (Blossom), father (?), Beauty, Mim, Faithful (aka Stevie), Fancy and Autumn. And then the extended part of the family, Cousin Nate. Beauty also shares her desire to leave their small town of Mallory, her love of her after-school job at the flower shop, her difficulties in fitting in at school, her crushes and her "mothering nature" that we are supposed to see through out the book-because of the sometimes, emotionally absent mother. Later, we learn from Beauty that Cousin Nate has come to town to take Stevie to an aunt's house because the parents can no longer afford all five girls. Then Cousin Nate becomes Beauty's newest crush. Beauty also includes us in their daily home life. What they eat, what mean things Stevie does on a daily basis and how everyone copes with Fancy. The story is also narrated by twelve year old, Fancy, who is a child with special needs. We hear about her perception of the family, frustration with being misunderstood and how she copes with her disability. The third narrator is eleven year old Autumn, who is the victim in this tale. Her portion of the story walks us through her daily life, her kidnapping and how she and her family cope with the aftermath.
And then there is the fourth narrator! The villain in the story! We see him as sad and lonely. He also has a very real desire to possess young girls and treat them like dolls.
If my review leaves you with the impression that this story is scattered, disjointed and muddled, it was meant to. At times, I was unsure of who was telling the story. After I redetermined that, I was still unsure of what that character was trying to share. Then, if I determined that, I tried to see the relevance. I stopped there as the story never really connected all of the themes, issues, actions, personalities and/or characters.
It try very hard to not reveal the conclusion of the book in my reviews. Even though I did not care for this book, I will still not reveal the end. What I will tell you is this, do not read this book. I only gave it one star only because I was able to finish it quickly.
And then there is the fourth narrator! The villain in the story! We see him as sad and lonely. He also has a very real desire to possess young girls and treat them like dolls.
If my review leaves you with the impression that this story is scattered, disjointed and muddled, it was meant to. At times, I was unsure of who was telling the story. After I redetermined that, I was still unsure of what that character was trying to share. Then, if I determined that, I tried to see the relevance. I stopped there as the story never really connected all of the themes, issues, actions, personalities and/or characters.
It try very hard to not reveal the conclusion of the book in my reviews. Even though I did not care for this book, I will still not reveal the end. What I will tell you is this, do not read this book. I only gave it one star only because I was able to finish it quickly.
June 26, 2016
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Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy and Autumn Herbert do not notice the man who watches them every day on their way to school. The man can't decide which sister he likes the best. Until one day he decides and his desire takes root in a terrifying way. When one of the sisters gets lost on a walk, she asks the man to help her find her home. This is when the man takes his desire to a drastic level. What will happen to the sisters? Will they ever be together again?
I loved the alternating perspectives from all the sisters and the man. I found it very interesting to be able to take a look into their minds and see what each of them thought and felt as the story progressed. I think Mazer's writing is unique and very enjoyable, although the topic was a disturbing topic to cover. I think she did an amazing job and I would definitely recommend this book!
Beauty, Mim, Stevie, Fancy and Autumn Herbert do not notice the man who watches them every day on their way to school. The man can't decide which sister he likes the best. Until one day he decides and his desire takes root in a terrifying way. When one of the sisters gets lost on a walk, she asks the man to help her find her home. This is when the man takes his desire to a drastic level. What will happen to the sisters? Will they ever be together again?
I loved the alternating perspectives from all the sisters and the man. I found it very interesting to be able to take a look into their minds and see what each of them thought and felt as the story progressed. I think Mazer's writing is unique and very enjoyable, although the topic was a disturbing topic to cover. I think she did an amazing job and I would definitely recommend this book!
June 29, 2015
I was really disappointed by this book. The plot sounded interesting, but when I started actually reading, all of the point of views all seemed the same. The youngest sister, Autumn, seemed a lot older than the oldest sister, Beauty. A lot of things went unanswered also, including why the man who kidnapped Autumn went to what I guess was prison, why Steve decided to change her name, and if Fancy had a mental disability. Most of the time it was not specified who was talking and only Fancy's point of view was in first person. The story also didn't have a clear ending -- scratch that, the entire book didn't have a clear meaning on what it was about. Was it about the dysfunctional family? The kidnapping? Beauty's life? When something tragic happens in a small town? Overall, this book was not really worth reading.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by The Compulsive Reader for TeensReadToo.com
The Herbert sisters are completely ignorant of the man watching them. They don't realize his growing and dangerous fascination. They are completely oblivious to the fact that their safety is in jeopardy.
It's only a matter of time now.
THE MISSING GIRL is a tremendous read. Thrilling, suspenseful, and riveting, Mazer easily pulls the reader into the intricately woven story, causing shock, horror, and yet compassion as well.
This is a bold story that will rise above and beyond your expectations as the author charms her way into the readers' hearts through her beautiful characters and terrifying plot.
This is one book that is impossible to put down.
The Herbert sisters are completely ignorant of the man watching them. They don't realize his growing and dangerous fascination. They are completely oblivious to the fact that their safety is in jeopardy.
It's only a matter of time now.
THE MISSING GIRL is a tremendous read. Thrilling, suspenseful, and riveting, Mazer easily pulls the reader into the intricately woven story, causing shock, horror, and yet compassion as well.
This is a bold story that will rise above and beyond your expectations as the author charms her way into the readers' hearts through her beautiful characters and terrifying plot.
This is one book that is impossible to put down.
March 5, 2020
When the book started off I didn't really like the way the way I had to read multiple points of views, but as time went on, I kind of liked getting inside of each girls' personality.
It was a super fast and fun read. I thought a bigger chunk of the story would be about a missing girl and how they found her, I anticipated a more dramatic read but this is something you'd see in a Lifetime movie. It's a bit slow at the start and then it suddenly picks up out of nowhere.
The best part was reading things from the man's point of view, you get a taste of his instablity with each passing chapter, and a huge contrast from how the girls see them in their chapters.
Overall I enjoyed it.
It was a super fast and fun read. I thought a bigger chunk of the story would be about a missing girl and how they found her, I anticipated a more dramatic read but this is something you'd see in a Lifetime movie. It's a bit slow at the start and then it suddenly picks up out of nowhere.
The best part was reading things from the man's point of view, you get a taste of his instablity with each passing chapter, and a huge contrast from how the girls see them in their chapters.
Overall I enjoyed it.
January 30, 2025
I enjoyed the story of this book, one about a child who is the youngest in the family and is kidnapped but ultimately reunited with her family. The story is told from the point of view of the protagonist part of the time, but also from the point of view of her kidnapper occasionally, and from that of each of her 4 sisters at times. That changing perspective, in my opinion, detracts from the story. It was enjoyable, but could have been much better.
January 16, 2017
This book was okay. I can understand that it was Young Adult so Mazer didn't want to get too graphic or have it be too sad but I felt that it was way too light hearted. Things like this happen in the real world and they are seriously scary. I don't know I just don't think that this book truly captured that. I think that it danced along the line of him being a sexual predator way too much, I wish they would've just come out and said whether rape was involved or not instead of leaving it kind of ambiguous. Additionally, it was difficult to follow that there were so many different POVs and I found myself getting confused. I don't think I truly understood who each sister was until 2/3 through the book.
April 28, 2009
Have you ever noticed that one neighbor in your neighbor hood that you've never noticed before? Well of course you hadn't, you never noticed. In this book The Missing Girl it is about these five sisters Beauty, Mimi, Stevie, Fancy, and Autumn going on with their everyday lives and then theirs this man who watches them with a very disturbing fascination. It’s told from each of their perspectives, The girls are just living their lives as though nothing could harm them. Arguing, laughing, just being themselves. This man considers these girls to be his flock of birds. Even though they really haven't met him before. That is until Autumn and Fancy run into him at a park while he was feeding ducks, nothing happened but later Autumn runs into him once again when she gets lost in her neighbor hood and asks him for directions to get back to her street he invites her into his home and after that Autumn's life would take a very unexpected turn. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery. Only off thing about this book is that each "chapter" is told from a different perspective and for myself it was a little difficult to get into it at first.
This book taught me one very important lesson, and that would be to not talk to strangers. Especially if you had seen this person once before and if they've invited you into their house. Also this book shows the importance of being close with your family and appreciate them being there for you . This book made me think about how there are people who live in our neighborhood and we really don't know their history or if we can really be safe. It had also reminded me to know my surroundings and to definitely keep away from people I really don't know.
This book taught me one very important lesson, and that would be to not talk to strangers. Especially if you had seen this person once before and if they've invited you into their house. Also this book shows the importance of being close with your family and appreciate them being there for you . This book made me think about how there are people who live in our neighborhood and we really don't know their history or if we can really be safe. It had also reminded me to know my surroundings and to definitely keep away from people I really don't know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2009
I think this book could have been much better if Mazer hadn't tried to do too many things with it. The plot involves a sexual predator who has his eye on five sisters. First problem - some of the sisters have weird names like Beauty,and others have normal names. Second problem - Mazer tries to reveal each sister's unique personality through chapters that alternate between third and first person. That alone is confusing, but then the chapters were way too wordy; I could have done away with about half of the length and would have gotten the point. The absolute best chapters were the 3rd person narratives of the sexual predator as he sizes up the girls, tries to control his urges, and chooses which one to kidnap. The next best chapters were the ones concerning the kidnapped sister's imprisonment. Those were done in 1st person, but like the predator's chapters, the writing was spare and very tension filled. The third best chapters were the ones focusing on the family's reactions to the sister's missing status. Again, spare and tension filled.
It would have been a much better thriller if Mazer had written the whole thing like she did the predator's chapters. I found myself just skimming through the 'sisters' chapters, because nothing seemed to happen and they went on and on. I didn't get why she did that. I especially liked the aftermath, once the girl is found, and the PTSD that she experiences and how little innocuous things that people around her say, do, or use would trigger an intense reaction. That was good writing, too. The storyline had such tremendous potential, and Mazer sort of diluted it. A much much better book on PTSD developed as a child is "Song of the Innocent Bystander".
It would have been a much better thriller if Mazer had written the whole thing like she did the predator's chapters. I found myself just skimming through the 'sisters' chapters, because nothing seemed to happen and they went on and on. I didn't get why she did that. I especially liked the aftermath, once the girl is found, and the PTSD that she experiences and how little innocuous things that people around her say, do, or use would trigger an intense reaction. That was good writing, too. The storyline had such tremendous potential, and Mazer sort of diluted it. A much much better book on PTSD developed as a child is "Song of the Innocent Bystander".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2008
There are definitely many praise-worthy aspects in this very fast read for teens. I enjoyed the second person narrative. I really liked the first part when the interior of The Man (Wayne/Nelson) is much more thoroughly explored. His quiet and calculated restrain is really creepy and powerful. Don't quite understand the need for the other sisters' perspectives, especially those from Fancy's, where she talks to the recording device. Especially puzzling is why Mazer chose to end the narrative of The Missing Girl, from Fancy's point of view in her special ed. class, telling a simplified story of the event. It added little, if anything, to the tale. Beauty's story is not that compelling, either.
The split narrative voices and threads weaken the impact of an otherwise potentially explosive story.
What most disappointed me was that there was very little exploration of the interior process of The Man in the second part where he turned his "thoughts" into "actions." We see so much of that in the first part and then at the end, we are only given exterior clues of what happen to him after Autumn's escape. I find this inconsistency unsatisfying.
(The whole time I read the book, I was thinking of Cormier's Tenderness and how that book was better done than this one.)
The split narrative voices and threads weaken the impact of an otherwise potentially explosive story.
What most disappointed me was that there was very little exploration of the interior process of The Man in the second part where he turned his "thoughts" into "actions." We see so much of that in the first part and then at the end, we are only given exterior clues of what happen to him after Autumn's escape. I find this inconsistency unsatisfying.
(The whole time I read the book, I was thinking of Cormier's Tenderness and how that book was better done than this one.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2009
The Missing Girl, by Norma Fox Mazer
Five sisters, all with unique personalities:Beauty is the oldest one,but she doesn’t live up to her name; Mim is the quiet one,the sister who can calm the group;Stevie doesn’t want to live by the rules,she just wants to do everything her way;Fancy lives in her own world that's all around her teacher and what she tells her special ed class; Autumn is the youngest sister at eleven years old...
The sisters are close in ways,but their lives are not as happy as they could and should be.The girls’ mother works hard to make ends meet since their father was hurt in an accident, but the money isn’t coming in. The fighting and stress between the parents is overwhelming, mostly at the dinner table, but life goes on.
What the girls don’t know is that someone is watching them, deciding which one he would want to take. He keeps telling himself that his thoughts are all a fantasy in his mind, that he won’t act upon them.. And that’s harmless, isn’t it? To think about it and not commit the act? But sometimes you can’t help yourself…
The girls’ world ends when Autumn suddenly disappears.Where is she? What happened to her?You can find out in The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer.
Five sisters, all with unique personalities:Beauty is the oldest one,but she doesn’t live up to her name; Mim is the quiet one,the sister who can calm the group;Stevie doesn’t want to live by the rules,she just wants to do everything her way;Fancy lives in her own world that's all around her teacher and what she tells her special ed class; Autumn is the youngest sister at eleven years old...
The sisters are close in ways,but their lives are not as happy as they could and should be.The girls’ mother works hard to make ends meet since their father was hurt in an accident, but the money isn’t coming in. The fighting and stress between the parents is overwhelming, mostly at the dinner table, but life goes on.
What the girls don’t know is that someone is watching them, deciding which one he would want to take. He keeps telling himself that his thoughts are all a fantasy in his mind, that he won’t act upon them.. And that’s harmless, isn’t it? To think about it and not commit the act? But sometimes you can’t help yourself…
The girls’ world ends when Autumn suddenly disappears.Where is she? What happened to her?You can find out in The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer.
Read
March 22, 2011The book I read was The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer and this book is a fiction book. The setting takes place in March in a town in New York State. There are six main characters. The first is a man who is middle aged and watches girls, the second one is a girl named Beauty who is seventeen and a half and she has four sisters named Mim who is sixteen, Stevie who is fourteen, Fancy who is twelve, Autumn who is eleven. The story is about a man who one day sees these girls and stalks them until one day he is raking and Autumn walks by and she is lost so he says that you should come inside and she does but it gets her in trouble when her kidnaps her but will her get out or will she die in that house. The problem is that she has been kidnapped and has no way out and the guy that has her is really creepy. The problem is resolved when she find her way out by breaking to window in the room she is being held in and when she gets out she get a ride home and the guy gets caught. My opinion is that this book is good for someone who can’t cry because it is a sad story but it is also a good story and I really enjoyed reading it I would love to read it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2016
another BookOutlet buy... I was very interested just by the synopsis, though. The Missing Girl follows five sisters who are being watched by a mysterious man in their neighborhood. But these five sisters have never talked to this man and never notice him, even though he watches them walk to school every morning. Throughout the first half of the book, the book is told in alternating pov's among the five sisters and this creepy man. The sisters are just living their normal life- family troubles/boy troubles/puberty/school drama- until one of the sisters is kidnapped. I think that part is supposed to be unexpected, but I didn't think it was. Moving on to my actual opinions of this book. Even though I enjoyed the story line, I had a few problems. I personally found the beginning very slow and I didn't really like the writing style. It was also hard to distinguish between the sisters because they were all pretty similar so that was one reason I didn't like the 6 different pov's. I did like reading from the man's perspective, even though he was totally weird.
Otherwise, I enjoyed it and I do think it's on the younger side of young adult so if your a younger reader, you should be fine.
Otherwise, I enjoyed it and I do think it's on the younger side of young adult so if your a younger reader, you should be fine.
March 12, 2013
The Missing Girl is written by an excellent, but often overlooked YA author, Norma Fox Mazer. But this was a disappointing novel. The Missing Girl is supposedly a thriller, but gets bogged down by having six different points of view. Each of the five sisters is a narrator and the sixth narrator is the predator who is stalking them. The suspense gets broken up by family and teen drama in the first half of the book and seems incomplete in the second half. Mostly it is the story of a family disintegrating quickly because of a series of financial set backs. Each of the five sisters is reacting to the crisis differently. Five sisters seems unnecessary. They don't really add anything to the events of the rising action and add little to the tone of the story. Even after one of the sisters is kidnapped by the predator, the mulitple points of view add little. The only character who seems fully developed is the very creepy stalker. We learn little about the sisters. The Missing Girl could have been so much better.
May 7, 2009
The moral of the story: If you happen to be a fifth grade girl, don't go on walks by yourself in secluded areas and above all don't stop to ask the nice man you met when feeding ducks at the pond for directions. The Missing Girl, with its horrifying subject matter, is a hard book to stomach, but Mazer tackles the abuse issue tastefully and with restraint. (Really my main objection content-wise is a scene in which the oldest sister admits she's a lesbian. I know, I'm intolerant, but the exchange struck me as rather random and pointless.) After having attended a Protect Our Children conference for law enforcement officers and prosecutors last summer, I definitely think there is a place for a book like this one.
April 16, 2014
This book is about a family who has no idea that they are being watched, and that one of them is being targeted by a very, very creepy man.......
Over all, I enjoyed this book. I liked getting the perspectives of the other sisters, and I liked the way that the author was able to smoothly transition from one point of view, to another.
However, this book was creepy on many levels. I recommend it to people who want something intriguing.
Over all, I enjoyed this book. I liked getting the perspectives of the other sisters, and I liked the way that the author was able to smoothly transition from one point of view, to another.
However, this book was creepy on many levels. I recommend it to people who want something intriguing.
March 17, 2008
The 5 sisters are being watched by a mysterious man, all the while dealing with issues of their own. The story has some strange tenses, and once one of the sisters is kidnapped the story gets much more disturbing.
It was, however, a very fast paced read, one I read in a sitting.
It was, however, a very fast paced read, one I read in a sitting.
January 9, 2021
Loved it. I liked the fact that though you could figure out The Man was going to target one of the sisters eventually, there was some mystery as to which of the sisters it would be. It kept the suspense up excellently, along with the fact that I couldn't tell if it was going to end badly or not.
May 27, 2008
This book is a little confusing, because it switches points of view and writing style every few pages. It's kinda freaky, because the events in this story could actually happen. Eeew.
November 25, 2008
A quick read, very creepy. Told in alternating POVs of the five Herbert sisters, each different from the others, and the man they don't know is watching them.
October 14, 2014
Great book, A bit confusing when each chapter is a transition between characters. But an overall good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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