Girl, Stolen

Reader: Elise S.
Age: 15
Title: Girl, Stolen
Author: April Henry
Publisher: Henry & Holt
Pub Date: Sep 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: Cheyenne Wilder, daughter of the head of Nike, survivor of a car accident that left her blind, is asleep sick in the back of the car when it's stolen. So begins a journey home, assissted by her young kidnapper.
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Girl, Stolen is not your typical kidnap story. Cheyenne is blind. Her kidnap was accidental. The kidnapper is actually a character, not just a dark, shadowy figure in a trench coat. But it's not just about the abnormalities, it's about telling a really good story. The characters are different, very alive, and really interesting people. The storytelling brings you into the characters, so you feel what they feel. Because one of the protagonists is blind, for half of the book the author has to rely on describing what Cheyenne thinks is happening and where she is, based on textures, smells, and sounds. And she does this so masterfully that you feel like you almost can see it, but is still refreshing.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I loved the relationship that developed between Cheyenne and Griffin, and how it didn't really come to a definite close, but was still satisfying.
Did you finish: Yes
Cover: As a lover of dark books, I thought this cover was very interesting. The dark tones on the edges, and the fact that her skin actually showed veins (gasp) made it seem very real, and dark. It was intriguing, and definitely wanted to make me read the book. And, after reading it, I picked up more little things. She covered her eyes like blindness, the clothes and everything look rich, connections!
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal