Stolen is the first book by debut author Lucy Christopher.
This novel follows a story of a 16 year old Gemma (the protagonist of this novel), who was supposed to be spending her summer holiday with her parents in Vietnam but is kidnapped from the Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian outback. To the endless sand, dirt, heat and dryness. This setting is the epicentre of this novel, described very vividly through out the whole novel. The kidnapping was years of planning. Her captor Ty is no stereotype though. He is a typical blue-eyed and blonde hair guy. He is fit, young and extremely gorgeous. Ty only loves her and only wants her.
This is an intense and vivid tale of an unusual love story and a psychological thriller, where lines of love, obsession and need are blended together, to a point where there are no boundaries. Almost. This novel thoroughly explores the themes of madness, obsession, desire, need, dependency. And dark representation of infatuation. But it also explores kindness, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness, understanding and true friendship.
Christopher’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. It’s cleverly written and very vividly described. We are always in step with Gemma, feeling everything she feels. Stolen takes a form of a letter written to Ty reflecting on the strange and disturbing time spent in the wild outback of Australia.
This is a ‘must read’ thought-provoking novel and recommended to all!