Stolen: A Book Review

I can’t remember where I first heard about this book, but I knew right away that I wanted to check it out.  After deciding to pick it up and start reading it, I couldn’t put it down!  This book was so interesting, and I loved the way that it was written in the form of a letter.  Definitely recommend it if you are in the mood for some thought-provoking suspense!

Title: Stolen: A Letter to My Captor

Author: Lucy Christopher

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Publisher: Chicken House Ltd

Publication Date: May 4, 2009

Pages: 301

Out in Paperback?: Yes; May 4, 2009

Goodreads

Amazon

My Rating: 5/5

Review:

Goodreads Summary:

It happened like this. I was stolen from an airport. Taken from everything I knew, everything I was used to. Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him.

This is my story.

A letter from nowhere.

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back?

The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

Characters:

Gemma, a sixteen-year old girl, came across as more mature and intelligent, which was a pleasant surprise.  I prefer characters that act a little older than maybe they are (this tends to mean less annoying or immature).  For a sixteen-year old, I felt that Gemma did not put herself in a dangerous position when at the airport (which led to her capture) nor did she lose her senses when trapped with her captor; I felt that she was constantly thinking of a way to get out and get help.  She is a very strong-willed character, whose intelligence went beyond her years, and I really enjoyed seeing how her mind worked when trapped in this situation.  Ty, Gemma’s captor, was incredibly interesting to read about, as he is described as young and gorgeous.  Taking Gemma to the Australian desert, he cares for her and talks of his love for her.  I thought it was so interesting to read about this character and to go between hating this character for what he has done to understanding his thought process and his background to accepting him and appreciating his love for Gemma.

Plot:

Sixteen-year old Gemma is traveling with her parents when she is captured by a man named Ty and taken to an Australian desert; she is told she will be held there forever because he loves her.  This plot, I thought, was so interesting, and I haven’t read anything like it before.  I thought it was filled with suspense as Gemma attempts to escape and filled with an array of emotions, as she misses her family and home, fights to leave Ty, feels defeated and accepts a possible death, and finally begins to accept Ty.  This novel deals with the idea of Stockholm Syndrome and whether Gemma experiences it or whether her feelings are real.

Writing Style:

I absolutely loved the writing style!  I thought that the description was great, and the reader could clearly picture the settings.  I also loved the dialogue between Ty and Gemma; I thought it was very realistic and mature for a young adult book (which can sometimes have an extremely young tone).  I also loved that this novel was written in the form of a letter, from Gemma to Ty.  I thought it added a more personal touch and was different and unique in that respect.

Have you read this book?  What did you think?  I read somewhere that this book is being turned into a movie and that Lucy Christopher is helping to write the script!  I hope this is true because I would love to see that!

FTC Disclaimer:

All items mentioned were purchased by me.  This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own.  No affiliate links were used.