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Stolen: A Letter to my Captor | February 26, 2014

by Lucy Christopher (Scholastic/Chicken House, May 2009)

Gemma first meets Ty in an airport coffee shop, shortly after storming away from her parents. She doesn’t think anything is off when he pays for her coffee and invites her to sit with him, but things quickly go south when Ty drugs Gemma and brings her to live with him in the Australian Desert. Ty promises Gemma that he won’t hurt her; he only wants to protect her from the outside world. When Gemma protests, he assures her that she will eventually come to love him and their new home. During her captivity, Gemma dreams about her family and friends and tries to escape on several different occasions. But as more time passes, Gemma begins to see that there is something alluring about the desert—it’s dangerous, yet beautiful and vulnerable…just like Ty, who is prone to mood swings but still deeply devoted to her and the land. Before Gemma can sort out her new feelings for Ty though, Mother Nature lashes out in a way that no one expects, leaving Ty with an ultimatum and Gemma fighting for her life.

I don’t usually read psychological thrillers, but I am so glad that I took a chance and read Lucy Christopher’s young adult novel, Stolen Written as a letter from Gemma to Ty, the story structure allowed me to experience Gemma’s actions and complicated emotions as my own. Lucy’s descriptions of the Australian Desert and Ty’s intimate connection with the land were intoxicating, and the unexpected plot twists kept the pages turning. Overall, I’d recommend this novel to fans of YA psychological thrillers, as well as to lovers of more literary and romantic stories. Stolen really does offer a little something for everyone—it’ll take your breath away and steal your heart at the same time.