ruffian23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, and Animal death
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
editsen's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
daniellejp16's review against another edition
I could not read the animal cruelty parts, it was to much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
addison_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Told from the perspective of a young girl, Elsa, who sees a horrific crime, this book is part thriller and part emotional family drama.
Stolen follows an indigenous family living in the Arctic Circle who herd reindeer for a living. Reindeer are scared and when someone starts killing them and the police do nothing about it, Elsa's family either has to take matters into their own hands or try to move on from it.
This book follows Elsa as she grows up in this community with people who resent her family because of who they are and what they do, and once she's old enough, she decides its time to put an end to all of the threats and violence that her family has had to endure through the years.
Stolen is a heartbreaking tale based on true events that will keep you on edge, make you angry, and teach you things about the individuals who live in the Arctic Circle and the natural world there that you never dreamed of.
#NetGalley
Stolen follows an indigenous family living in the Arctic Circle who herd reindeer for a living. Reindeer are scared and when someone starts killing them and the police do nothing about it, Elsa's family either has to take matters into their own hands or try to move on from it.
This book follows Elsa as she grows up in this community with people who resent her family because of who they are and what they do, and once she's old enough, she decides its time to put an end to all of the threats and violence that her family has had to endure through the years.
Stolen is a heartbreaking tale based on true events that will keep you on edge, make you angry, and teach you things about the individuals who live in the Arctic Circle and the natural world there that you never dreamed of.
#NetGalley
emmikuronen_04's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bethfishreads's review against another edition
3.5
The story of how a Sami woman fits into contemporary Sweden.
When she was just a little girl, Elsa was the soul witness to a young man killing one of her family's reindeer calves. In fear for her life, she refuses to tell anyone what she saw. This event and the man's continued poaching of Sami herds have a profound impact on Elsa's life.
This novel holds Elsa's life experiences at its center, but it's really an exploration of how the Sami people struggle to keep their culture and traditions alive in the modern world. We see not only the clash between Eurocentric and Sami Swedish citizens but also how the law and police view the Sami. Murdered and poached reindeer are seen as stolen property, not as a direct threat to a family's livelihood and traditions. We see how the Sami people are subject to hate crimes and harassment and disrespect even by tourists.
Elsa's family and other Sami suffer from a lack of federal support, the effects of climate change, and the push-back from industry. Women's issues (respect, opportunities, traditional roles) and religion and spirituality are other themes.
I knew little of the prejudices against the Sami. Elsa's story is a good introduction, and I plan to read more widely (fiction and nonfiction) about the Sami people.
The audiobook was read by Jade Wheeler who did a fine job. I can't judge her pronunciations of the Swedish and Sami words, but she was easy to understand and held my interest.
Thanks to the publishers for review copies in various formats.
When she was just a little girl, Elsa was the soul witness to a young man killing one of her family's reindeer calves. In fear for her life, she refuses to tell anyone what she saw. This event and the man's continued poaching of Sami herds have a profound impact on Elsa's life.
This novel holds Elsa's life experiences at its center, but it's really an exploration of how the Sami people struggle to keep their culture and traditions alive in the modern world. We see not only the clash between Eurocentric and Sami Swedish citizens but also how the law and police view the Sami. Murdered and poached reindeer are seen as stolen property, not as a direct threat to a family's livelihood and traditions. We see how the Sami people are subject to hate crimes and harassment and disrespect even by tourists.
Elsa's family and other Sami suffer from a lack of federal support, the effects of climate change, and the push-back from industry. Women's issues (respect, opportunities, traditional roles) and religion and spirituality are other themes.
I knew little of the prejudices against the Sami. Elsa's story is a good introduction, and I plan to read more widely (fiction and nonfiction) about the Sami people.
The audiobook was read by Jade Wheeler who did a fine job. I can't judge her pronunciations of the Swedish and Sami words, but she was easy to understand and held my interest.
Thanks to the publishers for review copies in various formats.
bookmanity's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
samplatinum's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0