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A review by gracealicia
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
5.0
Trapped amongst sand and stars. Stolen from an airport. Stuck with only her kidnapper for company.
Stolen is a thrilling story of sixteen-year-old Gemma’s abduction and subsequent months in captivity. Stalked and stolen from an airport, Gemma wakes to find herself on a remote property in the Australian desert. With only her captor, known to her as Ty, for company Gemma must navigate the harsh climate and his expectations in order to stay alive. As time wears on and the possibility of escape dwindles, Gemma is forced to rely on Ty for both her health and sanity.
This is my favorite book. Its got everything I could ask for, set in Australia, strong female lead, complex characters, stunning descriptions, intricate and subtle psychological themes. I honestly can’t praise this book enough.
Gemma is a great example of a strong female character. Kidnapped and alone she fights; fights to escape, fights Ty, fights her situations, fights her own empathy. It is this strength that really draws me to her character; at no point does she feel like a damsel in distress. It is through Gemma that we come to know everything, from details of her life and abduction, tidbits about Ty and his life, and the expansive and desolate world she finds herself in. Her ability to see the beauty around her despite the awful circumstances she finds her self in is an inspiring touch.
Ty is complex characters, as the abductor we are immediately positioned to hate him. Yet as the story progresses, Gemmas opinion of him softens, as did mine. Clearly not right in the head, with a hard past and a reverence towards Gemma, he is frightening – but not evil perhaps.
For me what makes this story so interesting is not only her fight to adapt and survive in an extreme situation – but (SPOILER ALERT) the fallout when it is all over. Gemma’s feelings towards her abductor soften so slowly, and only because she seems to have no other option. When she is thrown back into civilization, what had seemed vital to her survival now has people looking at her worried. The revelation that he truly had been manipulating her all along – something we knew, but somehow forgot – is once again thrown into the forefront. It is painful to Gemma unsure of whether to defend or vilify him.
I would 10/10 recommend this to just about anyone, I found it to be a gripping read.
Stolen is a thrilling story of sixteen-year-old Gemma’s abduction and subsequent months in captivity. Stalked and stolen from an airport, Gemma wakes to find herself on a remote property in the Australian desert. With only her captor, known to her as Ty, for company Gemma must navigate the harsh climate and his expectations in order to stay alive. As time wears on and the possibility of escape dwindles, Gemma is forced to rely on Ty for both her health and sanity.
This is my favorite book. Its got everything I could ask for, set in Australia, strong female lead, complex characters, stunning descriptions, intricate and subtle psychological themes. I honestly can’t praise this book enough.
Gemma is a great example of a strong female character. Kidnapped and alone she fights; fights to escape, fights Ty, fights her situations, fights her own empathy. It is this strength that really draws me to her character; at no point does she feel like a damsel in distress. It is through Gemma that we come to know everything, from details of her life and abduction, tidbits about Ty and his life, and the expansive and desolate world she finds herself in. Her ability to see the beauty around her despite the awful circumstances she finds her self in is an inspiring touch.
Ty is complex characters, as the abductor we are immediately positioned to hate him. Yet as the story progresses, Gemmas opinion of him softens, as did mine. Clearly not right in the head, with a hard past and a reverence towards Gemma, he is frightening – but not evil perhaps.
For me what makes this story so interesting is not only her fight to adapt and survive in an extreme situation – but (SPOILER ALERT) the fallout when it is all over. Gemma’s feelings towards her abductor soften so slowly, and only because she seems to have no other option. When she is thrown back into civilization, what had seemed vital to her survival now has people looking at her worried. The revelation that he truly had been manipulating her all along – something we knew, but somehow forgot – is once again thrown into the forefront. It is painful to Gemma unsure of whether to defend or vilify him.
I would 10/10 recommend this to just about anyone, I found it to be a gripping read.