Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Release Date -May 2010
Publisher - Chicken House
Pages - 299
My Rating- 10/10

This is going to be my first "attempt" at a book review. I hesitate to call it a review as it will just be my thoughts and feelings instead of an analytical break down of the novel.

I wanted to do this because this book made me want to talk about it. I wanted to tell everyone I know to read this book. It impacted me that much. I am just sad it's my first review as I really want to do this novel justice.

Here is the synopsis of the novel from GoodReads

Gemma, 16, is on layover at Bangkok Airport, en route with her parents to a vacation in Vietnam. She steps away for just a second, to get a cup of coffee. Ty - rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar - pays for Gemma's drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what's happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. The unknowing object of a long obsession, Gemma has been kidnapped by her stalker and brought to the desolate Australian Outback. 
Stolen is her gripping story of survival, of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare - or die trying to fight it.

You saw me before I saw you.... The beautiful, haunting opening sentence. This novel grabs you right from the beginning and doesn't let go.

I really enjoyed the way the author manages to bring to life the dry, hot, red desert in Australia. I could almost feel the heat pushing down on me when Gemma was describing it. I could easily picture her surroundings and could feel how she must have felt.

I think the novel's strength comes from the characterization of Ty. I, like Gemma, felt myself torn. Part of me wanted to hate him and part of me just couldn't. Maybe it was his story, maybe it was the fact that I kept picturing the delicious Ryan Kwanten (who should play Ty in the movie of this book when/if it gets made), or maybe I had a little bit of Stockholm syndrome myself. This is the most brilliant thing the author was able to accomplish, and she does it so subtly. You don't really realize it until you're reading the last few pages and it hits you hard in the stomach. Lucy Christopher was able to shape, and direct the reader's emotions so that we were able to feel what Stockholm syndrome might be like.

The ending for me was the only ending that could have come out of this (even if it is the ending only half of you is rooting for). I am also so glad that the letter was not signed Love, Gemma at the end. It would have just felt "wrong" somehow if she had signed it that way.

The highest praise I can give this book is the fact that I immediately didn't pick up another one. I had to take some time and digest before I could pick up another one. Stolen is a beautiful, well written, engrossing novel that will stay with you long after you've finished it.