Monday 24 June 2013

Stolen: A Letter to my Captor, Lucy Christopher

Stolen: A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher, reviewed by Eleanor

What is this book about?
It happened like this. 
I was stolen from an airport. 
Taken from everything I knew, everything I was used to. 
Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. 
And he expected me to love him. 
This is my story. 
A letter from nowhere. –the blurb

Who should read this book?
This is a YA book.

How long is this book?
301 pages

Marks
Story Line: 6/10
Well written: 4/5
Enjoyabililty: 4/5
Overall: 14/20

Star Rating:
3 stars

Question 1. What character would you most like to have tea with?
There isn't a character in this book that I would like to have tea with and this is just because there are only really two characters we get to know throughout the book. While Gemma is a great character and I admire her strength (in her situation I’m pretty sure I would just break down and cry all of the time) I don’t think I really want to sit down and have tea with her because there isn't really anything that interesting about her.

Question 2. What character would you most like to throw tea at?
It’s obvious to anyone who has already read this book that Ty really needs someone to throw a lot of tea at him. Fine, I get that he has his reasons for kidnapping Gemma and everything but I seriously do not get how taking a sixteen year old girl could be right in any way. I’m a sixteen year old girl and just the thought terrifies me.

Question 3. What do you think of the cover?
Hmm, I’m not too sure about the cover of the edition that I read. The butterfly is pretty but it’s nothing particularly special or eye catching.

Question 4. What do you think of the title do you think there is an alternative?
I think Stolen is actually quite a good title for this book. It fits what the book is about and works well for the story.

Question 5. Favourite quote!
“How long will you keep me?” I asked.
You shrugged. “Forever, of course.”

Overall: I had my last GCSE exam earlier today and so I got this book out of the library as a beginning to a summer of lots and lots of reading (I also borrowed Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, as this is another book I have been planning on reading for a long time) After starting the book, I literally did not stop reading it until I had reached the end. The whole book is one long letter from the main character, Gemma, to her captor and as I don’t normally pick up books written in letter format I was surprised at how engaging this book was. Although the story line becomes a bit slow at times, the book is not divided into chapters and this makes it extremely fast paced. I had to keep reading in order to reach the end and find out how Gemma would end her letter because I was just as conflicted as she was about Ty. I really recommend this book just because it’s different and so unlike all the books I read at the moment.

Do you have any requests for reviews? And are there any books you highly recommend? 

2 comments:

  1. aww this is one of my all time favourite books...so heartbreaking! love the fact you don't know how to fell about the situation, it's really difficult and aghhh! TY :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes it is! I just couldn't decide what she should do! I did love the ending though! ~Eleanor :)

    ReplyDelete