Jump to ratings and reviews

The Stolen Generation

Between 1972 and 1993 the Global Sector Council forced single mothers to have abortions.When those babies were aborted, their souls were stolen and attached to lab made children. Those children, together with a group known as the Rebellion are now fighting back. Freya 'Freddie' Faith Raner takes us on a whirlwind adventure as she and her soul sister search for their soul mother, look to over throw the global government, and make friends, and enemies, along the way.

A dystopian novel set in a parallel universe which split from our own timeline in the aftermath of the Second World War. Utopia isn't all that it seems, in a world where religion has been abolished, LGBT people have rights the world over, and food, shelter, and education are taken as given.

322 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2018

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

N.A. Le Brun

6 books7 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
6 (42%)
4 stars
3 (21%)
3 stars
2 (14%)
2 stars
1 (7%)
1 star
2 (14%)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Winter.
500 reviews81 followers
August 3, 2025
Title:
🔥 Souls, Rebellion, and Uncomfortable Truths:
Why This Dystopia Hit Different

Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars)

Sometimes you pick up a book expecting one thing and get something completely different, of course in the best possible way. "The Stolen Generation" by N.A. Le Brun promised dystopian fiction, but what I got was a profound meditation on identity, autonomy, and the price of artificial perfection wrapped in a thrilling rebellion narrative.

The central concept is absolutely haunting:
what if a government's could literally steal souls from aborted babies and implant them into lab-grown children? It's the kind of premise that makes you pause and think, "That's horrifically brilliant." Le Brun takes this unsettling foundation and builds a world that feels uncomfortably plausible.

The World-Building:
Complex and Contradictory 🌍
This isn't your typical "everything is horrible" dystopia. Le Brun creates a society that has solved many real-world problems, LGBT rights are universal, basic needs are met, religious conflicts are eliminated, yet has done so through methods that strip away fundamental human dignity. This moral ambiguity makes the story far more interesting than straightforward oppression narratives.

Character Development:
Freddie's Journey💪:
Freya "Freddie" Faith Raner is exactly the kind of protagonist this story needed. She's not a chosen one with special powers; she's someone thrust into leadership who has to figure things out as she goes. Her relationship with her soul sister provides emotional weight that grounds the larger political storyline. Watching Freddie navigate her dual mission of finding her soul mother while leading a rebellion creates genuine tension throughout.

Themes That Resonate: 🎯
The book explores bodily autonomy, governmental control, and manufactured consent in ways that feel relevant to contemporary discussions about reproductive rights and surveillance states. Le Brun doesn't hit you over the head with parallels to current events, but the connections are there for readers who want to engage with them.

What Worked:
- The soul-transfer concept is both original and philosophically rich
- Character relationships feel authentic and develop organically
- The parallel universe setting allows for creative world-building
- Pacing balances action with necessary character development
- The rebellion feels motivated by personal stakes rather than abstract ideology

Minor Reservations:
- Some readers might struggle with the metaphysical elements of soul transfer
- Certain sections slow down for world-building exposition
- The ending sets up clearly for sequels, which might frustrate readers wanting complete resolution

The LGBT Representation: 🏳️‍🌈
Worth noting that this book includes LGBT characters naturally integrated into the story without making their identity the sole focus of their character development. In this alternate timeline, LGBT acceptance is simply part of the established world order, which allows these characters to exist without the trauma narratives that sometimes dominate queer literature.

Writing Style and Accessibility: ✍️
Le Brun's prose is clean and engaging without being overly literary. The book is accessible to readers who might typically avoid heavier science fiction while still offering enough depth for genre veterans. The balance between action sequences and character introspection keeps the story moving without sacrificing emotional development.

Final Thoughts 💭
"The Stolen Generation" is the kind of book that stays with you after reading. It raises questions about consent, identity, and the nature of the soul that don't have easy answers. While it operates within familiar dystopian frameworks, the unique premise and thoughtful execution make it feel fresh rather than derivative.

This is speculative fiction that speculates about things that matter. Le Brun has created a story that works as both entertainment and commentary, which is no small achievement. For readers who enjoyed books like "The Giver" or "Brave New World" but want something more contemporary in its sensibilities, this hits the sweet spot.

Looking forward to seeing where Le Brun takes this world in future installments. This is a promising start to what could be a compelling series.

Thank you to N.A. Le Brun and VoraciousReaders for the gifted copy of this book. I was more than happy to leave my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Joshua Grant.
Author 24 books280 followers
October 3, 2019
N.A. LeBrun takes us on a tense dystopian adventure in The Stolen Generation. On an alternate Earth, an evil government steals the souls of dead babies and puts them into lab grown bodies in an attempt to create a controllable population. Now two of those stolen souls are fighting back as they journey to find their soul mother. I think LeBrun’s world is so cool (though dark) and the action is great! If you love dystopian fic, this one’s for you!
253 reviews7 followers
June 19, 2018
Summary:

Between 1972 and 1993, babies born to single mothers had their souls taken, and implanted in laboratory-grown children. This was done on the orders of the GSC [Global Sector Council], the world ruling council. The world is a dystopia, with an over-arching government [GSC] controlling all aspects of its citizens lives. The book is about the Resistance aiming to break it down.

Read More Book Reviews on my blog It's Good To Read

Main Characters:

Freya Faith Raner: Eighteen years old when the story begins, she assumes control upon the natural death of the local resistance leader, Mr Rawlinson. She is one whose soul was implanted, but comes across a soul sister in her quest.

Amaya Grace Raner: Freya’s soul twin, physically ten years younger, and constant companion on this journey.

Mr Rawlinson: A local teacher, his blandness was the perfect disguise for his rebellious activities. He gave out banned copies of 1984, Brave New World, etc. He was the one they looked up to, and he nominated Freya to replace him.

Minor Characters:

Kam: One-time love interest of Freya, hardened resistance fighter in her own right.

Dr Enid Carson: Suspected double-agent, she plays both sides against the middle, but is ultimately unmasked.

Plot:

The book opens with Freya, who gives the context of how she got to where she was, what she was about to do, and the reasons why.

It is an interesting premise, the taking of souls from foetuses, and implanting into lab-born children. Given some of the scandals which have hit Ireland in the past few years in relation to children, the concept is plausible, as authority has shown to be uncaring when it comes to the perceived weaker in society. Single mothers were forced to have abortion, and those souls were transplanted.

Essentially, Freya is one whose soul was transplanted. She slowly becomes aware of this yet it takes the subtle intervention of her teacher Rawlinson to clarify matters in her mind, and open her eyes to the systemic abuses that the GSC are perpetrating. Her alternative education continues under the noses of the authorities, and she is part of a small but select group under Rawlinson’s tutelage.

Then he dies, and Freya takes up the leadership upon his nomination. She eventually finds her way to the tunnel network where the Resistance lives, and having found her soul sister, set off to search for their soul mother.

It is a believable world they walk out into. The cities are shattered, empty buildings being gradually reclaimed by nature. The settings are well-described, as is the reach of the omnipotent GSC. However, they don’t actually see everything, as there is a wilderness into which they do not travel, the tunnels are controlled by the resistance, etc.

Having gone through several near-captures, and political infighting to assert her authority, Freya eventually gets to a position where she can release to the world the secrets that have been withheld. The question is, will she? Should she?

What I Liked:

- The scene-setting was good, the ruined cities etc. Very descriptive, with shades of menace.
- Wide sexual orientation representation, with lots of LGBTQ characters.

What I Didn’t Like:

- The characters didn’t ring true for me, and I found it hard to like them.
- There was a lot of interpersonal writing (working out feelings, etc.), that I particularly don’t like in any story, and I don’t think it added majorly to the overall plot.

Overall:
Somehow, the great promise of this book was not delivered, and it is hard to say why not. The writing is good, but there was possibly too much descriptive writing, which for me slowed the pace of the story. There are some great aspects to it, but the characters seemed a little undefined, and inconsistent. It is a decent effort, but I think there is a much stronger novel in here.

Acknowledgements:
I received a free book from the author, in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kazzie.
100 reviews7 followers
March 22, 2018
2.5 💠

Going into ‘The Stolen Generation’, I was very intrigued to see how a story such as this would play out. I was immediately fascinated by the concept that souls from forced abortions are transplanted into ‘test-tube’ babies. That concept was something that I’ve never encountered before in literature.

From the beginning, I was drawn into the world that Freya (“Freddie”) introduces to the reader. I loved the nuances and the history and the autobiographical traces that I noticed. The government of this world reminded me of the government of "The Hunger Games", and to an extent, "Arc of a Scythe" in that the government is all-consuming and the “Big Brother” figure. It is the overseer of this utopian-style world. Everything is seemingly perfect. Naturally, that isn't the truth at all.

Le Brun introduces the reader to a wide array of characters that range in age, sexuality and gender. For those that enjoy books with LGBTQ characters, I believe that they would enjoy this book. There are a lot of relatable characters. Plus, there's a dog. The author also paints various global landscapes and the characters visit familiar sights but with a dark and foreboding twist. Her command of language is wonderful and each landscape can be easily imagined.

Now we come to the ‘however’ of this review. Since Le Brun is a person that I know well, I know that they would want me to be completely honest in my review. Also, with all the positives listed above, I feel like I need to justify my low rating.

For me, the execution of this concept was not entirely there. In my opinion, with it being a dystopian story, I felt that it would have benefitted from being set in a different time period. Most dystopian stories are set in a near-or-distant future. Personally, the story suffered from an anchor in time. I had a difficult time imagining the action taking place in the 90s and early 00s. I believe that this would have been better set in the 2040s and beyond. The technological aspect of it was simply too advanced for me to really associate with for the era and found it rather unbelievable.

With regard to the characters, I didn’t feel like they were consistent. I know that characters need to have depth and show a range of emotions and personal growth. As much as I felt that they did develop in some places, I felt that there were a lot of inconsistencies that did not help me to bond with the characters. I did enjoy them to an extent. I liked that there was a lot of representation in the book. For me, personally, I didn’t feel like I cared for them.

All in all, "The Stolen Generation" is enjoyable if you like dystopian books, LGBTQ characters, road trips and characters that are the 'Chosen One'. Sadly, "The Stolen Generation" wasn’t for me. I do believe that with editing to really knead out the inconsistencies and weaknesses, that this could be a strong story.
Profile Image for Lori.
540 reviews15 followers
March 21, 2018
As this story opens, we are introduced to the Global Sector Council (GSC). They warehouse sections that once upon a time were known as London England and Washington D.C. Basically, here we'd find electric cars being driven by families whom have two children, two pets and live in prefab housing.

Mr. Edward Rawlinson, an english teacher, steps outside the boundaries of the GSC. He smuggles banned books to many of his students and Freya ( Freddie) Faith Raner is of them.

That's right. At twelve years old, Freddie's read Orwell's 1984, and the next book she reads is Huxley's 'Brave New World'.

I smiled as I read this. I also had an english teacher pass these books along to me, but first, my parents had to sign paperwork stating they were agreeable to me reading them.

If you are familiar with these books, you know that they address conformity as well a manipulation of recorded history. These authors were presenting us readers with the knowledge that conditioning limits diversity and individualism - essentially robbing our soul.

As readers, can you imagine not being allowed the opportunity to study another culture or read another language? I’m going to be honest here and say that I'd find this quite disturbing.

In this highly detailed read, I was thankful to learn there was a Rebellion and elated to learn that they came across a hidden library.

When Mr. Rawlinson dies, Freddie assumes the duties of leader of the Rebellion.They live in the crumbling war tunnels that were once built by the Nazis and the sectors communicate largely by headsets and use dictapads.

Freddie discovered through testing that her soul is seperate from her biological family and she and her soul sister leave on an adventure to search for their soul mother.

As it stands, they are aware that GSC heavily monitors all controlled communications. Furthermore, they learn the peace officers that patrol the streets are anything but peaceful.

New York is largely uninhabited. Instead of skyscrapers filled with people, they find empty - shattered buildings where the natural ecosystem is again immerging. In spite of this, Freddie continues on a quest to bring down the GSC, while learning more about her true identity.

My Conclusion: This is an excellent dystopian novel and N.A. Le Brun is a creatively gifted writer. I love the passage where she writes, 'It was an odd experience walking from a white almost ethereal world into darkness'. One might draw a similar conclusion when walking along a corridor that leads from 'the stolen generation' of '1984' to Freddie's 'brave new world'.

N.A Le Brun generously allowed me to read The Stolen Generation for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sofia.
925 reviews23 followers
February 21, 2025
I want to start by saying that it really was a hard task to read through this book… I was provided a pdf copy of this ARC and the book doesn’t read well on my kindle, it gets weird spaces and pauses and it doesn’t really help reading and making things run. But of course this complain is only about how it reads on my kindle, if my only complain was about it, I would be fine… I felt like the story comes across stifled, the characters don’t feel real enough, that and the author using the words assigned, people sex is never assigned when they’re born, sex is observed, and the rest is story… ok I may be biased against the world views of the author and that made me resistant to enjoy the story.

The story plot, at first glance was exactly what I look for in dystopian worlds, but in the end I think it ended up a bit lacking and focused too much in things that didn’t do much for the story and too little in what I wanted to read… I wanted to know the now, not listening to what had happened, if that makes sense… but again… just try it maybe you’ll like it… I just wasnt the right person to really enjoy it…

Thank you VoraciousReaders, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Shannon.
299 reviews45 followers
March 16, 2018
If you’re a fan of Dystopian like I am, you’re probably getting tired of reading the same books over and over. The genre is getting saturated and it’s difficult to find a great book that stands out from the rest.

That’s why I had to read this one. Imagine souls being harvested from aborted fetuses and then being transplanted into lab-grown babies. Nevermind the profound spiritual consequences, think of the ethical lines not just being crossed, but blown away! Now you know how the “Rebellion” feels.

In addition to that, we have a whole generation of people who have been living a lie their entire lives, wondering why they didn’t fit in with their biological families, when they all shared the same DNA.

This book has everything! Great writing, strong diverse characters (especially Freddie), and it will make you think. I also love that it was written in a parallel universe as it added a whole new dimension to an already fantastic theme.

I really enjoyed it and if you’re a fan of smart, unique dystopian sci-fi, you should really give this one a read!
Profile Image for Mindy.
2 reviews4 followers
February 25, 2018
If you like dystopian novels then this should be next on your reading list!

Single mothers were forced to have abortions by the Global Sector Council. They then took the souls and put them into lab made children. This is the stolen generation.

Join Freya 'Freddie' Faith Raner and her soul sister as they go on a search for their soul mother and to take down the GSC along with a group of people known as the Rebellion. This book is filled with lots of interesting and wonderful characters you won't soon forget. I must say it is truly one of the most unique stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading and I can't recommend it enough.
Profile Image for Salla.
283 reviews14 followers
October 17, 2018
Full Review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...

I really wanted to DNF. But to criticize something you have to have grounds for your arguments, so I read it from cover to cover.
There just were massive issues with the writing style, the characters, the world building. Basically, there were huge issues in everything.
Profile Image for Hmya.
20 reviews
March 17, 2025
N.A. Le Brun is a talented author, and this dystopian book is fantastic. Great writing, diverse and powerful characters, and fascinating concepts are all there in this novel. Its parallel universe setting, which gives an already amazing topic a whole new depth, is something I truly adore.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only!
59 reviews
May 28, 2025
I was provided a review copy of this book

I struggled with the writing style of this book as it was very descriptive heavy with dense paragraphs.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dystopian books similar to Divergent as this had many similar themes
92 reviews1 follower
July 21, 2025
I received a copy of this ebook from the Author honestly it was not my kind of book. So did not finish.
Profile Image for Oliver.
4 reviews
December 29, 2020
brilliant story line and great characters, i love the use of gender and sexuality differences. the change in times is really interesting and i loved it
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews