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A review by serendipitysbooks
Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Stolen is set north of the Arctic Circle in a Sámi community. The story unfolds in two sections. In the first Elsa is nine years old and witnesses the illegal killing of one of her reindeer, an event that traumatises her. The second section is ten years later, when Elsa is trying to find her own way in the Sámi community but coming up against sexism and ingrained traditions. Reindeer poaching continues to be a major problem and then fate provides Elsa with the opportunity to confront the man who killed her reindeer a decade earlier.
This book provided me an opportunity to learn about the Sámi, their way of life and the obstacles, difficulties, and prejudices they face, via an engaging and absorbing story. I loved the specificity of the story and how immersive it was, never pandering to readers like me who have little to no prior knowledge of Sámi. Having said that, one of the things that struck me was the universality of some of Elsa’s experiences, particularly her interactions with the police. Their total lack of interest in dealing with the illegal killing of reindeer, effectively a hate crime against Sámi, was infuriating and remarkably similar to what I know of police behaviour with other indigenous and marginalised communities worldwide.
Elsa was a fabulous character, both as a young girl and then as a feisty young woman. Robert, while not a likeable character, was so well-drawn. Sadly I’ve met many men just like him. The sense of place was strong and I think the author did a great job portraying how vulnerable Elsa, her family, and the rest of her Sámi community felt, with their way of life being threatened both directly and indirectly.
This book provided me an opportunity to learn about the Sámi, their way of life and the obstacles, difficulties, and prejudices they face, via an engaging and absorbing story. I loved the specificity of the story and how immersive it was, never pandering to readers like me who have little to no prior knowledge of Sámi. Having said that, one of the things that struck me was the universality of some of Elsa’s experiences, particularly her interactions with the police. Their total lack of interest in dealing with the illegal killing of reindeer, effectively a hate crime against Sámi, was infuriating and remarkably similar to what I know of police behaviour with other indigenous and marginalised communities worldwide.
Elsa was a fabulous character, both as a young girl and then as a feisty young woman. Robert, while not a likeable character, was so well-drawn. Sadly I’ve met many men just like him. The sense of place was strong and I think the author did a great job portraying how vulnerable Elsa, her family, and the rest of her Sámi community felt, with their way of life being threatened both directly and indirectly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Racism
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide