Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Kidnapped. Abducted. Stolen. Any way you put it, it's not good. When sixteen-year-old Gemma steps away from her parents in an airport to grab a coffee, she finds herself face-to-face with a familiar stranger who kindly pays for her drink.  After some chit-chatting, Gemma is ready to go back to her parents, even though the stranger is not only kind, but also beautiful and intriguing.  But before she has a chance, her body feels light, her mind seems a million miles away-- she's been drugged, and she won't be returning to her parents.  Ty steals her away to Australia where he hopes they can stay together forever.  Gemma, on the other hand, doesn't want to be stranded in the empty Australian outback with her captor, and will do anything to get away, or die trying.

The best word I can think of to describe "Stolen" by Lucy Christopher is "captivating." I know, it's a bit of a pun, but it's also true.  Christopher wrote the novel from Gemma's point of view as a letter to Ty, and investing myself into the conflicted world of Gemma's mind was absolutely riveting.  Watching her need to get home, need to get away, but also discover who Ty really is as a person (instead of just a stalker/kidnapper) was definitely a roller-coaster. You're with her every step of the way. You understand her fear, you understand her desperation, but you also understand her basic need to learn more about her captor.  Getting to know Ty as a character was sad, difficult, and so worth it.  Gemma describes Ty's looks, personality, past, life, everything so well, and without having to literally describe any of it.  Christopher is a master of show-don't-tell.  Also, the land is a character.  Ty and Gemma are in the middle of nowhere in Australia-- no people, no houses, no buildings, except for what Ty created.  Because of Ty's obsession and love of the land, the desert, the sand, the trees, the animals, the plant-life, etc. are all a part of the story.  Without this exact setting being included in such a fundamental way, there would be no story.  Our two main characters couldn't have their story any other place.

This is a book for ages thirteen and up. The intensity of the situation is not so high that a young teen would be too upset by it, but it's still an intense situation. Following Gemma along in her letter to Ty is just unbelievably heartbreaking and powerful.  Every thought that runs through her head, you can understand and be on the same page with.  The pacing is wonderful, and you don't learn too much too quickly, and events occur at a solid rate.  For those of you who love reading about strong women in frightening situations and/or fantastic character development and/or the grey area between good and evil, then this is an absolute must-read. There's nothing like reading a story in which you get such a well-rounded and deep understanding and view of more than one character.

"Stolen" by Lucy Christopher has the Abigail T stamp of approval: this is legitimate young adult fiction.


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