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Stolen
by Lucy Christopher (Goodreads Author)
by Lucy Christopher (Goodreads Author)
Annalisa's review
bookshelves: young-adult, issue, psychology, contemporary, wishlist
Jul 18, 10
bookshelves: young-adult, issue, psychology, contemporary, wishlist
Recommended to Annalisa by:
Kat Kennedy
Recommended for:
f words
Read from July 15 to 17, 2010
When I was a teenager, I remember watching a movie with my family and the couple onscreen kissed for the first time and of course five seconds later were sleeping together. My dad, trying to keep the morality of four teenage girls intact, complained about movies always doing that, making you root for something you didn't believe in. I remember thinking "it's just a movie; you're supposed to want that," because I had wanted it.
Christopher is a smart woman. She realizes this power, that as an author, she can direct you in what you're supposed to want, who you're supposed to like, and what ending you're supposed to root for. And she uses it to mess with your head. Ty and Gemma are basically the only characters in the book, so you want them to end up together. Ty is a kidnapper and has a temper, but he's a kind, likable kidnapper. From the beginning, you want Gemma to get over it and like Ty. He had a sad life and has such a vulnerable quality and if only Gemma would love him it would make him all better. You see what Christopher does? She makes you, the reader, experience Stockholm syndrome, so that by the end you're as conflicted as Gemma about the outcome and about your own feelings of Gemma's resistance and Ty's culpability. She makes you consider Stockholm syndrome from the inside. That's brilliant.
ETA: I have several friends who didn't like the book and it's made me think about why this works so well for some and not for others. It comes down to you. If you're the type of girl who'd want to protect a broken spirit then you'll fall right into the trap that is Ty's charm. If you like a man's man and have no patience for weak men, the book won't work for you. The book may have been more powerful had we fallen in love with a man who was a little bit rough, a little bit forceful, a little bit cruel and yet Gemma depended on him for her survival. But maybe not. It would have been more of a risk and may not have had the same longing for romance that this has. Either way, it still requires you the reader to pull off the full affect. It's a risk and sometimes it pays off. Sometimes it doesn't.
Christopher is a smart woman. She realizes this power, that as an author, she can direct you in what you're supposed to want, who you're supposed to like, and what ending you're supposed to root for. And she uses it to mess with your head. Ty and Gemma are basically the only characters in the book, so you want them to end up together. Ty is a kidnapper and has a temper, but he's a kind, likable kidnapper. From the beginning, you want Gemma to get over it and like Ty. He had a sad life and has such a vulnerable quality and if only Gemma would love him it would make him all better. You see what Christopher does? She makes you, the reader, experience Stockholm syndrome, so that by the end you're as conflicted as Gemma about the outcome and about your own feelings of Gemma's resistance and Ty's culpability. She makes you consider Stockholm syndrome from the inside. That's brilliant.
ETA: I have several friends who didn't like the book and it's made me think about why this works so well for some and not for others. It comes down to you. If you're the type of girl who'd want to protect a broken spirit then you'll fall right into the trap that is Ty's charm. If you like a man's man and have no patience for weak men, the book won't work for you. The book may have been more powerful had we fallen in love with a man who was a little bit rough, a little bit forceful, a little bit cruel and yet Gemma depended on him for her survival. But maybe not. It would have been more of a risk and may not have had the same longing for romance that this has. Either way, it still requires you the reader to pull off the full affect. It's a risk and sometimes it pays off. Sometimes it doesn't.
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Reading Progress
| 07/15/2010 | page 48 |
|
15.0% | "So far Kat is not on my bad friend list for recommending this." 3 comments |
| 07/16/2010 | page 150 |
|
47.0% | "The easiest way to put down and can't-put-down book is the misplace it. Ah!" 4 comments |
Comments (showing 1-39 of 39) (39 new)
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Tatiana
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rated it 2 stars
Jul 15, 2010 01:22pm
I am about to start this book too. Kat created a lot of hype around it, it'd better be good:)
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If it's not, Kat is going down! :). I have Gone and Stolen sitting on my night stand and technically Gone is next in line, but after a long book, I need a shorter one to fill in the gap.
If you don't like it, Tatiana, then it's NOT my fault... I swear! Jillian added to the hype too, okay! Blame her as well! :PI hope you like Gone, Annalisa - I couldn't finish it, but not because it wasn't good! Other reasons for that...
So how are we all enjoying the residule effects of Stockholm Syndrome, everybody?
Great review, Annalisa. I loved the analogy at the beginning. And you're absolutely right! Lucy Christopher *did* make us all experience Stockholm Syndrome firsthand. The power of a writer/storyteller is an amazing thing indeed (when it's used right, of course). :)@Kat: I don't mind taking blame since I still stand by my belief that this is the best book I've read in a while. :P Very few books keep me thinking about them long after I finish that final page.
Needless to say, this book -- and its Stockholm Syndrome effect -- is still haunting me.
Thanks for the recommend, girls. I'm still feeling the Stockholm Syndrome, torn about wanting it and not getting it and wondering what I would have done/thought in Gemma's situation.
It's interesting to note that, in an interview, Lucy Christopher said that the first ending for Stolen basically let Ty off the hook -- but she rewrote it because she was afraid of the messages she would be sending teenagers with it.Even though I can't say I was satisfied with the ending -- I have to say that it was the right one for the story and the characters. It really couldn't have gone any other way.
Jillian - I absolutely agree.The ending was unsatisfying but it honestly COULD NOT have ended any other way.
OOOOO! I've had this book on hold at the library, it's almost here! Now you've made me way excited! Sounds fascinating! I love the mind tricks of it all!
This is exactly what I felt! Just finished it a few days ago and the moment it was over I was swimming in a disarray of feelings. I truly did feel like I had Stockholm, probably more than Gemma herself.
At the end of the book when Gemma goes off to find Ty I had this huge longing for her to find him, and for them to be ok. Then I thought, "he kidnapped her! He's crazy" But it still didn't change my strange longing for her. By the end, I had Stockholm syndrome too. Brilliantly written book and I really enjoyed your review.
This review is brilliant. It doesn't really tell me anythign about the book. But nevertheless, brilliant.
![Yue [Wonder of living]](http://d.gr-assets.com/users/1366500319p1/3916115.jpg)
I fell in love with the kidnapper even before Gemma did. This is right after I read room, to which I had a severe kidnapper dislike. Brilliantly executed to wrap the reader into the Stockholm syndrome.
I can't believe anyone would fall in love with this kidnapper. He's creepy, mercurial, and dangerous. His insecurity translates to power over a young girl. You are NOT supposed to become as ambivalent as Gemma. You are supposed to see this guy for what he is - a seriously sick messed up person.
Yeah, I felt that way too. I was really creeped out by him, and then when she started to like him I was like. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!" And then when she more or less comes to her senses I was like, "YES!" Happy ending. Still a wonderfully written book; I loved it.
To me it seemed like she was manipulated by her parents and psychologist in the end into viewing Ty in a way that would fit the definition of "Stockholm Syndrome."I don't know that I wanted them together. But Ty was well developed enough that I did not feel that the term "monster" really applied to him by the end of the book.
I completely understand the stockholm syndrome now that you pointed it out. I was totally taken with the idea that they should stay together or at least he would not have to spend the rest of his days in a prison.
I thought Ty came off kind of rough and forceful at times, especially in the beginning. He was always flying off the handle too and had mood swings. Towards the middle to end though he became much more likeable & (view spoiler)
Even though I didn't like this book, I liked your review, because you describe the exact reason it didn't sit well with me.
I'm very surprise to hear you actually rooted for Ty and Gemma to be together because I had the exact opposite reaction reading this book. I couldn't believe she'd even consider loving him after everything he'd done. He was her kidnapper. He stalked her throughout her life. He took her from her family. He selfishly ruined her life just to be with her. I'm so intrigued by your interpretation of the book and it makes me want to read it again to see if I'd feel any offering about it. Either way this book was incredible and I agree it completely toyed with my emotions the whole way through
I didn't at first. I didn't like him, but he grew on me. (I know I said from the beginning, but I meant from the beginning of getting to know him.) I have friends who didn't like Ty and didn't root for him. It's a difference experience for every reader, depending on the way you feel about Gemma and Ty.
Wow if i had the time and patience to actually write a review, this is what i would have said. I loved this book and read it in only 5 hours, while on a 9 hour layover...... But it is amazing because while i was telling my dad ( he was the only one willing to listen on the carride back from the airport) he chose the logical route of saying, no, if someone kidnaps you, you run away, do anything you can to get away. But i felt like, because of the way the author told it, that ty was truly a good guy who's intentions were smart but not thought out completely.
I think Gemma displayed both those reactions, first wanting to get away and then getting to know Ty better. It would be a confusing situation to be in for sure.
I completely agree with your review.I also felt like I was experiencing Stockholm Syndrome myself as the reader.I actually liked Ty and could see myself responding the same way Gemma did if this had happened to me at her age.
Thank you for your review. I am all about mans men so I know I should probably stay away from this book. I completely admit that I experienced stockholm sydrome while reading captive in the dark.
Ashley,You may like it, you may not. Tyler's a little on the tame side, which might not be your thing, but I thought the story very well done.
I absolutely love your review, I've probably read it about ten times because it is what caused me to read the book in the first place and because afterwards it completely described what I had felt while reading the book.
