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Review: "Stolen" by Lucy Christopher

7/3/2018

1 Comment

 
For some reason, last night I was in the mood for a mystery, so I browsed through my library's ebook collection and came across this book.  I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did!  You'll hear a more in-depth explanation below, but let me just say that this book is well worth your time!
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The Story

Stolen tells the story of a sixteen year old girl named Gemma who is kidnapped at the airport by a strong and mysterious man.  The book illustrates how the relationship between captor and captive evolves and how Stolkholm Syndrome can take hold as a survival mechanism as a result of isolation.

What I Liked

  • The authors's descriptions of Australia are awe-inspiring and well-written.  The choice of setting is fitting and works well with the theme of isolation present throughout the story.
  • Ty serves as a great example of a well-written villain.  He has motivations beyond violence and destruction and almost draws sympathy from readers.
  • For a kidnapping novel, there was not a lot of violence or brutality.  I really appreciated this as it provided better chances to actually explore the characters

What I Did Not Like

  • I was not the biggest fan of the format. The book reads as one long letter from Gemma to her captor. While I thought the format was an interesting idea, I generally prefer books to be broken up into chapters to divide the story up.
  • At some points, it was a little slow and felt redundant as Gemma and Ty played cat and mouse.
  • The actual kidnapping scenario felt kind of unrealistic. The chances of someone successfully breaching airport security with a drugged up girl and fake passports seems pretty slim.

Overall

Stolen was a fascinating read. I read the entire book in one sitting because I could not put it down! I was very impressed by the unique nature of this kidnapping story, and I would recommend this book to teens looking for a mystery but wanting to avoid lots of violence and brutality.

Rating: 4/5

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Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed this review.  If you'd like to see more YA book reviews, feel free to subscribe!  If you are interested in having me review one of your books, feel free to reach out via my Contact page.  I am currently accepting books for review, but make sure to check out my Review Policy first.
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1 Comment
Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts link
7/14/2018 10:55:34 pm

Ooo, a long letter form? That doesn't sound like something I can deal with. 😅

Welcome to Bookstagram and congrats on 150 followers! 🤗 I agree - the community is amazing. (Now if I can put in more effort lol)

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    About Me
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    Hello, My name is Sydney and I enjoy reading books and watching Disney movies. My reading tastes vary, but I often find myself drawn to classic literature and fantasy. I live in the US and will start studying English literature at university next fall. On this blog, I will discuss my love for books and other fun tidbits. Enjoy!
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