Tuesday, April 19, 2016

P: Susan Beth Pfeffer & THE YEAR WITHOUT MICHAEL

"Playing with an idea is completely different from writing a book. I've been playing with an idea for a book that wouldn't even be all that hard to write for months now, and I haven't noticed myself scurrying to the computer and setting up a brand new doc. But I do love playing with ideas, so I've been letting myself enjoy this one." - Susan Beth Pfeffer @ susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com

Susan Beth Pfeffer's THE YEAR WITHOUT MICHAEL is about a girl named Jody and her family trying to survive an unexpected loss. In the beginning of the story, Jody's brother Michael leaves home for the softball field but he disappears along the way. At first, the police believe Michael ran away. But of course, he could've also been kidnapped. The parents hire a private detective, but no leads turn up. The family is tormented and heartbroken as they wait for Michael's return...or news. But nothing comes. After a year without Michael, Michael hasn't returned. The tone of the ending suggests that he would probably never return. 

I read this book a number of times. I liked reading the parts when Michael was still physically present in the story...When I was in junior high, I did an oral report on this book.  When I finished giving my report, a few of my classmates shared that they thought, from the book's title, that Michael would return after being missing for a year. I told them no, my story was about how a family survived the first year after one of their own goes missing. I still remember the room was quiet for a moment as my junior high classmates processed that some stories don't have happy endings.

Have you read THE YEAR WITHOUT MICHAEL? How does one heal from a terrible tragedy? 

14 comments:

Nicola said...

I haven't read that book. Sounds like an emotional read. Thank you for sharing.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I haven't read that one, but I have read others by Pfeiffer. Most recently, I enjoyed the first three Moon Books, starting with Life as We Knew It.

Sherry Ellis said...

I have not read this book. It sounds like it would be a poignant story.

Pat Hatt said...

Sounds like one that really hits home indeed

Claire Annette said...

I haven't read this but I understand how the kids felt when the disappearance wasn't resolved. We expect all loose ends to be tied up by the last page.
I like the author's quote that you shared - especially when she says that she loves playing with ideas. Isn't that a great description of what writers do?

Sunday Visitor said...

I don't think there is an immediate way. It takes time.

Stephanie Faris said...

I haven't read that one, but I have heard many "vanished children" stories and it's always heartbreaking. I always wonder how it affects the siblings.

Doree Weller said...

I don't think I've ever heard of this book, but it sounds heartbreaking. I'm sure that I would have been surprised that it didn't have a happy ending too. But then, often real life doesn't.
@DoreeWeller from
Doree Weller’s Blog

diedre Knight said...

No, I haven't read it. But the book sounds heart-wrenching. Life just isn't all daisies sometimes. I guess day by day, we heal. Probably, by accident since the heart never lets go. I lost a brother long ago though I still can see and hear him through my heart.

Jennifer R. Hubbard said...

I haven't read it. I have written about the missing, though, mostly in short stories--and it's true, in fiction there's a general expectation that we will find out what happened to the missing person. But I want to write about the not knowing, about how sometimes we have to live with a perpetual unknown. I thought it would be difficult to do in a book-length novel, so thanks for featuring this one.

Liz A. said...

This one doesn't sound familiar. I prefer happy endings, but not all books have them.

Liz A. from
Laws of Gravity

Yvonne Ventresca said...

I haven't read this one but I love her Life As We Knew It books.

Random Musings said...

This sounds like a good read, definitely one that would make you think. I don't think you ever do get over something like that, you adjust, life goes on, but the not knowing must continue to eat at you every day
Debbie

Jeffrey Scott said...

What a book to read. I admit, I was kind of thinking by the end of the book there would be some kind of closure. I don't know if I could be drawn into a book with no known closure. But, I guess that's what the book is all about. Sometimes in life, there aren't closures.

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