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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
'Stolen' is a pretty easy read, it only took me a couple of days, but that doesn't mean it can't affect you. Gemma, a 16 year old girl, is kidnapped by a man in Britain and taken to a remote area of Australia to live with him. The book is written as a letter to her captor, and it goes chronologically through her capture and her time with him.
It is written excellently through the eyes of a teenage girl, and I especially like the turn that the story takes. I think there is an ignored piece of a kidnapping story where everyone ignores that there are forever some emotions that tie you to your captor - even love. People refuse to see that. 'Stolen' takes this idea and shows how you can come to love anyone if you see the parts of them that no one else sees. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but you realise that the way you wanted it to end was immoral and couldn't have lasted, but you wanted that for Gemma anyway.
Take a read of this book. It won't take you very long, but you'll be better off for it.
It is written excellently through the eyes of a teenage girl, and I especially like the turn that the story takes. I think there is an ignored piece of a kidnapping story where everyone ignores that there are forever some emotions that tie you to your captor - even love. People refuse to see that. 'Stolen' takes this idea and shows how you can come to love anyone if you see the parts of them that no one else sees. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but you realise that the way you wanted it to end was immoral and couldn't have lasted, but you wanted that for Gemma anyway.
Take a read of this book. It won't take you very long, but you'll be better off for it.
4.5 stars
This is one of those books that by the end you feel almost empty. It drains you a bit. I didn't cry, but I was on the verge at one point. It's nearly impossible not to develop Stockholm Syndrome after reading this book. Ty, while sometimes an asshole, and of course a bonafied kidnapper, is also this extremely sweet, caring, and intelligent person who is (in my opinion) impossible not to become attached to after awhile.
When Gemma is first kidnapped, and for a good portion of the beginning of the book I held my own. Sure, he was hot and that's hard to miss given the descriptions we're getting. But, I didn't fall for it at first. However, before I even realized what was happening I was falling for him. I was wanting this story to end happily somehow. I was trying to justify and sympathize with Ty's ridiculous and fully insane reasoning for taking Gemma in the first place.
That's what makes this book so amazing though. It's seriously an incredible look into the mind of someone who is slowly developing Stockholm Syndrome. It makes you understand it a little bit more. I will say that I was impressed, while at the same time frustrated, with Gemma too. She held her own (emotionally) for quite a while and she proved that she's an extremely strong willed and capable person. At times I found myself just wanting Gemma to give in to Ty though -- because I was giving in -- and that made her strong will frustrating, while at the same time I was proud of her too.
While I found this to be a somewhat realistic look into a case of kidnapping, I also found it to be unrealistic in some instances. For example:
Ty never tries to touch Gemma in a sexual way. He does reach out to her a few times and they are close at times as well, but it was more of a companionship affection than anything. You could tell, and he said that he wanted her, but it was always in a very mild sense and never in a scary and creepy kind of way. It felt more like he was wanting her as a partner, more than wanting her sexually (although that was kind of a given).
While I was pretty relieved not to have to read a rape scene. I found this to be pretty unrealistic as well. In this case of kidnapping Ty "steals" (or "saves" as he puts it) Gemma for companionship -- because he "loves" her and has been watching (stalking) her for some time. But, I have a hard time believing that anyone capable of stalking and kidnapping a 16 year old girl is doing it just for love and companionship. It makes it a bit unrealistic that he wasn't taking her for sexual reasons as well.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I didn't have to read about that and it made me like Ty more. But, I just think if this were real life, more traumatic things would have happened. So in that sense, I think that this book almost romanticizes kidnapping as a whole, and that's kind of disturbing. But, again, we are supposed to be in the mind of a person who is developing Stockholm Syndrome. So my feelings on it being romanticized could be because of the point of view we were stuck in throughout the book.
Overall, this was a great book. I've never read a book about kidnapping like this and it really makes you feel I think exactly how Lucy Christopher wanted us to feel. I definitely would recommend it if you're looking for something a little emotional and a little bit shocking in the sense of how it will end up making you feel in the end.
This is one of those books that by the end you feel almost empty. It drains you a bit. I didn't cry, but I was on the verge at one point. It's nearly impossible not to develop Stockholm Syndrome after reading this book. Ty, while sometimes an asshole, and of course a bonafied kidnapper, is also this extremely sweet, caring, and intelligent person who is (in my opinion) impossible not to become attached to after awhile.
When Gemma is first kidnapped, and for a good portion of the beginning of the book I held my own. Sure, he was hot and that's hard to miss given the descriptions we're getting. But, I didn't fall for it at first. However, before I even realized what was happening I was falling for him. I was wanting this story to end happily somehow. I was trying to justify and sympathize with Ty's ridiculous and fully insane reasoning for taking Gemma in the first place.
That's what makes this book so amazing though. It's seriously an incredible look into the mind of someone who is slowly developing Stockholm Syndrome. It makes you understand it a little bit more. I will say that I was impressed, while at the same time frustrated, with Gemma too. She held her own (emotionally) for quite a while and she proved that she's an extremely strong willed and capable person. At times I found myself just wanting Gemma to give in to Ty though -- because I was giving in -- and that made her strong will frustrating, while at the same time I was proud of her too.
While I found this to be a somewhat realistic look into a case of kidnapping, I also found it to be unrealistic in some instances. For example:
Ty never tries to touch Gemma in a sexual way. He does reach out to her a few times and they are close at times as well, but it was more of a companionship affection than anything. You could tell, and he said that he wanted her, but it was always in a very mild sense and never in a scary and creepy kind of way. It felt more like he was wanting her as a partner, more than wanting her sexually (although that was kind of a given).
While I was pretty relieved not to have to read a rape scene. I found this to be pretty unrealistic as well. In this case of kidnapping Ty "steals" (or "saves" as he puts it) Gemma for companionship -- because he "loves" her and has been watching (stalking) her for some time. But, I have a hard time believing that anyone capable of stalking and kidnapping a 16 year old girl is doing it just for love and companionship. It makes it a bit unrealistic that he wasn't taking her for sexual reasons as well.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I didn't have to read about that and it made me like Ty more. But, I just think if this were real life, more traumatic things would have happened. So in that sense, I think that this book almost romanticizes kidnapping as a whole, and that's kind of disturbing. But, again, we are supposed to be in the mind of a person who is developing Stockholm Syndrome. So my feelings on it being romanticized could be because of the point of view we were stuck in throughout the book.
Overall, this was a great book. I've never read a book about kidnapping like this and it really makes you feel I think exactly how Lucy Christopher wanted us to feel. I definitely would recommend it if you're looking for something a little emotional and a little bit shocking in the sense of how it will end up making you feel in the end.
This book was one of my favourites. The relationship between Ty and Gemma is obviously not normal as he is her kidnapper but I found myself wanting it to work and for them to get together. As Gemma starts falling for him you actually feel sorry for him and understand him.
No es que haya leído muchas novelas epistolares, pero las pocas que han caído a mis manos me han encantado. Hacen que empatice mucho mejor con los protagonistas, ya que éstos suelen mostrar abiertamente cómo se sienten. Y creo que eso es precisamente lo que pretende aquí la autora, que nos metamos en la piel de Gemma para así poder jugar con nuestra mente.
Conmigo lo ha conseguido. No es la única razón por la que Stolen ha ido a parar a mi lista de libros favoritos, pero sí la principal.
Spoiler
Sabrás que ha tenido éxito si sientes una confusión y frustración parecidas a las que sufre ella durante la última parte del libro, haciendo que te preguntes si tú también padeces el Síndrome de Estocolmo.Conmigo lo ha conseguido. No es la única razón por la que Stolen ha ido a parar a mi lista de libros favoritos, pero sí la principal.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First time i read this book, i were in middle school (10-11 y/o). And i LOVED it. Thought about it nonstop for more than a week!
Then about 6 months ago (currently 15 y/o) i started thinking about it again. But i just couldn’t remember the name. So i actually endes up asking my old teacher.
Stolen - a letter to my captor
by Lucy Christopher
I just finished it and HOLY SHIT!
The writing is so outstanding. I often felt like i could relate to some if the things Gemma told. Lucy wrote this so well that it made me Fall for Ty too. I was so sad for Ty in the end. But that’s the crazy thing about books. Authors Can completly “play” with out minds and hearts. And it’s actually a pretty serious matter cuz the book deals with stockholm-syndrome. They have that power. And Lucy really got mine twisted!
This book will forever have a special place in my heart!
Then about 6 months ago (currently 15 y/o) i started thinking about it again. But i just couldn’t remember the name. So i actually endes up asking my old teacher.
Stolen - a letter to my captor
by Lucy Christopher
I just finished it and HOLY SHIT!
The writing is so outstanding. I often felt like i could relate to some if the things Gemma told. Lucy wrote this so well that it made me Fall for Ty too. I was so sad for Ty in the end. But that’s the crazy thing about books. Authors Can completly “play” with out minds and hearts. And it’s actually a pretty serious matter cuz the book deals with stockholm-syndrome. They have that power. And Lucy really got mine twisted!
This book will forever have a special place in my heart!
slow-paced
A little hard for me believe that a "16 year old" wrote this letter. Also found it annoying that the author doesn't fully explain why Gemma was specifically chosen by Ty. Like he fell in love with her after some random encounter? Sure, they connected at the park when she was a child but that was it? I don't buy it.
challenging
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such an easy book to read with an interesting plot that never gets boring and a strong message in the end. It’s hard to no empathise with the characters even when they are are wrong.